Here's ABC's new fall lineup, but first a moment of silence for those not returning:
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Crumbs -- 5 episodes of 8 aired -- I really liked this quirky sitcom. I was sorry to see it go.
Emily's Reasons Why Not -- 1 episode of 6 aired -- I really disliked this boring sitcom and was not sorry to see it go.
Jake In Progress -- 2 seasons/17 episodes/3 unaired -- This show had a good first season and then got changed too much to make the second feel like it was a continuation anyway. It's too bad. It had potential.
Miracle Workers -- 5 episodes of 7 aired -- This reality show featured doctors helping people. I hate to be cynical about things, but haven't we seen enough of that on TV? Don't we want more escapist fare? Apparently we did (or at least more Deal or No Deal).
Sons and Daughters -- 10 episodes of 11 aired -- Missed this entirely. Well...I didn't so much as miss it as didn't bother to check it out.
Alias -- 5 seasons/103 episodes -- What started off as a great show slowly devolved into a mess. I haven't seen much on season 4 yet as after season 2 this became a DVD exclusive show for us. Don't tell me what happens cause I don't know when I'll get around to seeing the end. The first four seasons are on DVD. Season 5 should be out this fall.
Commander in Chief -- 15 episodes of 18 aired -- What started off as the highest rated new show of the 2005-2006 season quickly because one of its lowest for a variety of reasons. Replacing the show's creator never helps. Keeping the show off the air for months to retool it also never helps. Luckily, the last episodes will be burned off (starting the end of this month) and no one will have to buy the DVD set (assuming it's still coming...but I bet they change the title from "Inaugural Edition" to something else).
Hot Properties -- 13 episodes -- While I'm pretty sure there's a successful sitcom to be based in the world of Real Estate, this wasn't it.
Night Stalker -- 4 episodes of 10 aired -- The worst part of this show was the fact that it didn't change its title or character names. Instead of getting a remake of a cult TV series, we got a complete re-invention. It wasn't bad once you got past the idea that this wasn't the same old Carl Kolchak. It got cancelled in the middle of a two part story. Damn you ABC. Luckily, the whole show arrives on DVD at the end of the month and SciFi starts rerunning all the episodes this summer.
Freddie -- 22 episodes -- Not a big fan of Freddie Prinze, Jr. (though his stints on Boston Legal as Donnie Crane were fun). So I never caught this show.
Hope & Faith -- 3 seasons/73 episodes -- This was a mildly amusing sitcom that wasted the talents of a number of people. The walking definition of cute.
Invasion -- 22 episodes -- The series finale airs tomorrow night, so it'll be interesting to see if things get wrapped up or not (they didn't know cancellation was coming when they filmed what would have been the season finale). This was the BEST new show of the 2005-2006 season. Sure it took a while to get into it, but like a great story once it hooked you, it kept its fingers in you. I'll be back with a more in depth review of the whole series when it gets released on DVD later this summer (assuming that release still happens).
Rodney -- 2 Seasons/36 episodes -- Never saw it, never will.
In Justice -- 13 episodes -- This should have been a show I'd watch. Lawyers trying to free the wrongly convicted, led by Kyle Maclachlan? I watch too much TV as it is and there wasn't anything new here that would hook me, after all it's still a lawyer show.
The Evidence -- 6 episodes/2 unaired -- Orlando Jones & Rob Estes starred in yet another procedural cop show. Had they given it a twist (like Orlando Jones shoots 7-Up cans out his butt) maybe it'd have lasted longer.
MONDAYS
8pm Wife Swap
9pm The Bachelor
10pm What About Brian
I have nothing to say about any of these returning shows. I don't watch them.
TUESDAYS
8pm Dancing With The Stars -- Yawn.
9pm Let's Rob...Donal Logue (Grounded For Life) stars in this sitcom about a group of friends who decide to break into Mick Jagger's apartment. Jagger appears briefly in the pilot, but I'd like to know what happens when they pull off the heist. It is a sitcom after all...not a drama. But it is from the creators of Ed, so there may be more there than we can currently see.
9:30 Help Me Help You -- It's group therapy with Ted Danson, Jane Kaczmarek and Jere Burns (wait...didn't he do the group therapy thing in Dear John).
10pm Boston Legal -- Sure it's gotten a bit silly this season, but it's still entertaining.
WEDNESDAYS
8pm Dancing With The Stars -- A Double Yawn!
9pm Lost -- With season two being mostly one step forward, two steps back I'm hoping season three will pick up the pace a bit. Not that slow pacing is bad, but after a while it gets infuriating. The first season is on DVD. Season 2 arrives on DVD just before the start of season 3. The most interesting theory I've read about the show connects it to Shakespeare's The Tempest and the 50s sci-fi classic Forbidden Planet (also based on Shakespeare's play and getting its own DVD special edition, finally, this fall).
10pm The Nine -- This show follows a hostage crisis over 52 hours. Sounds interesting. The cast ups the ante. Starring Chi McBride, Tim Daly, Kim Raver (guess Audrey's not returning to 24 next season), Scott Wolf (guess Jake's not returning to Everwood next season...assuming it even returns..we'll find out Thursday) and John Billingsly (guess the Vice President's brother won't be turning up alive for much longer on Prison Break next season...not that the VP will be around either...check out ABC's Sunday night schedule). This is a must see for me.
THURSDAYS
8pm Big Day -- Imagine Father of the Bride crossed with 24 and you've got this show that follows the planning of a wedding from the beginning of the season to the end. I wonder what a second season would get us? Marla Sokoloff and Josh Bloom are the young couple.
8:30 Notes From The Underground -- This sitcom is about a young couple having a baby. At least this way if it succeeds they can't "jump the shark" by adding a kid.
9pm Grey's Anatomy -- Didn't care much for this show when it premiered. Still don't. Season 1 is on DVD.
10pm Six Degrees -- The creators of Lost bring us a new drama in which six strangers affect each others lives in unknown ways and are slowly drawn together. That's pretty vague huh? So's the cast, but I'd follow these guys off a cliff for an episode just to see where they're going.
FRIDAYS
8pm Betty The Ugly -- Salma Hayek produces this hour long comedy about a large Latino lady who winds up working in the fashion industry.
9pm Men In Trees -- Anne Heche stars as a relationship coach. Yawn
10pm 20/20
SATURDAYS
8pm Saturday Night College Football
SUNDAYS
7pm America's Funniest Home Videos -- are there any men aside from me and six people I know know who have yet to been hit in the crotch and embarassed on national TV?
8pm Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
9pm Desperate Housewives -- Season 2 got a bit silly at times and I wish Bree would get her come uppance, but I look forward to seeing where this goes. Season 1 is on DVD. Season 2 arrives this summer.
10pm Brothers & Sisters -- The biggest problem I have with this family style soap opera-ish show (from descriptions) is that Patricia Wettig is part of the cast. If she's here, who's running the country over on Prison Break? Even though it has a good cast (which also includes Calista Flockhart, Ron Rifkin, Balthazar getty and Rachel Griffiths) and is from Marti Noxon (one of the writers from Buffy The Vampire Slayer) I have ZERO interest in this show.
MIDSEASON REPLACEMENTS/RETURNS
Day Break -- Taye Diggs stars as Eliza Dushku (just kidding, but not really) in this show from Rob Bowman (of The X-Files). Here we have a cop who wakes up to find himself accused of killing someone and has to uncover the clues to his framing. Unfortunately, he wakes up the same day every day...just like in Tru Calling. We'll see.
Traveller -- Two friends are accused of a terrorist act and are hopeful that a third can clear them, but they discover that he may not have existed in the first place. Wrap up every action & sci-fi show of the last decade in a burrito and I think this is what you'd get. Could be interesting. We'll see.
In Case Of Emergency -- It's group therapy with David Arquette, Greg Germann, Jonathan Silverman, Kelly Hu & Lori Laughlin as their doctor. It's a good thing ABC has a backup in case Help Me Help You fails. It's smarter than NBC airing their two backstage looks at SNL right up front. Jon Favreau is the executive producer.
Set For The Rest Of Your Life (airing Tuesdays at 8pm after Dancing With The Stars ends) -- This new game show is like The Newlywed Game but with higher stakes. In the first part, contestants try to gain as much of a monthly stipend as possible. Will it be $10 or $10,000? In the second half, they're playing for time. Will they get just one month? A year? A decade? Or will it be for the rest of their lives?
The George Lopez Show (Wednesdays at 8pm after Dancing With The Stars ends) returns for a sixth season.
According To Jim (Wednesdays at 8:30 after Dancing With The Stars ends) returns for a sixth season. Why?
Just For Laughs -- Candid Camera gets ripped off...again.
Greg Behrendt's Wake Up Call -- Ugh...a self help show in prime time?? Dr. Phil wasn't available? John Edwards?
American Inventor -- Why?
Supernanny (airing Mondays at 8pm after The Bachelor ends)
Up tomorrow...CBS...that'll be interesting, won't it?
Be seeing you.
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
NBC 2005-2006 Review/2006-2007 Preview
NBC announced their new fall lineup. Here's my take on it as well as a review of the season that is just ending.
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Teachers -- 6 episodes -- Didn't watch it, didn't care. I assume the title says it all about this sitcom...as does it's status of not returning in the fall.
Conviction -- 13 episodes -- This attempt by Law & Order creator Dick Wolf to combine his franchise philosophy with the David E. Kelley type of law show (like Boston Legal) was bland and boring at best.
E-Ring -- 14 episodes aired of 20 shot -- Looks like Benjamin Bratt and Dennis Hopper will be looking for new work soon since this Pentagon based drama tanked.
Fear Factor -- 6 seasons/142 episodes -- This gross out game show finally gets put to bed as NBC burns off a number of episodes this summer...and then we'll never see it again...until someone decides to resurrect it or something similar. Season 1 arrives on DVD soon.
Last Comic Standing -- A fourth season of this will be airing this summer, but its not listed on next season's schedule. Anyone remember any of the winners? Didn't think so.
Three Wishes -- 10 episodes -- This Amy Grant hosted show was probably better suited for HGTV than NBC.
Apprentice: Martha Stewart -- 13 episodes -- Dear Martha...your show was a boring clone of a show that was exciting once but has now become a repetative bore...enjoy your successful talk show as you more than anyone knows that fame can be fleeting.
The Book of Daniel -- 4 episodes aired of 8 shot -- NBC bailed quickly on this controverisal show. The only thing that made me watch all 4 episodes was all the controversy. Had no one complained it probably would have died a much quicker death.
Celebrity Cooking Showdown -- I think there were 5 episodes, but this tanked faster than anyone could imagine.
Four Kings -- 7 of 10 episodes aired -- tried watching this one time...it wasn't funny.
Heist -- 5 of 6 episodes aired --I missed this entirely, but it sounded interesting. Oh well.
Inconceivable -- 2 of 9 episodes aired -- I got nothing to say about a drama that takes place in a fertility clinic. Wasn't interested. Didn't watch.
Joey -- 2 Seasons/46 Episodes/8 Unaired -- Hey, it last longer than After M*A*S*H by 8 episodes (or 16 if NBC burns off the 8 unaired episodes). It was mildly funny, like Friends in it's last 4 seasons. Season 1 arrives on DVD soon.
The West Wing -- 7 Seasons/154 Episodes -- I tried several times to get into this show and couldn't. Not really sure why. The first six seasons are currently on DVD.
Will & Grace -- 8 Seasons/193 Episodes -- What? They couldn't find enough guest stars to make an even 200 episodes? Here's a show that ran out of steam at least two seasons ago. Not really sure why I kept watching as I barely cared for anything that happened to the main characters. The first four seasons are on DVD (but I hear the episodes are syndicated versions...yuck).
The new fall schedule looks like this:
MONDAYS
8pm Deal or No Deal -- Sorry folks, I don't get the appeal of this one.
9pm Heroes -- This hour-long drama is about ordinary people who discover they have extra-ordinary powers. It could be interesting even though there's no cast or crew that would draw me in. I'll take a look in the fall and we'll go from there.
10pm Medium -- This show enters its third season and it's become Tivoed summer fodder for us. We enjoy it, but there's other stuff that takes precedence. Season 1 arrives on DVD soon.
TUESDAYS
8pm Friday Night Lights -- based on the popular football movie of a year or two ago.
9pm Kidnapped -- This serialized drama focuses on one kidnapping for the entire season. The concept and the cast get me watching for a three episode tryout. Jeremy Sisto, Delroy Lindo, Dana Delaney and Timothy Hutton are among the cast members.
10pm Law & Order: Special Victims Unit -- The more grusome part of the franchise enters its 8th Season. Seasons 1, 2 & 5 are available on DVD (yes...you read that right...it's from Universal Home Video who just generally suck at doing everything).
WEDNESDAYS
8pm The Biggest Loser -- The inspirational/easy to make fun of reality show returns for a 4th season.
9pm 20 Good Years -- John Lithgow and Jeffrey Tambour star as two friends who start living every day as if it were the last. The stars get me watching for a three episode tryout.
9:30 30 Rock -- This sitcom takes a look backstage at a Saturday Night Live type show. Tina Fey stars (as well as creates it) with Alec Baldwin, Tracy Morgan and Rachel Dratch. Could be interesting and funny with this talent behind it...but does NBC need THREE SNL type shows on the air?? See below.
10pm Law & Order -- Returning for a 17th Season. I'm sure there'll be some cast shakeups. Seasons 1 thru 4 and 14 are available on DVD (thanks Universal).
THURSDAYS
8pm My Name Is Earl -- The best new sitcom of the 2005-2006 season gets a second season and a DVD release of the first around the same time. If you're not watching this just hand over your remote and unplug your set. You don't deserve them.
8:30 The Office -- Sorry folks, just don't get the show. Didn't find it funny after watching all of the first season (now on DVD). Won't be watching the third season when it starts again this fall.
9pm Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip -- Aaron Sorkin (creator of The West Wing) brings us an hour long drama that gives us a behind the scenes look at a Saturday Night Live type show. The cast includes Matthew Perry, Amanda Peet, Bradley Whitford, DL Hughley, Nathan Corddry, Timothy Busfield, Steven Weber and Evan Handler. The power behind this show (cast, crew and concept) get me watching. Looking forward to this one.
10pm ER -- Returns for a 13th Season. Yawn. The first five seasons are on DVD.
FRIDAYS
8pm Deal Or No Deal -- It gets two nights and Scrubs is relegated to a mid-season replacement?? Come on!!
9pm Las Vegas -- Returns for a 4th Season (has it been on that long already??). I still don't watch it. The first 2 seasons are on DVD.
10pm Law & Order: Criminal Intent -- Returns for a 6th Season. Seasons 1 & 3 are on DVD.
SATURDAYS
8pm Dateline -- It took over a decade to get this down to one night a week (and a "dead" night at that). I hope it doesn't take that long to rid the world of Deal Or No Deal.
9pm Reruns -- It'll probably be a few Law & Order franchise episodes if it's not movies.
SUNDAYS
7pm Football In America -- Bob Costas hosts this pre-game show now that NBC has the NFL.
8pm Sunday Night Football -- Are you ready?? I'm just glad that my Sunday night FOX programming won't get delayed, interrupted or shortened any more (I think).
MID-SEASON REPLACEMENTS/RETURNS
The Black Donnelleys (Thursdays at 10pm in January 2007) -- The creators behind this year's Oscar winning film Crash bring this drama of four brothers who are part of the Irish Mafia. It was originally a pilot from the 2005-2006 season that went nowhere. Guess that Oscar was good for something.
America's Got Talent (Sundays at 8pm after Football ends) -- Regis hosts this Simon Cowell produced talent show that's not called American Idol.
The Apprentice (Sundays at 9pm after Football ends) -- Trump moves to LA. Let's hope he stays there. I'm done with this show (after 5 seasons of watching?? I should have been done with it sooner). Only Season 1 has made it to DVD (there is a G-d).
Raines (Sundays at 10pm after Football ends) -- Jeff Goldblum is a detective and Luis Guzman is his partner. Oh...and he talks to dead people...take that CBS for copying Medium with Ghost Whisperer. The only reason I'll even attempt to watch this is because I think Goldblum's a great actor.
The Singles Table -- The creators of 3rd Rock From The Sun and Grounded For Life bring us a comedy about a group that meet at a wedding where they realize the one thing they have in common is they've been put at the singles table. Could be funny.
Andy Barker, P.I. -- Andy Richter returns (after the very funny, but barely watched Andy Richter Controls The Universe and Quintuplets both of which need DVD releases) and hopefully the third time will be the charm. Richter stars as an accountant who is mistaken for a private investigator when he occupies a new office that was previously inhabited by one. He changes careers and does his best to make people think he's the best at what he has no idea of how to do.
Scrubs -- returns for a sixth season (the first three are on DVD) and it still gets no respect from NBC. This show should be paired with My Name Is Earl to create the perfect comedy hour.
Crossing Jordan -- also returns for a sixth season. It's not even on DVD. Does anyone really watch this?
Well...that's all for NBC. Next up is ABC tomorrow.
Be seeing you.
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Teachers -- 6 episodes -- Didn't watch it, didn't care. I assume the title says it all about this sitcom...as does it's status of not returning in the fall.
Conviction -- 13 episodes -- This attempt by Law & Order creator Dick Wolf to combine his franchise philosophy with the David E. Kelley type of law show (like Boston Legal) was bland and boring at best.
E-Ring -- 14 episodes aired of 20 shot -- Looks like Benjamin Bratt and Dennis Hopper will be looking for new work soon since this Pentagon based drama tanked.
Fear Factor -- 6 seasons/142 episodes -- This gross out game show finally gets put to bed as NBC burns off a number of episodes this summer...and then we'll never see it again...until someone decides to resurrect it or something similar. Season 1 arrives on DVD soon.
Last Comic Standing -- A fourth season of this will be airing this summer, but its not listed on next season's schedule. Anyone remember any of the winners? Didn't think so.
Three Wishes -- 10 episodes -- This Amy Grant hosted show was probably better suited for HGTV than NBC.
Apprentice: Martha Stewart -- 13 episodes -- Dear Martha...your show was a boring clone of a show that was exciting once but has now become a repetative bore...enjoy your successful talk show as you more than anyone knows that fame can be fleeting.
The Book of Daniel -- 4 episodes aired of 8 shot -- NBC bailed quickly on this controverisal show. The only thing that made me watch all 4 episodes was all the controversy. Had no one complained it probably would have died a much quicker death.
Celebrity Cooking Showdown -- I think there were 5 episodes, but this tanked faster than anyone could imagine.
Four Kings -- 7 of 10 episodes aired -- tried watching this one time...it wasn't funny.
Heist -- 5 of 6 episodes aired --I missed this entirely, but it sounded interesting. Oh well.
Inconceivable -- 2 of 9 episodes aired -- I got nothing to say about a drama that takes place in a fertility clinic. Wasn't interested. Didn't watch.
Joey -- 2 Seasons/46 Episodes/8 Unaired -- Hey, it last longer than After M*A*S*H by 8 episodes (or 16 if NBC burns off the 8 unaired episodes). It was mildly funny, like Friends in it's last 4 seasons. Season 1 arrives on DVD soon.
The West Wing -- 7 Seasons/154 Episodes -- I tried several times to get into this show and couldn't. Not really sure why. The first six seasons are currently on DVD.
Will & Grace -- 8 Seasons/193 Episodes -- What? They couldn't find enough guest stars to make an even 200 episodes? Here's a show that ran out of steam at least two seasons ago. Not really sure why I kept watching as I barely cared for anything that happened to the main characters. The first four seasons are on DVD (but I hear the episodes are syndicated versions...yuck).
The new fall schedule looks like this:
MONDAYS
8pm Deal or No Deal -- Sorry folks, I don't get the appeal of this one.
9pm Heroes -- This hour-long drama is about ordinary people who discover they have extra-ordinary powers. It could be interesting even though there's no cast or crew that would draw me in. I'll take a look in the fall and we'll go from there.
10pm Medium -- This show enters its third season and it's become Tivoed summer fodder for us. We enjoy it, but there's other stuff that takes precedence. Season 1 arrives on DVD soon.
TUESDAYS
8pm Friday Night Lights -- based on the popular football movie of a year or two ago.
9pm Kidnapped -- This serialized drama focuses on one kidnapping for the entire season. The concept and the cast get me watching for a three episode tryout. Jeremy Sisto, Delroy Lindo, Dana Delaney and Timothy Hutton are among the cast members.
10pm Law & Order: Special Victims Unit -- The more grusome part of the franchise enters its 8th Season. Seasons 1, 2 & 5 are available on DVD (yes...you read that right...it's from Universal Home Video who just generally suck at doing everything).
WEDNESDAYS
8pm The Biggest Loser -- The inspirational/easy to make fun of reality show returns for a 4th season.
9pm 20 Good Years -- John Lithgow and Jeffrey Tambour star as two friends who start living every day as if it were the last. The stars get me watching for a three episode tryout.
9:30 30 Rock -- This sitcom takes a look backstage at a Saturday Night Live type show. Tina Fey stars (as well as creates it) with Alec Baldwin, Tracy Morgan and Rachel Dratch. Could be interesting and funny with this talent behind it...but does NBC need THREE SNL type shows on the air?? See below.
10pm Law & Order -- Returning for a 17th Season. I'm sure there'll be some cast shakeups. Seasons 1 thru 4 and 14 are available on DVD (thanks Universal).
THURSDAYS
8pm My Name Is Earl -- The best new sitcom of the 2005-2006 season gets a second season and a DVD release of the first around the same time. If you're not watching this just hand over your remote and unplug your set. You don't deserve them.
8:30 The Office -- Sorry folks, just don't get the show. Didn't find it funny after watching all of the first season (now on DVD). Won't be watching the third season when it starts again this fall.
9pm Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip -- Aaron Sorkin (creator of The West Wing) brings us an hour long drama that gives us a behind the scenes look at a Saturday Night Live type show. The cast includes Matthew Perry, Amanda Peet, Bradley Whitford, DL Hughley, Nathan Corddry, Timothy Busfield, Steven Weber and Evan Handler. The power behind this show (cast, crew and concept) get me watching. Looking forward to this one.
10pm ER -- Returns for a 13th Season. Yawn. The first five seasons are on DVD.
FRIDAYS
8pm Deal Or No Deal -- It gets two nights and Scrubs is relegated to a mid-season replacement?? Come on!!
9pm Las Vegas -- Returns for a 4th Season (has it been on that long already??). I still don't watch it. The first 2 seasons are on DVD.
10pm Law & Order: Criminal Intent -- Returns for a 6th Season. Seasons 1 & 3 are on DVD.
SATURDAYS
8pm Dateline -- It took over a decade to get this down to one night a week (and a "dead" night at that). I hope it doesn't take that long to rid the world of Deal Or No Deal.
9pm Reruns -- It'll probably be a few Law & Order franchise episodes if it's not movies.
SUNDAYS
7pm Football In America -- Bob Costas hosts this pre-game show now that NBC has the NFL.
8pm Sunday Night Football -- Are you ready?? I'm just glad that my Sunday night FOX programming won't get delayed, interrupted or shortened any more (I think).
MID-SEASON REPLACEMENTS/RETURNS
The Black Donnelleys (Thursdays at 10pm in January 2007) -- The creators behind this year's Oscar winning film Crash bring this drama of four brothers who are part of the Irish Mafia. It was originally a pilot from the 2005-2006 season that went nowhere. Guess that Oscar was good for something.
America's Got Talent (Sundays at 8pm after Football ends) -- Regis hosts this Simon Cowell produced talent show that's not called American Idol.
The Apprentice (Sundays at 9pm after Football ends) -- Trump moves to LA. Let's hope he stays there. I'm done with this show (after 5 seasons of watching?? I should have been done with it sooner). Only Season 1 has made it to DVD (there is a G-d).
Raines (Sundays at 10pm after Football ends) -- Jeff Goldblum is a detective and Luis Guzman is his partner. Oh...and he talks to dead people...take that CBS for copying Medium with Ghost Whisperer. The only reason I'll even attempt to watch this is because I think Goldblum's a great actor.
The Singles Table -- The creators of 3rd Rock From The Sun and Grounded For Life bring us a comedy about a group that meet at a wedding where they realize the one thing they have in common is they've been put at the singles table. Could be funny.
Andy Barker, P.I. -- Andy Richter returns (after the very funny, but barely watched Andy Richter Controls The Universe and Quintuplets both of which need DVD releases) and hopefully the third time will be the charm. Richter stars as an accountant who is mistaken for a private investigator when he occupies a new office that was previously inhabited by one. He changes careers and does his best to make people think he's the best at what he has no idea of how to do.
Scrubs -- returns for a sixth season (the first three are on DVD) and it still gets no respect from NBC. This show should be paired with My Name Is Earl to create the perfect comedy hour.
Crossing Jordan -- also returns for a sixth season. It's not even on DVD. Does anyone really watch this?
Well...that's all for NBC. Next up is ABC tomorrow.
Be seeing you.
Sunday, May 14, 2006
Hell Upside Down
I had a number of strange feelings going in to see Poseidon at the theaters. Having a child seems to have changed not only the frequency of when I get to the theaters (I'm pretty sure the last film was in January...anyone remember what it was?), but how I react to that experience. Let's focus on feelings watching a movie for a moment before I get into the film itself...
There are only a handful of movie themes that are consistently able to send a chill up (or down) my spine. One of those is Superman's. I had already caught the latest trailer online, but watching it on the big screen in full surround sound got me a bit teary. I can't wait for June 30 to get here.
So I've already had the hairs on my arms standing straight and then the movie starts. Poseidon is being labelled as a remake of The Poseidon Adventure, but it's really more of a re-interpretation. And I really couldn't tell you if that's good or bad (and I've spent the weekend digesting it). Beyond the basic setup of a luxury liner being capsized by a giant wave and a handful of survivors attempting to make their way out, the films have very little in common.
Gone are all the characters from the 1972 classic. There's no Reverend Scott leading the group in hope of actually finding a way out. There's no cop named Mike Rogo trying to get his crass wife Linda out of this new hell they've found. There's no Belle and Manny Rosen trying to fight their way to continue their trip to see their grandchildren. There's no Mr. Martin, no Nonnie, no Acres and no Susan or Robin. In fact, gone is all depth and dimension to any character. There's barely any set up or introduction to the main characters here. and before you know it, the ship gets struck and flips over.
We get bits of info about our "survivors" as they start their journey...but even the start of that journey is so markedly different from the original that it's a bit hard to really care about anyone. In the original film, Reverend Scott is determined to get as many people out as he can. He makes the appeal to everyone trapped in the grand dining room, but winds up with a party of ten (which ultimately gets reduced down to six by the film's end).
Here, we get a selfish single man determined to find his own way out (Josh Lucas plays the part and I'll be damned if I can remember the character's name without looking it up). It's only when others in earshot of the inquiries of a young boy overhear his pleas to Lucas to help him and his mother that Lucas reluctantly takes on travelling companions. Those companions include the young boy and his single mother, an ex-firefighter/former mayor of NYC (Kurt Russell), his daughter and her fiance, a jilted gay architect who was about to throw himself into the ocean when he sees the wave coming (Richard Dreyfus...who I think has less lines in this movie than Jar Jar Binks had in the second Star Wars film..it's a bit obvious he needed rent money), a waiter, a stowaway and a jackass named Lucky Larry (who is pretty much dead meat because of the name).
If there is one thing this film has going in its favor, it is the speed with which it moves. The film runs barely 100 minutes and feels even shorter. Director Wolfgang Petersen has sacrificed any characterization for a series of set pieces that keep everything in motion. But this is also part of the film's oddity in my book. The film is rated PG-13, but I can't remember the last time I was so disturbed by the amount of carnage I've seen on film. Maybe it's a post 9/11 attitude that's welled up inside, but you really do "feel" the enormity of this disaster in the proceedings.
The original, since it was made in the 1970s for around $5 million, didn't quite give you the enormity of the ship (even though it was shot on the Queen Mary), nor did you get the enormity of the devastation (there were bodies here and there as the group makes their journey). This film ups it in spades thru CGI. The ship is enormous. You know just from being in it's lobby. The disaster is even bigger as you see...well...pretty much everything...as the wave hits. The ship lurches people start sliding...both inside and outside the ship. It's very intense...at least I found it so.
It gets even more intense as the film goes along and the survival party drops a few members due to various gruesome demises. If you've got problems with claustrophobia you'll have a hard time with a long scene in an air vent (probably one reason there was no Belle Rosen character here...she never would have fit). And if you thought that Mary Elizabeth Mastratntonio's drowning scene in The Abyss was disturbing, this film's got one on par with that.
I really wanted to like this film. And there's a part of me that does because it's a very well made popcorn flick. But based on its source material, it's hard to deal with little to no characterization. Which brings me back to my initial observation. Being a film filled with cliched characters, we are presented with a precocious little boy who wanders off at the most inopportune moment putting himself and others in more jeopardy than they already are. In the past, this would annoy me because it's cliche and done to provoke an emotion. Having a child of my own and watching the scenes where they look for the little boy hit me a bit too hard and I had a reaction I never really expected to get out of this film. My wife had the same reaction.
We had dropped Malcolm off at his grandparents' for the afternoon while we went to the movie and did some grocery shopping. Once the film was over, neither of us wanted to grow grocery shopping. We just wanted to go get our son and hold him. And that's just what we did.
I'll revisit the film when the DVD comes out (since I'm sure they'll have all the cut scenes that actually gave some depth to everyone) and do a big piece on several incarnations of the story (since it was a book, then a movie, which had a sequel, then two separate musicals, a TV remake and now this big screen remake).
In the meantime, next week are the upfronts from the major TV networks. So I'll start giving my annual reviews/previews of the just ended season and the one that will start this fall...
I'll do my best to keep up, but Sly Fox has one more weekend to go and I'm still trying to catch up on sleep I've missed.
Be seeing you.
There are only a handful of movie themes that are consistently able to send a chill up (or down) my spine. One of those is Superman's. I had already caught the latest trailer online, but watching it on the big screen in full surround sound got me a bit teary. I can't wait for June 30 to get here.
So I've already had the hairs on my arms standing straight and then the movie starts. Poseidon is being labelled as a remake of The Poseidon Adventure, but it's really more of a re-interpretation. And I really couldn't tell you if that's good or bad (and I've spent the weekend digesting it). Beyond the basic setup of a luxury liner being capsized by a giant wave and a handful of survivors attempting to make their way out, the films have very little in common.
Gone are all the characters from the 1972 classic. There's no Reverend Scott leading the group in hope of actually finding a way out. There's no cop named Mike Rogo trying to get his crass wife Linda out of this new hell they've found. There's no Belle and Manny Rosen trying to fight their way to continue their trip to see their grandchildren. There's no Mr. Martin, no Nonnie, no Acres and no Susan or Robin. In fact, gone is all depth and dimension to any character. There's barely any set up or introduction to the main characters here. and before you know it, the ship gets struck and flips over.
We get bits of info about our "survivors" as they start their journey...but even the start of that journey is so markedly different from the original that it's a bit hard to really care about anyone. In the original film, Reverend Scott is determined to get as many people out as he can. He makes the appeal to everyone trapped in the grand dining room, but winds up with a party of ten (which ultimately gets reduced down to six by the film's end).
Here, we get a selfish single man determined to find his own way out (Josh Lucas plays the part and I'll be damned if I can remember the character's name without looking it up). It's only when others in earshot of the inquiries of a young boy overhear his pleas to Lucas to help him and his mother that Lucas reluctantly takes on travelling companions. Those companions include the young boy and his single mother, an ex-firefighter/former mayor of NYC (Kurt Russell), his daughter and her fiance, a jilted gay architect who was about to throw himself into the ocean when he sees the wave coming (Richard Dreyfus...who I think has less lines in this movie than Jar Jar Binks had in the second Star Wars film..it's a bit obvious he needed rent money), a waiter, a stowaway and a jackass named Lucky Larry (who is pretty much dead meat because of the name).
If there is one thing this film has going in its favor, it is the speed with which it moves. The film runs barely 100 minutes and feels even shorter. Director Wolfgang Petersen has sacrificed any characterization for a series of set pieces that keep everything in motion. But this is also part of the film's oddity in my book. The film is rated PG-13, but I can't remember the last time I was so disturbed by the amount of carnage I've seen on film. Maybe it's a post 9/11 attitude that's welled up inside, but you really do "feel" the enormity of this disaster in the proceedings.
The original, since it was made in the 1970s for around $5 million, didn't quite give you the enormity of the ship (even though it was shot on the Queen Mary), nor did you get the enormity of the devastation (there were bodies here and there as the group makes their journey). This film ups it in spades thru CGI. The ship is enormous. You know just from being in it's lobby. The disaster is even bigger as you see...well...pretty much everything...as the wave hits. The ship lurches people start sliding...both inside and outside the ship. It's very intense...at least I found it so.
It gets even more intense as the film goes along and the survival party drops a few members due to various gruesome demises. If you've got problems with claustrophobia you'll have a hard time with a long scene in an air vent (probably one reason there was no Belle Rosen character here...she never would have fit). And if you thought that Mary Elizabeth Mastratntonio's drowning scene in The Abyss was disturbing, this film's got one on par with that.
I really wanted to like this film. And there's a part of me that does because it's a very well made popcorn flick. But based on its source material, it's hard to deal with little to no characterization. Which brings me back to my initial observation. Being a film filled with cliched characters, we are presented with a precocious little boy who wanders off at the most inopportune moment putting himself and others in more jeopardy than they already are. In the past, this would annoy me because it's cliche and done to provoke an emotion. Having a child of my own and watching the scenes where they look for the little boy hit me a bit too hard and I had a reaction I never really expected to get out of this film. My wife had the same reaction.
We had dropped Malcolm off at his grandparents' for the afternoon while we went to the movie and did some grocery shopping. Once the film was over, neither of us wanted to grow grocery shopping. We just wanted to go get our son and hold him. And that's just what we did.
I'll revisit the film when the DVD comes out (since I'm sure they'll have all the cut scenes that actually gave some depth to everyone) and do a big piece on several incarnations of the story (since it was a book, then a movie, which had a sequel, then two separate musicals, a TV remake and now this big screen remake).
In the meantime, next week are the upfronts from the major TV networks. So I'll start giving my annual reviews/previews of the just ended season and the one that will start this fall...
I'll do my best to keep up, but Sly Fox has one more weekend to go and I'm still trying to catch up on sleep I've missed.
Be seeing you.
Thursday, May 11, 2006
Other Networks 2005-2006 Review/2006-2007 Preview
With the major networks having announced their new fall lineups, I thought I'd take a look at other shows I'm watching (or have watched) on cable channels. This list is not exhaustive and is pretty much just what I follow...there are THOUSANDS of shows to cover at this point and I don't have enough time in the day or caring in my body to update you on every little one.
Monk -- returns to USA for a 5th Season on USA Friday July 7 at 9pm (an hour earlier than before). While Monk's ticks and phobias have started to grow a bit weary, the show is still relatively entertaining (even with the absecnce of Sharona).The first three seasons are on DVD. Season 4 arrives June 27, just in time to catch up on all the plot threads you'll need to know going into Season 5 (were there any?).
The Dead Zone -- also returns to USA for a 5th Season. Starting on Sunday June 18 at 10pm, look for Johnny Smith to continue his quest to stop armageddon at the hands of Greg Stillson. There are only 11 episodes and then the show could be gone for good (USA let everyone's contracts lapse during the long gap between shooting the episodes for season 5 and airing them). Hopefully, the ratings will keep things going. The first three seasons are on DVD and the 4th arrives June 13.
Doctor Who -- Sci-Fi airs Season 1 on Fridays at 9pm. There are two episodes left (airing after the Memorial Day Weekend break for a marathon of crap) and then hopefully we'll know if they're going to air Season 2 which is currently about to hit its half-way mark in Britain. Season 2 brings us the 10th Doctor as played by David Tennant and if you loved Chris Eccleston, you should also love Tennant. Some good, fun episodes have aired so far (for those who have obtained them in various ways) with the two-parter re-introducing the Cybermen (as well as explaining the concept of parallel universes) was great TV. Look for Season 1 to arrive in the U.S. on DVD July 4 (its been available in Canada since February and has the exact same contents and packaging). Season 2 will probably not arrive until after it airs on Sci-Fi (if it airs at all...if it doesn't, expect a DVD sooner). In the meantime, look for Classic Doctor Who episodes to arrive on June 6 (Genesis of the Daleks, Revelation of the Daleks) and again on September 5 (The Web Planet, Inferno) and again sometime in November (most likely The Hand of Fear and Mark of the Rani as they are the only others currently on schedule for Britain and not announced for here aside from the 1996 TV Movie which is tied up in legal hell stateside).
Battlestar Galactica -- Will return for a 3rd Season to Sci-Fi in October. This is great storytelling at its finest (even with the whole grounding/one year ahead jump at the end of Season 2). Season 1 and half of Season 2 are currently on DVD. The second half of season 2 comes out this fall before Season 3 starts. The show is also getting a spin-off set 100 years prior to events here (its called Caprica).
Justice League Unlimited -- Ended its run on Cartoon Network a bit prematurely if you ask me. This wonderful continuation of what began back in 1992 with Batman: The Animated Series, was fun for adults and kids. This last season took the old concept of Super Friends and turned it on its head while wrapping up story elements dating back to Superman: The Animated Series. The first season will be out on DVD by year's end...although both seasons of Justice League (before they added all the other heroes and villains) are currently available.
Teen Titans -- Another Cartoon Network/DC Comics cartoon that ended its run too soon. After 5 Seasons we barely got a wrap up and the direction of the show (mimicking the whole Super Friends Versus Legion of Doom thing from Justice League) was just getting started and had loads more potential. Season 1 is on DVD. Season 2 arrives in September. There will also be a direct to DVD movie Teen Titans: Tokyo available later this year.
Superboy and the Legion of Super Heroes -- is the latest entry into DC Comics animated universe. I've never been a big fan of this book, but I'll give the show a shot. I think it airs this fall.
Blade -- SpikeTV gets into the weekly series business with this spin-off from the successful film franchise taken from Marvel Comics. Starts with a 2 hour premiere on June 28. Should be interesting.
Nightmares & Dreamscapes -- Stephen King gets his own limited anthology series with an 8 episode run featuring stories from his various short story collections (so its not just stories from the collection the series gets its name from) and big name stars. The show starts July 12 and runs for 4 weeks (two episodes are aired back to back each week).
Rome -- Season One will be availble on DVD by summer's end. Season Two will be airing eventually.
The Sopranos -- The show has just ended the first half of its sixth and last season (the last eight episodes will air in 2007). The first five seasons are currently on DVD. The show seems to be getting a bit lacking...
South Park -- Still packs a bite. The first 7 seasons are available on DVD. Season 8 arrives this summer and Season 10 continues in October on Comedy Central.
Deadwood -- Has just started its third season with Season 2 just arriving on DVD. There will not be a fourth season, but there will be a few movies to wrap everything up. Oh well...that's what happens when shows get to expensive to produce.
Entourage -- has just returned for its third season (with season 2 just arriving on DVD). Still a wonderful show (the second episode was hysterical as the roilling blackouts kept affecting potential box office numbers on the "Aquaman" movie).
Poirot -- Four new "movies" will be made. As to where they'll air is anyone's guess. A&E funded the last two batches and are funding this one as well, but three of the last four aired on Biography Channel (the fourth never aired, but was released on DVD recently). Two of the novels being filmed are Mrs. McGinty's Dead and Dead Man's Folly. The others have yet to be announced. It certainly looks like David Suchet will eventually tackle the entire Christie cannon at the rate he's going.
Marple -- Dame Agatha's other famous detective returns for a second run of updated adaptations. The Sittaford Mystery, Sleeping Murder, By The Pricking of My Thumbs, The Moving Finger will all be properly butchered.
Well...that covers everything here...we'll be back in the fall with more TV reviews and such as the new season gets under way.
Be seeing you.
Monk -- returns to USA for a 5th Season on USA Friday July 7 at 9pm (an hour earlier than before). While Monk's ticks and phobias have started to grow a bit weary, the show is still relatively entertaining (even with the absecnce of Sharona).The first three seasons are on DVD. Season 4 arrives June 27, just in time to catch up on all the plot threads you'll need to know going into Season 5 (were there any?).
The Dead Zone -- also returns to USA for a 5th Season. Starting on Sunday June 18 at 10pm, look for Johnny Smith to continue his quest to stop armageddon at the hands of Greg Stillson. There are only 11 episodes and then the show could be gone for good (USA let everyone's contracts lapse during the long gap between shooting the episodes for season 5 and airing them). Hopefully, the ratings will keep things going. The first three seasons are on DVD and the 4th arrives June 13.
Doctor Who -- Sci-Fi airs Season 1 on Fridays at 9pm. There are two episodes left (airing after the Memorial Day Weekend break for a marathon of crap) and then hopefully we'll know if they're going to air Season 2 which is currently about to hit its half-way mark in Britain. Season 2 brings us the 10th Doctor as played by David Tennant and if you loved Chris Eccleston, you should also love Tennant. Some good, fun episodes have aired so far (for those who have obtained them in various ways) with the two-parter re-introducing the Cybermen (as well as explaining the concept of parallel universes) was great TV. Look for Season 1 to arrive in the U.S. on DVD July 4 (its been available in Canada since February and has the exact same contents and packaging). Season 2 will probably not arrive until after it airs on Sci-Fi (if it airs at all...if it doesn't, expect a DVD sooner). In the meantime, look for Classic Doctor Who episodes to arrive on June 6 (Genesis of the Daleks, Revelation of the Daleks) and again on September 5 (The Web Planet, Inferno) and again sometime in November (most likely The Hand of Fear and Mark of the Rani as they are the only others currently on schedule for Britain and not announced for here aside from the 1996 TV Movie which is tied up in legal hell stateside).
Battlestar Galactica -- Will return for a 3rd Season to Sci-Fi in October. This is great storytelling at its finest (even with the whole grounding/one year ahead jump at the end of Season 2). Season 1 and half of Season 2 are currently on DVD. The second half of season 2 comes out this fall before Season 3 starts. The show is also getting a spin-off set 100 years prior to events here (its called Caprica).
Justice League Unlimited -- Ended its run on Cartoon Network a bit prematurely if you ask me. This wonderful continuation of what began back in 1992 with Batman: The Animated Series, was fun for adults and kids. This last season took the old concept of Super Friends and turned it on its head while wrapping up story elements dating back to Superman: The Animated Series. The first season will be out on DVD by year's end...although both seasons of Justice League (before they added all the other heroes and villains) are currently available.
Teen Titans -- Another Cartoon Network/DC Comics cartoon that ended its run too soon. After 5 Seasons we barely got a wrap up and the direction of the show (mimicking the whole Super Friends Versus Legion of Doom thing from Justice League) was just getting started and had loads more potential. Season 1 is on DVD. Season 2 arrives in September. There will also be a direct to DVD movie Teen Titans: Tokyo available later this year.
Superboy and the Legion of Super Heroes -- is the latest entry into DC Comics animated universe. I've never been a big fan of this book, but I'll give the show a shot. I think it airs this fall.
Blade -- SpikeTV gets into the weekly series business with this spin-off from the successful film franchise taken from Marvel Comics. Starts with a 2 hour premiere on June 28. Should be interesting.
Nightmares & Dreamscapes -- Stephen King gets his own limited anthology series with an 8 episode run featuring stories from his various short story collections (so its not just stories from the collection the series gets its name from) and big name stars. The show starts July 12 and runs for 4 weeks (two episodes are aired back to back each week).
Rome -- Season One will be availble on DVD by summer's end. Season Two will be airing eventually.
The Sopranos -- The show has just ended the first half of its sixth and last season (the last eight episodes will air in 2007). The first five seasons are currently on DVD. The show seems to be getting a bit lacking...
South Park -- Still packs a bite. The first 7 seasons are available on DVD. Season 8 arrives this summer and Season 10 continues in October on Comedy Central.
Deadwood -- Has just started its third season with Season 2 just arriving on DVD. There will not be a fourth season, but there will be a few movies to wrap everything up. Oh well...that's what happens when shows get to expensive to produce.
Entourage -- has just returned for its third season (with season 2 just arriving on DVD). Still a wonderful show (the second episode was hysterical as the roilling blackouts kept affecting potential box office numbers on the "Aquaman" movie).
Poirot -- Four new "movies" will be made. As to where they'll air is anyone's guess. A&E funded the last two batches and are funding this one as well, but three of the last four aired on Biography Channel (the fourth never aired, but was released on DVD recently). Two of the novels being filmed are Mrs. McGinty's Dead and Dead Man's Folly. The others have yet to be announced. It certainly looks like David Suchet will eventually tackle the entire Christie cannon at the rate he's going.
Marple -- Dame Agatha's other famous detective returns for a second run of updated adaptations. The Sittaford Mystery, Sleeping Murder, By The Pricking of My Thumbs, The Moving Finger will all be properly butchered.
Well...that covers everything here...we'll be back in the fall with more TV reviews and such as the new season gets under way.
Be seeing you.
Saturday, April 22, 2006
A Small Resurrection
Back in July of 2003, Art Asylum Toys released the first wave of Marvel Mini-Mates. These 2 inch high action figures were not only cute representations of some of the most popular Marvel Comics characters, but they were highly articulated and massively addictive. The concept of the Mini-Mates actually started a year earlier as a clone of a popular Japanese block figure known as Kubricks (which sought out various licenses to put together an ecclectic group of figures that included Planet of the Apes, TRON and Kellog's breakfast cereal mascots among others...in recent years the line has added more popular things like Star Wars and The Matrix).
The first Mini-Mates were actually 3 inches high and came from Rock Stars, Star Trek, Bruce Lee and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. But it wasn't until they got shrunk down an inch because of the Marvel license that they became popular. The popularity of Marvel Mini-Mates led Art Asylum to puruse other licenses and they were able to get DC Mini-Mates on the market, but in a slightly different format.
Due to existing licenses with other companies, Art Asylum wound up packaging the DC characters in Lego-like brick building sets they labelled as "C3" (Create, Construct, Customize). The first sets were based around Batman comic characters and Justice League cartoon episodes. While the sets were neat, it was the DC characters that drove the sales. Frustration with high price points, repetition of characters (ridiculous versions of Batman mostly) and a slightly inferior product to Lego eventually caused the demise of this line after less than a year (Fall 2004 thru Spring 2005).
This past week, Art Asylum & DC Direct (DC Comics own in house toy company) announced the return of the DC Mini-Mates...without the building sets. The control art shown is an amazing look at what will be a very exciting line.
While the Marvel Mini-Mate line has become stagnant with endless versions of Spider-Man and Wolverine (among others) and few villains, the first three waves of DC characters announced contain an amazing selection with only a few "repetitions". These Mini-Mates will also make use of the concept of scale better than the Marvel Mini-Mates by utilizing different sizes.While the Marvel Mini-Mates are restricted to the 2 inch size because of other licensing contracts with other companies, these are not. Most characters will be 2 inches high, but characters that are supposed to be bigger will be 2.5 inches or 3 inches high (it'd be cool if they had smaller sizes as well to work with characters like The Atom better).
Each wave will consist of four 2-packs of characters. Wave One arrives in August and consists of Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) & Star Sapphire, Armored Lex Luthor & Classic Superman, Modern Batman & OMAC and Joker & Harley Quinn. Wave Two arrives in October and consists of Doctor Fate & Power Girl, The Penguin & Robin, Blue Beetle & Booster Gold and Brainiac 13 & Battle Damaged Superman. Wave Three arrives in December with Aquaman & Ocean Master, Green Arrow & Deathstroke (Slade from Teen Titans), Wonder Woman & Ares and Killer Croc & Battle Damaged Batman.
That's 24 figures in 5 months that includes 4 female characters and 11 villains and only 2 repeated characters (and they at least make some sense). Compare this to the next two waves of Marvel Mini-Mates (Waves 12 & 13) which contain new versions of Wolverine, Colossus, Cyclops, Emma Frost, Spider-Man and Captain America (among others). There are no villains and the only women are Emma Frost and Kitty Pryde (well...I suppose Ronin counts as well assuming "she" comes with removable mask and hairpiece to add when unmasked like some figures do).
If this is the future of DC Mini-Mates, it's going to be a long fun ride as they hopefully eventually get the entire DC Uiverse shrunk down in miniature.
Other Mini-Mate lines for this year include Street Fighter (Waves 2 & 3), Battlestar Galactica (a classic series wave and a new series wave) and Speed Racer (Wave One with cars). There may also be a Wave Three of Lord of the Rings as it was announced last year, but has yet to be released (and may be cancelled because of poor sales).
Be seeing you.
The first Mini-Mates were actually 3 inches high and came from Rock Stars, Star Trek, Bruce Lee and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. But it wasn't until they got shrunk down an inch because of the Marvel license that they became popular. The popularity of Marvel Mini-Mates led Art Asylum to puruse other licenses and they were able to get DC Mini-Mates on the market, but in a slightly different format.
Due to existing licenses with other companies, Art Asylum wound up packaging the DC characters in Lego-like brick building sets they labelled as "C3" (Create, Construct, Customize). The first sets were based around Batman comic characters and Justice League cartoon episodes. While the sets were neat, it was the DC characters that drove the sales. Frustration with high price points, repetition of characters (ridiculous versions of Batman mostly) and a slightly inferior product to Lego eventually caused the demise of this line after less than a year (Fall 2004 thru Spring 2005).
This past week, Art Asylum & DC Direct (DC Comics own in house toy company) announced the return of the DC Mini-Mates...without the building sets. The control art shown is an amazing look at what will be a very exciting line.
While the Marvel Mini-Mate line has become stagnant with endless versions of Spider-Man and Wolverine (among others) and few villains, the first three waves of DC characters announced contain an amazing selection with only a few "repetitions". These Mini-Mates will also make use of the concept of scale better than the Marvel Mini-Mates by utilizing different sizes.While the Marvel Mini-Mates are restricted to the 2 inch size because of other licensing contracts with other companies, these are not. Most characters will be 2 inches high, but characters that are supposed to be bigger will be 2.5 inches or 3 inches high (it'd be cool if they had smaller sizes as well to work with characters like The Atom better).
Each wave will consist of four 2-packs of characters. Wave One arrives in August and consists of Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) & Star Sapphire, Armored Lex Luthor & Classic Superman, Modern Batman & OMAC and Joker & Harley Quinn. Wave Two arrives in October and consists of Doctor Fate & Power Girl, The Penguin & Robin, Blue Beetle & Booster Gold and Brainiac 13 & Battle Damaged Superman. Wave Three arrives in December with Aquaman & Ocean Master, Green Arrow & Deathstroke (Slade from Teen Titans), Wonder Woman & Ares and Killer Croc & Battle Damaged Batman.
That's 24 figures in 5 months that includes 4 female characters and 11 villains and only 2 repeated characters (and they at least make some sense). Compare this to the next two waves of Marvel Mini-Mates (Waves 12 & 13) which contain new versions of Wolverine, Colossus, Cyclops, Emma Frost, Spider-Man and Captain America (among others). There are no villains and the only women are Emma Frost and Kitty Pryde (well...I suppose Ronin counts as well assuming "she" comes with removable mask and hairpiece to add when unmasked like some figures do).
If this is the future of DC Mini-Mates, it's going to be a long fun ride as they hopefully eventually get the entire DC Uiverse shrunk down in miniature.
Other Mini-Mate lines for this year include Street Fighter (Waves 2 & 3), Battlestar Galactica (a classic series wave and a new series wave) and Speed Racer (Wave One with cars). There may also be a Wave Three of Lord of the Rings as it was announced last year, but has yet to be released (and may be cancelled because of poor sales).
Be seeing you.
Sunday, April 16, 2006
Wednesday Wound Up Being Sunday...Is This Carvel?
Some day I'll get back on a more regular schedule for writing...but for now it's catch as catch can...
Some quick capsule reviews:
Everything is Illuminated stars Elijah Wood as a young man who "collects" stuff from his life (not the usual stuff, mind you, dirt, coins, food, werid shit like that). When he comes across a picture of the grandfather he never knew but was named for he begins a search that takes him to Russia. This touching and wonderfully made film is the directorial debut of actor Liev Schrieber. It's very obvious that Schrieber has a love for the material from the artful way he handles it. Why this film got overlooked last year is beyond me. It's now on DVD.
If we needed another remake of King Kong then Peter Jackson was definitely the right man for the job. Unfortunately he seems to gotten bit by the "George Lucas bug" in that he didn't seem to have anyone to tell him "no". At just over three hours long, this fun film is bloated by about an hour. The set up seems to work well enough, but it takes forever to get to Skull Island and then they're not only there for an eternity, but the action sequences sometimes seem to go on longer than they should (the most "offensive" one is the dinosaur stampede that winds up turning into the police car chase from The Blues Brothers). It's well acted and artfully directed. It's obvious Jackson has a love for his material...but it may have been a bit too much love.
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe keeps itself from getting too bogged down in Kong-like problems by sticking to the high points of the story and moving along without embellishing. While it's mostly a "kiddie" version of The Lord of the Rings, it's still highly entertaining and worth watching.
My family bought our first VHS VCR in 1981 and promptly joined a rental store called "Underground Video" (so named because they were located in the basement of another store). Their policy at the time, when there really wasn't a rental market and the concept of low priced sell-thru was about as far in the future as Harry Potter, was that you paid a $100 deposit and could take out anything in their library and then return it and continue doing so. If you wanted to own a particular film, you could keep it, but then in order to rent again you'd have to leave another deposit. So...the first film we owned (after maybe a year of renting) was The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother...a VHS tape I still have to this day...and now I can finally "retire" it as FOX Home Video has just released the film on DVD (and not only does it have an anamorphic widescreen transfer, but a commentary by actor-writer-director Gene Wilder as well). I wonder if the tape's worth anything??
Bwhahahahahahaha (laughing at his own stupid comment).
Lastly for today is a quick review of the first episode of Season Two (or Season 28...depending on how you'd like to look at it) of Doctor Who. While the Christmas special got David Tennant off to a fine start as Doctor Number 10, this episode tries to cram way too much into such a short time frame. Acting as a sequel of sorts to "The End of the World" from Season One, "New Earth" features the return of two characters from that episode, a new race of nun-nurse-Cats, zombies, clones, New New York (stolen from Futurama I guess), multiple body switches and a mystery to boot. While it's a heck of a lot of fun, it will probably wind up as being one of the lesser episodes by season's end. The thing that keeps everything moving is the acting and writing. If you liked Christopher Eccleston as The Doctor, you should also like David Tennant...he's the same, yet very different. Billie Piper gets to do a few new things as Rose as well. It's fun as I said, but next week's episode (featuring ninjas, werewolves and Queen Victoria) looks to have a bit more substance.
I hope to be back later in the week with something...
Be seeing you.
Some quick capsule reviews:
Everything is Illuminated stars Elijah Wood as a young man who "collects" stuff from his life (not the usual stuff, mind you, dirt, coins, food, werid shit like that). When he comes across a picture of the grandfather he never knew but was named for he begins a search that takes him to Russia. This touching and wonderfully made film is the directorial debut of actor Liev Schrieber. It's very obvious that Schrieber has a love for the material from the artful way he handles it. Why this film got overlooked last year is beyond me. It's now on DVD.
If we needed another remake of King Kong then Peter Jackson was definitely the right man for the job. Unfortunately he seems to gotten bit by the "George Lucas bug" in that he didn't seem to have anyone to tell him "no". At just over three hours long, this fun film is bloated by about an hour. The set up seems to work well enough, but it takes forever to get to Skull Island and then they're not only there for an eternity, but the action sequences sometimes seem to go on longer than they should (the most "offensive" one is the dinosaur stampede that winds up turning into the police car chase from The Blues Brothers). It's well acted and artfully directed. It's obvious Jackson has a love for his material...but it may have been a bit too much love.
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe keeps itself from getting too bogged down in Kong-like problems by sticking to the high points of the story and moving along without embellishing. While it's mostly a "kiddie" version of The Lord of the Rings, it's still highly entertaining and worth watching.
My family bought our first VHS VCR in 1981 and promptly joined a rental store called "Underground Video" (so named because they were located in the basement of another store). Their policy at the time, when there really wasn't a rental market and the concept of low priced sell-thru was about as far in the future as Harry Potter, was that you paid a $100 deposit and could take out anything in their library and then return it and continue doing so. If you wanted to own a particular film, you could keep it, but then in order to rent again you'd have to leave another deposit. So...the first film we owned (after maybe a year of renting) was The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother...a VHS tape I still have to this day...and now I can finally "retire" it as FOX Home Video has just released the film on DVD (and not only does it have an anamorphic widescreen transfer, but a commentary by actor-writer-director Gene Wilder as well). I wonder if the tape's worth anything??
Bwhahahahahahaha (laughing at his own stupid comment).
Lastly for today is a quick review of the first episode of Season Two (or Season 28...depending on how you'd like to look at it) of Doctor Who. While the Christmas special got David Tennant off to a fine start as Doctor Number 10, this episode tries to cram way too much into such a short time frame. Acting as a sequel of sorts to "The End of the World" from Season One, "New Earth" features the return of two characters from that episode, a new race of nun-nurse-Cats, zombies, clones, New New York (stolen from Futurama I guess), multiple body switches and a mystery to boot. While it's a heck of a lot of fun, it will probably wind up as being one of the lesser episodes by season's end. The thing that keeps everything moving is the acting and writing. If you liked Christopher Eccleston as The Doctor, you should also like David Tennant...he's the same, yet very different. Billie Piper gets to do a few new things as Rose as well. It's fun as I said, but next week's episode (featuring ninjas, werewolves and Queen Victoria) looks to have a bit more substance.
I hope to be back later in the week with something...
Be seeing you.
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Hey Look...I've actually written something on a Wednesday
Hey folks,
Let's start off with this week's Fairfield County Community Theater Update (something that will become more "official" and get its own day to be updated later this year):
The Darien Players just ended a great run of Room Service. A fun show with a fun cast.
This is the last weekend of The Troupers Light Opera Company's production of Iolanthe. This fun Gilbert & Sullivan piece is well put together and highly enjoyable.
If you like Gilbert & Sullivan and are open to "re-interpretations", then check out Curtain Call's production of The Pirates of Penzance which opens this weekend. Sure, I'm plugging it for several reasons (wife and friends are part of the cast, friends with director, did the sound design)...but most importantly it's gonna be very funny. It runs through the end of April.
Lastly, I'm neck deep in rehearsals for Sly Fox which opens May 5 in Darien. I think I've got a great cast and they're all working really hard. The biggest challenge is going to be costumes and the set, but I've got good people working on both...and while it's looking like we're going to have to rent things from professionals I think it'll be worth it.
So...anyway...back to our regularly scheduled movie/TV reviews:
One of the funnier characters of the now defunct guilty pleasure Grounded For Life was goofy next door neighbor Brad. He was very likeable and not at all annoying or overbearing like Urkel. He was played by the funny and talented Brad Harrison who looked like he was going to be the replacement for Topher Grace on That 70s Show this past season. He was introduced last season as a rival of Eric's on that show, but before the start of the season Harrison got a lead in a new sitcom. He was gracious enough to let That 70s Show kill him off in a filmed cameo (the funniest bit in a so far yawn enducing final season...thank G-d they're wrapping it up in May). Meanwhile, Harrison's new show The Loop has finally premiered on FOX and boy did he make the right choice.
The Loop is about Sam (Harrison) who is the youngest executive at one of the biggest airlines. He's trying to balance life as an "adult" and life as a "post college grad". He lives with his crazy brother Sully (Eric Christian Olsen) and a couple of female friends, one of which he has a crush on but won't do anything about. His boss is hysterically played by Philip Baker Hall and one of his co-workers is Mimi Rogers, who's character is a sexual harassment lawsuit waiting to happen as she's constantly dropping hints at Sam. Sam also has a secretary named Darcy, an Asian-American grad from MIT who constantly reminds him of how over qualified she is for her job.
The episodes that have aired so far have been mostly funny straight through (and the theme song is silly and catchy..."Hockey Monkey"...by The Zambonis). It airs Thursday nights at 8:30 on FOX and makes a nice pairing with My Name Is Earl if you switch over to NBC at 9pm.
In our effort to "catch up" on all the Oscar nominated movies we missed from last year, we've finally seen Good Night and Good Luck and Hustle and Flow. Both are well made films that definitely deserve the Oscar nominations they got (and I'd add that Ray Wise's performance in the former was over looked). Regardless of what you think of George Clooney's politics, Good Night and Good Luck is a good film that uses a past embarassment to look at some present issues (without being too heavy handed). Hustle and Flow is not for everyone as it presents a man doing everything he can to turn his life around from street thug to music artist. The Oscar winning song "It's Hard Out There To Be A Pimp" is actually a lot less "curious" of a choice once you've seen the film and get it stuch in your head. If you like good movies, you should try and catch both.
My last review for today is for a film that you can view via the internet for free if you look around. Loose Change is almost what Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 should have been. I say almost because it does take a few wrong turns towards the end. Some may say it's too soon to be asking questions about September 11, 2001, but there are a number of "facts" as presented that don't quite add up and this film asks a lot of questions that do need better answers. Most of the questions the film poses are bakced up with "evidence" (there's a very compelling argument that the World Trade Center was really brought down by a controlled implosion...which makes a lot more sense than the reasons we've "officially" been given...but there are probably other reasons for the public not knowing the "truth" right now and I won't suppose to venture into what they might be).
Where the film starts to lose its footing is when it ties the current administration into events and it goes completely off track once it gets into the story of Flight 93 (it's a bit hard to take a leap that the people on board the plane are alive and being hidden somewhere or worse). There are specious excuses to place the Bush Administration (or specific members of it) behind a vast conspiracy and the whole concept of conspiracy theories being true depends on many people keeping a secret (which quite honestly flies in the face of reality...most humans can't...particularly when you know there are others who know). The best I can say is take a look for yourself and draw your own conclusions. It's a fascinating film to say the least.
Just a reminder that you should all be watching Doctor Who on Sci-Fi Friday nights at 9pm. It's a great show and I want to see the second season without having to resort to illegal downloads again (I've assuaged my guilt on this already by importing the DVD box set from Canada since it's the exact same thing that will be released in the US in July).
Next time...more reviews and the start of my look at DC Comics new mini-series Infinite Crisis.
Be seeing you.
Let's start off with this week's Fairfield County Community Theater Update (something that will become more "official" and get its own day to be updated later this year):
The Darien Players just ended a great run of Room Service. A fun show with a fun cast.
This is the last weekend of The Troupers Light Opera Company's production of Iolanthe. This fun Gilbert & Sullivan piece is well put together and highly enjoyable.
If you like Gilbert & Sullivan and are open to "re-interpretations", then check out Curtain Call's production of The Pirates of Penzance which opens this weekend. Sure, I'm plugging it for several reasons (wife and friends are part of the cast, friends with director, did the sound design)...but most importantly it's gonna be very funny. It runs through the end of April.
Lastly, I'm neck deep in rehearsals for Sly Fox which opens May 5 in Darien. I think I've got a great cast and they're all working really hard. The biggest challenge is going to be costumes and the set, but I've got good people working on both...and while it's looking like we're going to have to rent things from professionals I think it'll be worth it.
So...anyway...back to our regularly scheduled movie/TV reviews:
One of the funnier characters of the now defunct guilty pleasure Grounded For Life was goofy next door neighbor Brad. He was very likeable and not at all annoying or overbearing like Urkel. He was played by the funny and talented Brad Harrison who looked like he was going to be the replacement for Topher Grace on That 70s Show this past season. He was introduced last season as a rival of Eric's on that show, but before the start of the season Harrison got a lead in a new sitcom. He was gracious enough to let That 70s Show kill him off in a filmed cameo (the funniest bit in a so far yawn enducing final season...thank G-d they're wrapping it up in May). Meanwhile, Harrison's new show The Loop has finally premiered on FOX and boy did he make the right choice.
The Loop is about Sam (Harrison) who is the youngest executive at one of the biggest airlines. He's trying to balance life as an "adult" and life as a "post college grad". He lives with his crazy brother Sully (Eric Christian Olsen) and a couple of female friends, one of which he has a crush on but won't do anything about. His boss is hysterically played by Philip Baker Hall and one of his co-workers is Mimi Rogers, who's character is a sexual harassment lawsuit waiting to happen as she's constantly dropping hints at Sam. Sam also has a secretary named Darcy, an Asian-American grad from MIT who constantly reminds him of how over qualified she is for her job.
The episodes that have aired so far have been mostly funny straight through (and the theme song is silly and catchy..."Hockey Monkey"...by The Zambonis). It airs Thursday nights at 8:30 on FOX and makes a nice pairing with My Name Is Earl if you switch over to NBC at 9pm.
In our effort to "catch up" on all the Oscar nominated movies we missed from last year, we've finally seen Good Night and Good Luck and Hustle and Flow. Both are well made films that definitely deserve the Oscar nominations they got (and I'd add that Ray Wise's performance in the former was over looked). Regardless of what you think of George Clooney's politics, Good Night and Good Luck is a good film that uses a past embarassment to look at some present issues (without being too heavy handed). Hustle and Flow is not for everyone as it presents a man doing everything he can to turn his life around from street thug to music artist. The Oscar winning song "It's Hard Out There To Be A Pimp" is actually a lot less "curious" of a choice once you've seen the film and get it stuch in your head. If you like good movies, you should try and catch both.
My last review for today is for a film that you can view via the internet for free if you look around. Loose Change is almost what Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 should have been. I say almost because it does take a few wrong turns towards the end. Some may say it's too soon to be asking questions about September 11, 2001, but there are a number of "facts" as presented that don't quite add up and this film asks a lot of questions that do need better answers. Most of the questions the film poses are bakced up with "evidence" (there's a very compelling argument that the World Trade Center was really brought down by a controlled implosion...which makes a lot more sense than the reasons we've "officially" been given...but there are probably other reasons for the public not knowing the "truth" right now and I won't suppose to venture into what they might be).
Where the film starts to lose its footing is when it ties the current administration into events and it goes completely off track once it gets into the story of Flight 93 (it's a bit hard to take a leap that the people on board the plane are alive and being hidden somewhere or worse). There are specious excuses to place the Bush Administration (or specific members of it) behind a vast conspiracy and the whole concept of conspiracy theories being true depends on many people keeping a secret (which quite honestly flies in the face of reality...most humans can't...particularly when you know there are others who know). The best I can say is take a look for yourself and draw your own conclusions. It's a fascinating film to say the least.
Just a reminder that you should all be watching Doctor Who on Sci-Fi Friday nights at 9pm. It's a great show and I want to see the second season without having to resort to illegal downloads again (I've assuaged my guilt on this already by importing the DVD box set from Canada since it's the exact same thing that will be released in the US in July).
Next time...more reviews and the start of my look at DC Comics new mini-series Infinite Crisis.
Be seeing you.
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
This Week's Stupidity & Other Fun Stuff
Hey folks,
Trying to get back on track with that "posting on Wednesdays" schedule I threatened a while ago...
Today we start out with the hope that the minds behind South Park kill off beloved character Chef in the most heinous and disgusting way possible. With Issac Hayes, the voice behind Chef, hypocritically blasting the show for making fun of Scientology (where was he the previous 8 seasons when the show made fun of...well...everyone else), these guys should exact "revenge" in the best way they know...make it a part of the show and point out the hypocracy for all to see (though I'm sure Hayes won't anyway...but we can hope).
Universal Home Video also gets a big "wag of the finger" (to steal from Stephen Colbert) with their announcement of a new series of DVDs called "Brilliant But Cancelled". The idea is a great one. Short lived TV shows with much acclaim get DVD releases. The execution is completely assinine. The first two release are entitled "Crime Dramas" and EZ Streets. This latter release is of a TV series that had NINE episode produced, but Universal is only releasing THREE...and it's not even the first three...it's the two hour pilot, plus two others. The "Crime Dramas" disc contains an episode each from Touching Evil, Johnny Staccatto, Gideon Oliver, and Delvecchio. These shows had, respectively, 13, 27, 4 and 7 or 9 (not sure) episodes produced. Obviously Johnny Staccatto must have been better than "brilliant" to get 27 episodes made. The other shows are all made for DVD at this point. A one or two disc set for each would put all the episodes for their respective fans out without going the assinine "Best Of" route that Universal seems to take. I'm not entirely surprised by this as Universal is easily one of the worst studios when it comes to DVD releases in general (massive failure rates on DVD-18s, screwing up episode orders, etc.). Not that I have any interest in any of these shows, but there are fans of each and they're getting screwed for no real reason.
Meanwhile, on the other side of this coin, Disney gets a "Tip of the hat" (again stealing from Colbert) for releasing the entire run of the defunct Night Stalker "reimagining" from this season in May. ABC cancelled the show, which was growing on me, in the middle of a two parter. Luckily, their parent company is rectifying the problem and adding extras.
Big reminder for all of you out there to turn your TVs this Friday night to the Sci-Fi Channel from 9pm to 11pm. They start airing the new Doctor Who and if you like sci-fi at all, you should be watching this fun and well crafted show. It runs for 13 weeks and with any luck will do well enough for Sci-Fi to run all 14 season two episodes (which will start airing in Britain sometime in April) during the 14 week gap between the end of season one and the scheduled start of Battlestar Galactica for season three (which had an amazing second season I might add).
Lastly, just want to respond to the comments about my Top 25 list. First, I'm just gonna agree to disagree with Glenn on Crash. It's not the first time (probably won't be the last). Second, as for Brokeback Mountain, I should have mentioned not seeing the film under optimum circumstances...having a baby either crawling around the room or crying around the room while trying to focus attention on a film that requires attention (although less so than the baby) is not the best way to watch any movie...but quite honestly, with my priorities changing I was lucky to watch the film at all before the Oscars (and for the record, I didn't actually care what won anything this year...I was about excited to watch the Oscars, even with Jon Stewart as host -- who did a decent job, as I am about clipping my fingernails). So admittedly, Brokeback Mountain is a film that needs a second viewing from me...it's just not going to happen anytime soon if I'm going to try and "fit in" other films (in a similar manner) that I also want to see.
And that's enough of that...in the meantime, we'll see what next week brings as I continue rehearsals for Sly Fox, Natasha continues rehearsals for The Pirates of Penzance (for which I'm doing sound design) and Malcolm continues to go through the horrendously painful process (for everyone) known as "Ferberization". More on that when I have the energy.
Be seeing you.
Trying to get back on track with that "posting on Wednesdays" schedule I threatened a while ago...
Today we start out with the hope that the minds behind South Park kill off beloved character Chef in the most heinous and disgusting way possible. With Issac Hayes, the voice behind Chef, hypocritically blasting the show for making fun of Scientology (where was he the previous 8 seasons when the show made fun of...well...everyone else), these guys should exact "revenge" in the best way they know...make it a part of the show and point out the hypocracy for all to see (though I'm sure Hayes won't anyway...but we can hope).
Universal Home Video also gets a big "wag of the finger" (to steal from Stephen Colbert) with their announcement of a new series of DVDs called "Brilliant But Cancelled". The idea is a great one. Short lived TV shows with much acclaim get DVD releases. The execution is completely assinine. The first two release are entitled "Crime Dramas" and EZ Streets. This latter release is of a TV series that had NINE episode produced, but Universal is only releasing THREE...and it's not even the first three...it's the two hour pilot, plus two others. The "Crime Dramas" disc contains an episode each from Touching Evil, Johnny Staccatto, Gideon Oliver, and Delvecchio. These shows had, respectively, 13, 27, 4 and 7 or 9 (not sure) episodes produced. Obviously Johnny Staccatto must have been better than "brilliant" to get 27 episodes made. The other shows are all made for DVD at this point. A one or two disc set for each would put all the episodes for their respective fans out without going the assinine "Best Of" route that Universal seems to take. I'm not entirely surprised by this as Universal is easily one of the worst studios when it comes to DVD releases in general (massive failure rates on DVD-18s, screwing up episode orders, etc.). Not that I have any interest in any of these shows, but there are fans of each and they're getting screwed for no real reason.
Meanwhile, on the other side of this coin, Disney gets a "Tip of the hat" (again stealing from Colbert) for releasing the entire run of the defunct Night Stalker "reimagining" from this season in May. ABC cancelled the show, which was growing on me, in the middle of a two parter. Luckily, their parent company is rectifying the problem and adding extras.
Big reminder for all of you out there to turn your TVs this Friday night to the Sci-Fi Channel from 9pm to 11pm. They start airing the new Doctor Who and if you like sci-fi at all, you should be watching this fun and well crafted show. It runs for 13 weeks and with any luck will do well enough for Sci-Fi to run all 14 season two episodes (which will start airing in Britain sometime in April) during the 14 week gap between the end of season one and the scheduled start of Battlestar Galactica for season three (which had an amazing second season I might add).
Lastly, just want to respond to the comments about my Top 25 list. First, I'm just gonna agree to disagree with Glenn on Crash. It's not the first time (probably won't be the last). Second, as for Brokeback Mountain, I should have mentioned not seeing the film under optimum circumstances...having a baby either crawling around the room or crying around the room while trying to focus attention on a film that requires attention (although less so than the baby) is not the best way to watch any movie...but quite honestly, with my priorities changing I was lucky to watch the film at all before the Oscars (and for the record, I didn't actually care what won anything this year...I was about excited to watch the Oscars, even with Jon Stewart as host -- who did a decent job, as I am about clipping my fingernails). So admittedly, Brokeback Mountain is a film that needs a second viewing from me...it's just not going to happen anytime soon if I'm going to try and "fit in" other films (in a similar manner) that I also want to see.
And that's enough of that...in the meantime, we'll see what next week brings as I continue rehearsals for Sly Fox, Natasha continues rehearsals for The Pirates of Penzance (for which I'm doing sound design) and Malcolm continues to go through the horrendously painful process (for everyone) known as "Ferberization". More on that when I have the energy.
Be seeing you.
Sunday, March 05, 2006
Top 25/Worst 5 of 2005
Hey folks,
I usually publish a Top 25/Worst 5 Films of each year within a month of the year ending (if not sooner). But this has been a pretty wacky year (what with the birth of my first child and all)...so movie watching in the theaters was scarce at best. While I've been trying to catch up in time for the Oscars and fill out this list, I've barely made it. I don't think I actually saw 25 films worth labelling "best" (even in the loosest sense of the word). There's plenty I didn't see yet...but in the meantime...here's what I've got to go with (even if it's just to say I've written up a list like this since 1992 or so).
Let's start with the bottom of the barrel.
5) Must Love Dogs -- This film epitomizes everything wrong with the romantic comedy genre. We need something fresh and not more dog poop like this. Yes...I did see a lot of "worse" films than this, but I'm trying to make a point I couldn't have made with Monster-In-Law or Bewitched.
4) Pride & Prejudice -- I actually enjoyed this, but it makes this list simply to please my wife (she's a big fan of the novel and the mini-series version with Colin Firth)...so it was terrible simply because I had to not only hear how terrible it was, but also sit through several other versions for proof.
3) The Dukes of Hazzard -- Could I have picked other examples of this genre? Sure... and Bewitched and The Honeymooners were also terrible...but this one is probably the worst of all "Big Screen Remakes of Classic TV Shows". Which says a lot if you sat through Car 54, Where Are You?
2) John Carpenter Remakes (Assault on Precinct 13/The Fog) -- Remakes are bad enough...but here we're taking B-level films (which normally deserve to be remade if only to push a good idea to a greater level), and turning them to predictable, boring, formulaic shit (which neither was originally). The less said about these, the better...but check out the originals...
1) American Pie Presents Band Camp -- Okay...so it didn't have a theatrical release...but this direct to DVD piece of shit epitomizes everything that's wrong with the thinking when it comes to direct to DVD movies that only continue a "franchise".
And now...here's the Top 20 films of 2005 (sorry...couldn't get to 25 no matter how hard I tired...and you'll see by my number 20 entry how hard I'm trying to just fill the space).
20) Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith -- It's here simply because it's now all over and we no longer have to look forward to how George Lucas will continue to betray his fans and rape our collective childhoods...until the TV series starts at least.
19) Brothers Grimm -- Terry Gilliam always seems to get a bad rap...but this film was a good hybrid of the Gilliam artistic sense and Hollywood formula. A fun film that could have gone a few steps further.
18) Fantastic Four -- The changes to Doctor Doom notwithstanding, this film was a lot of fun and the perfect way to launch what will hopefully be a franchise that grows nicely (and hopefully corrects the Doctor Doom problems in the process).
17) Constantine -- A great comic book adaptation given the "circumstances" (Keanu Reeves as a magic man who was modelled after Sting??). Lots of fun and just the shot in the arm that the "smaller" heroes need to get to the big screen.
16) Madagascar -- It's funny. Isn't that enough?
15) The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy -- After years of being on-again/off-again, the Douglas Adams classic sci-fi novel finally makes it to the big screen. Will it satisfy every fan of the books? No. Will it bring new fans to the books? No. But is it good in its own right? You bet your ass.
14) Tim Burton's Corpse Bride -- This wonderful little fairy tale is nice and dark...just how they should be.
13) Wallace & Grommit in Curse of the Were-Rabbit -- The claymated duo get a big adventure that has laughs for the whole family. Easily one of the best animated films in a very long time.
12) Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire -- Part Four gets to the meat of what would have been a long-ass film if made exactly like the book. This is the way to make a good adaptation.
11) Inside Deep Throat -- This documentary is not just about porn (and a specific porn film) but about censorship in our society. It should be seen by anyone who thinks free speech is over-rated.
10) Sin City -- A neat "experiment" that blends modern independent filmmaking with classic graphic novel artistry (and all the while being the product of a Hollywood machine). Can't wait for a sequel.
9) Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room -- Another must see documentary...this is what happens when you live Gordon Gekko's motto of "Greed is good"...this is a lesson for all of us.
8) Charlie and the Chocolate Factory -- Tim Burton returns the dark humor to this more faithful adaptation of Roald Dahl's classic children's book and creates a classic to match the original movie.
7) Layer Cake -- Want to see how Daniel Craig will be as James Bond? Catch this wonderful piece about a drug dealer trying to get out.
6) The Constant Gardener -- This wonderful slow boil showcases Ralph Fiennes in a role that he should have gotten an Oscar nomination for.
5) The Artistocrats -- The dumbest joke in the world gets told and retold in every hysterical manner. This is a wonderful look at the deconstruction of humor and how it works.
4) A History of Violence -- This dark and offbeat film noir should have gotten more recognition at the Oscars than it did.
3) Batman Begins -- The BEST comic book adaptation since 1978's Superman...hands down (and there have been a few good ones).
2) Crash -- I love films that move you to think. This is a rare one and there isn't a flase note.
1) Serenity -- Pound for pound this is an amazing bit of storrytelling from a master. In making that tough leap from TV to Big Screen, Joss Whedon faced the impossible of catering to fans of the show and bringing in new people without losing them in all the baggage. He conquored the impossible and made a film that can be enjoyed by so many on so many different levels. It has everything required to keep a viewers interest...and yet, barely anyone saw it. It's never too late to still catch this great film as it's now on DVD...until the next format makes it obsolete.
Well...that's my list for 2005...I wish it had been a better list (or a better year for films), but I had such a great year that movies don't matter too much anymore...yes...I just blasphemed...I'll regain my senses eventually...until then...
Be seeing you.
I usually publish a Top 25/Worst 5 Films of each year within a month of the year ending (if not sooner). But this has been a pretty wacky year (what with the birth of my first child and all)...so movie watching in the theaters was scarce at best. While I've been trying to catch up in time for the Oscars and fill out this list, I've barely made it. I don't think I actually saw 25 films worth labelling "best" (even in the loosest sense of the word). There's plenty I didn't see yet...but in the meantime...here's what I've got to go with (even if it's just to say I've written up a list like this since 1992 or so).
Let's start with the bottom of the barrel.
5) Must Love Dogs -- This film epitomizes everything wrong with the romantic comedy genre. We need something fresh and not more dog poop like this. Yes...I did see a lot of "worse" films than this, but I'm trying to make a point I couldn't have made with Monster-In-Law or Bewitched.
4) Pride & Prejudice -- I actually enjoyed this, but it makes this list simply to please my wife (she's a big fan of the novel and the mini-series version with Colin Firth)...so it was terrible simply because I had to not only hear how terrible it was, but also sit through several other versions for proof.
3) The Dukes of Hazzard -- Could I have picked other examples of this genre? Sure... and Bewitched and The Honeymooners were also terrible...but this one is probably the worst of all "Big Screen Remakes of Classic TV Shows". Which says a lot if you sat through Car 54, Where Are You?
2) John Carpenter Remakes (Assault on Precinct 13/The Fog) -- Remakes are bad enough...but here we're taking B-level films (which normally deserve to be remade if only to push a good idea to a greater level), and turning them to predictable, boring, formulaic shit (which neither was originally). The less said about these, the better...but check out the originals...
1) American Pie Presents Band Camp -- Okay...so it didn't have a theatrical release...but this direct to DVD piece of shit epitomizes everything that's wrong with the thinking when it comes to direct to DVD movies that only continue a "franchise".
And now...here's the Top 20 films of 2005 (sorry...couldn't get to 25 no matter how hard I tired...and you'll see by my number 20 entry how hard I'm trying to just fill the space).
20) Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith -- It's here simply because it's now all over and we no longer have to look forward to how George Lucas will continue to betray his fans and rape our collective childhoods...until the TV series starts at least.
19) Brothers Grimm -- Terry Gilliam always seems to get a bad rap...but this film was a good hybrid of the Gilliam artistic sense and Hollywood formula. A fun film that could have gone a few steps further.
18) Fantastic Four -- The changes to Doctor Doom notwithstanding, this film was a lot of fun and the perfect way to launch what will hopefully be a franchise that grows nicely (and hopefully corrects the Doctor Doom problems in the process).
17) Constantine -- A great comic book adaptation given the "circumstances" (Keanu Reeves as a magic man who was modelled after Sting??). Lots of fun and just the shot in the arm that the "smaller" heroes need to get to the big screen.
16) Madagascar -- It's funny. Isn't that enough?
15) The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy -- After years of being on-again/off-again, the Douglas Adams classic sci-fi novel finally makes it to the big screen. Will it satisfy every fan of the books? No. Will it bring new fans to the books? No. But is it good in its own right? You bet your ass.
14) Tim Burton's Corpse Bride -- This wonderful little fairy tale is nice and dark...just how they should be.
13) Wallace & Grommit in Curse of the Were-Rabbit -- The claymated duo get a big adventure that has laughs for the whole family. Easily one of the best animated films in a very long time.
12) Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire -- Part Four gets to the meat of what would have been a long-ass film if made exactly like the book. This is the way to make a good adaptation.
11) Inside Deep Throat -- This documentary is not just about porn (and a specific porn film) but about censorship in our society. It should be seen by anyone who thinks free speech is over-rated.
10) Sin City -- A neat "experiment" that blends modern independent filmmaking with classic graphic novel artistry (and all the while being the product of a Hollywood machine). Can't wait for a sequel.
9) Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room -- Another must see documentary...this is what happens when you live Gordon Gekko's motto of "Greed is good"...this is a lesson for all of us.
8) Charlie and the Chocolate Factory -- Tim Burton returns the dark humor to this more faithful adaptation of Roald Dahl's classic children's book and creates a classic to match the original movie.
7) Layer Cake -- Want to see how Daniel Craig will be as James Bond? Catch this wonderful piece about a drug dealer trying to get out.
6) The Constant Gardener -- This wonderful slow boil showcases Ralph Fiennes in a role that he should have gotten an Oscar nomination for.
5) The Artistocrats -- The dumbest joke in the world gets told and retold in every hysterical manner. This is a wonderful look at the deconstruction of humor and how it works.
4) A History of Violence -- This dark and offbeat film noir should have gotten more recognition at the Oscars than it did.
3) Batman Begins -- The BEST comic book adaptation since 1978's Superman...hands down (and there have been a few good ones).
2) Crash -- I love films that move you to think. This is a rare one and there isn't a flase note.
1) Serenity -- Pound for pound this is an amazing bit of storrytelling from a master. In making that tough leap from TV to Big Screen, Joss Whedon faced the impossible of catering to fans of the show and bringing in new people without losing them in all the baggage. He conquored the impossible and made a film that can be enjoyed by so many on so many different levels. It has everything required to keep a viewers interest...and yet, barely anyone saw it. It's never too late to still catch this great film as it's now on DVD...until the next format makes it obsolete.
Well...that's my list for 2005...I wish it had been a better list (or a better year for films), but I had such a great year that movies don't matter too much anymore...yes...I just blasphemed...I'll regain my senses eventually...until then...
Be seeing you.
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Playing Catch Up Again
Hey folks,
I'm still trying to catch up on films from 2005 so I can publish my Top 25 (I've got seven open slots right now...and I don't feel like adding mediocre films to the list, but I will if I have to as I want to get it out of my hands by the time the Oscars roll around this weekend). I've been a bit bust between producing Room Service in Darien (which is going to be very funny...it opens March 10...call 655-5414 for tickets) and doing last minute sound effects for A Few Good Men in Stamford (which opens March 3...don't have the phone number on my mind, but curtaincallinc.com is the web site) and finalizing a cast for Sly Fox which I'm directing, it's been a bit crazy...
And let's add in all the Malcolm related stuff as well...
Anyway...today we've got a few catch up reviews...
The Dukes of Hazzard is a pretty crappy movie based on a popular, but dated TV series. I watched the original show when it was on. I wouldn't call myself a "fan" in the sense that I watched it religiously...but I did watch it often enough to enjoy it. The original show was about a couple of "good ole boys, never meanin' no harm". The Duke Boys were good guys, likeable guys, well meaning guys. They were Tom Wopat and John Schneider...and we loved them for being such gosh darn swell guys while they were evading Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane and foiling the machinations of Boss Hogg.
The movie is pretty much the porn version of the TV series. The minute you heard that Johhny Knoxville and Seann Scott Williams had been cast as the Dukes, you knew the film was gonna be a problem. These guys tend to play jackasses...and not quite likeable jackasses at that. So that's pretty much what we get here. And that attitude seems to have been absorbed by every other character. Even Uncle Jesse as played by Willie Nelson is a dirty joke telling, marajuana smoking, bad ass. The "plot" involves the Dukes trying to stop Boss Hogg (Burt Reynolds...oh how the mighty have fallen yet again) from strip mining all of Hazzard County. How they get there is so silly and pointless I won't even bother to tell you.
While every TV series turned big screen movie needs to find its "hook" to make it work, turning The Dukes of Hazzard into this was the worst possible way to go about this one.
Sometimes a movie comes out that gets so much praise and I sit there watching and go "huh?" So it was with Brokeback Mountain. The film is amazing acted, beautifully shot and well written. But the pacing is slow as hell. The film takes its time telling its story and not in the good way. After about 40 minutes I was ready for the film to end. So while I can appreciate some of the praise that has been heaped upon the film, I don't understand all of it. Not the first time.
Crash is more my kind of film. It asks questions, it challenges and it moves. I don't want to say much more about this film because I was so enthralled by it...but if a film can have both a cameo by Tony Danza in which he probably does his best acting ever and have a performance by the normally vapid Ryan Phillippe that is Oscar worthy then you know its a great film.
With the musical genre still trying to will itself back to life, we're getting a couple of oddities this year. While The Producers may have blown up all the flaws of the stage version while remaining relatively faithful, Rent arrives about ten years too late for any purpose. The timeliness of the show ended around the turn of the century and the decision to use the original Broadway cast (or most of it) who are all too old to be playing twentysomethings was probably one of the worst casting decisions in film history. Everyone gets an "A" for effort except director Chris Colombus who still has a bland hand when it comes to visual style. He gets a "B-". The film as a whole gets about the same.
That's all for today. I'll be back before the end of the weekend with my long awaited Top 25 of 2005 list...come hell or high water.
Be seeing you.
I'm still trying to catch up on films from 2005 so I can publish my Top 25 (I've got seven open slots right now...and I don't feel like adding mediocre films to the list, but I will if I have to as I want to get it out of my hands by the time the Oscars roll around this weekend). I've been a bit bust between producing Room Service in Darien (which is going to be very funny...it opens March 10...call 655-5414 for tickets) and doing last minute sound effects for A Few Good Men in Stamford (which opens March 3...don't have the phone number on my mind, but curtaincallinc.com is the web site) and finalizing a cast for Sly Fox which I'm directing, it's been a bit crazy...
And let's add in all the Malcolm related stuff as well...
Anyway...today we've got a few catch up reviews...
The Dukes of Hazzard is a pretty crappy movie based on a popular, but dated TV series. I watched the original show when it was on. I wouldn't call myself a "fan" in the sense that I watched it religiously...but I did watch it often enough to enjoy it. The original show was about a couple of "good ole boys, never meanin' no harm". The Duke Boys were good guys, likeable guys, well meaning guys. They were Tom Wopat and John Schneider...and we loved them for being such gosh darn swell guys while they were evading Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane and foiling the machinations of Boss Hogg.
The movie is pretty much the porn version of the TV series. The minute you heard that Johhny Knoxville and Seann Scott Williams had been cast as the Dukes, you knew the film was gonna be a problem. These guys tend to play jackasses...and not quite likeable jackasses at that. So that's pretty much what we get here. And that attitude seems to have been absorbed by every other character. Even Uncle Jesse as played by Willie Nelson is a dirty joke telling, marajuana smoking, bad ass. The "plot" involves the Dukes trying to stop Boss Hogg (Burt Reynolds...oh how the mighty have fallen yet again) from strip mining all of Hazzard County. How they get there is so silly and pointless I won't even bother to tell you.
While every TV series turned big screen movie needs to find its "hook" to make it work, turning The Dukes of Hazzard into this was the worst possible way to go about this one.
Sometimes a movie comes out that gets so much praise and I sit there watching and go "huh?" So it was with Brokeback Mountain. The film is amazing acted, beautifully shot and well written. But the pacing is slow as hell. The film takes its time telling its story and not in the good way. After about 40 minutes I was ready for the film to end. So while I can appreciate some of the praise that has been heaped upon the film, I don't understand all of it. Not the first time.
Crash is more my kind of film. It asks questions, it challenges and it moves. I don't want to say much more about this film because I was so enthralled by it...but if a film can have both a cameo by Tony Danza in which he probably does his best acting ever and have a performance by the normally vapid Ryan Phillippe that is Oscar worthy then you know its a great film.
With the musical genre still trying to will itself back to life, we're getting a couple of oddities this year. While The Producers may have blown up all the flaws of the stage version while remaining relatively faithful, Rent arrives about ten years too late for any purpose. The timeliness of the show ended around the turn of the century and the decision to use the original Broadway cast (or most of it) who are all too old to be playing twentysomethings was probably one of the worst casting decisions in film history. Everyone gets an "A" for effort except director Chris Colombus who still has a bland hand when it comes to visual style. He gets a "B-". The film as a whole gets about the same.
That's all for today. I'll be back before the end of the weekend with my long awaited Top 25 of 2005 list...come hell or high water.
Be seeing you.
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
Look Up In The Sky...
The biggest movie news of the last week, in my humble opinion, is that Warner Home Video will be releasing a 14 disc box set of the original Superman series that will include a "reconstituted" cut of Superman II. For those that don't know, the first two films were originally being shot back-to-back by Richard Donner, but as shooting fell behind schedule he was forced to put aside any stuff for the second film and finish the first. Once the first film was done and released he was fired by the Salkinds and replaced with Richard Lester. Supposedly Donner had shot about 70% of the sequel but only 40% of the footage he shot was used (Brando shot scenes that are being used in the upcoming Superman Returns).
Now, Donner supposedly isn't yet involved in the project and it most likely won't be out until Superman Returns hits DVD around Christmas (which would explain 14 discs...Superman, Superman II, Superman III, Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, Supergirl and Superman Returns is the only way to get that many in one box with plenty of extras for each film), but this is very exciting new. This is one instance where the terms "Director's Cut" and "Special Edition" will actually have meaning.
Meanwhile, the Oscar nominations have left me rather "blah". Most likely because life has turned me in different directions this past year and I haven't seen most of what got nominated and won't have the opportunity until they hit video anyway.
Now...on to this week's reviews:
The problem with a film like Flightplan is that it really has only two options to follow once the plot is in motion. Jodie Foster stars as a woman who boards one of those currently non-existant super airplanes that seats 500 with her daughter. Both fall asleep and three hours into the flight her daughter goes missing and she starts to panic and throw out all these theories as she gets everyone on the plane into a panic as well. So we're left with the only two options. Let's call option A The Twilight Zone Option in which we find out she never had a kid on the plane to begin with because the child died or was never born or some other reason. Let's call option B The Die Hard on a Plane Option in which it turns out someone's really taken her child and now she's got to turn into an action hero to get the daughter back.
So you see...there's very little suspense and by the time both options have played themselves out you realize you could have spent an hour and 40 minutes doing almost anything else.
Speaking of wastes of time...The Man is one of those films that was probably thought up by studio executives during a late night pot party soon after they graduated from business school and wrongly got promoted to run the damn place. It's one of those "wouldn't it be funny if we made a buddy cop film with Samuel L. Jackson and Eugene Levy?" type of comments you make at 3am when stoned. But when the buzz wears off you realize it wouldn't be funny. My question is why didn't the actors know better? Heck...why didn't I? To give the film some credit, it does have a rather funny recurring fart joke for what that's worth.
Lastly we come to My Big Fat Independent Movie. This film is a spoof on the order of Scary Movie or Not Another Teen Movie or even the upcoming Date Movie. Heck...just having the word Movie in the title makes it funny, right?
The film starts off very promising with a very funny parody of Memento and then quickly throws in a bizarre mish-mosh of plot pieces from Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, Amelie, The Good Girl, Swingers and Pi for what makes a very funny first 30 minutes. Then it slows down as it pretty much tries to move this plot forward while still tossing around even more references to Sex, Lies and Videotape, Mulholland Drive and Run, Lola, Run before ending with the funniest (and largest) Mexican standoff ever put to film.
It's funnier than most films in this "genre", but at the end of the day it doesn't add up to much beyond 80 minutes of diversion and an "updated" version of the just as funny Plump Fiction released in 1997.
Be seeing you.
Now, Donner supposedly isn't yet involved in the project and it most likely won't be out until Superman Returns hits DVD around Christmas (which would explain 14 discs...Superman, Superman II, Superman III, Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, Supergirl and Superman Returns is the only way to get that many in one box with plenty of extras for each film), but this is very exciting new. This is one instance where the terms "Director's Cut" and "Special Edition" will actually have meaning.
Meanwhile, the Oscar nominations have left me rather "blah". Most likely because life has turned me in different directions this past year and I haven't seen most of what got nominated and won't have the opportunity until they hit video anyway.
Now...on to this week's reviews:
The problem with a film like Flightplan is that it really has only two options to follow once the plot is in motion. Jodie Foster stars as a woman who boards one of those currently non-existant super airplanes that seats 500 with her daughter. Both fall asleep and three hours into the flight her daughter goes missing and she starts to panic and throw out all these theories as she gets everyone on the plane into a panic as well. So we're left with the only two options. Let's call option A The Twilight Zone Option in which we find out she never had a kid on the plane to begin with because the child died or was never born or some other reason. Let's call option B The Die Hard on a Plane Option in which it turns out someone's really taken her child and now she's got to turn into an action hero to get the daughter back.
So you see...there's very little suspense and by the time both options have played themselves out you realize you could have spent an hour and 40 minutes doing almost anything else.
Speaking of wastes of time...The Man is one of those films that was probably thought up by studio executives during a late night pot party soon after they graduated from business school and wrongly got promoted to run the damn place. It's one of those "wouldn't it be funny if we made a buddy cop film with Samuel L. Jackson and Eugene Levy?" type of comments you make at 3am when stoned. But when the buzz wears off you realize it wouldn't be funny. My question is why didn't the actors know better? Heck...why didn't I? To give the film some credit, it does have a rather funny recurring fart joke for what that's worth.
Lastly we come to My Big Fat Independent Movie. This film is a spoof on the order of Scary Movie or Not Another Teen Movie or even the upcoming Date Movie. Heck...just having the word Movie in the title makes it funny, right?
The film starts off very promising with a very funny parody of Memento and then quickly throws in a bizarre mish-mosh of plot pieces from Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, Amelie, The Good Girl, Swingers and Pi for what makes a very funny first 30 minutes. Then it slows down as it pretty much tries to move this plot forward while still tossing around even more references to Sex, Lies and Videotape, Mulholland Drive and Run, Lola, Run before ending with the funniest (and largest) Mexican standoff ever put to film.
It's funnier than most films in this "genre", but at the end of the day it doesn't add up to much beyond 80 minutes of diversion and an "updated" version of the just as funny Plump Fiction released in 1997.
Be seeing you.
Friday, January 27, 2006
And Then There Were Five (And Other Stuff)
So by now you've probably heard about the new network being formed between CBS and Warner Brothers that will essentially replace both UPN and The WB. This is a good thing...as long as all the good shows from both networks get folded in for the fall. Read the latest Entertainment Weekly for the perfect lineup (which does include all of my favorite shows on the two networks plus the high profile Aquaman series in development for The WB).
Let's face it, while The WB has had some good shows over the years (Buffy, Angel, Smallville, Everwood to name a few), UPN has had exactly two since the network began in 1995 (Nowhere Man and Veronica Mars...and since Buffy moved there we're not going to count her...and Star Trek has been crap since Voyager started). So hopefully a good combination can be made and this new network can start beating the hell out of the old guys just as FOX has of late.
Meanwhile...it's mid-season time...so here's a look at what we've checked out so far...
Emily's Reasons Why Not was crap and was justly cancelled after one episode.
Jake In Progress was an interesting show last season that was brought back with too many oddball changes (all of a sudden Jake and Patrick were childhood friends when they had just met last season??). Also cancelled after airing one episode.
24 returned with an amazing 2 night 4 hour run that saw the demise of two MAJOR characters and threw the entire show into a tizzy. Sure the logic tends to defy logic (Tony being shot in the neck and then he's running around 3 episodes later), but it is pure fun and keeps you on the edge of your seat at all times. This season's plot is a doozy.
Love Monkey isn't bad, but having Tom Cavanaugh as the star reminds me way too much of Ed which I still miss (and that show needs to be on DVD).
Scrubs has also returned and hasn't missed a stride yet. 100 episodes and still going strong.
Four Kings is the same kind of crap that NBC has always used to glue their big "Must See TV" shows together. It should be gone before next season starts.
Crumbs is inetersting and humorous...but I'm going to give it a few more episodes before really reviewing it.
There are two reasons I decided to watch The Book of Daniel. 1) The Cast. The big names are good actors and I knew a few people who were background actors (so it was nice trying to spot them). 2) The controversy. Nothing gets me watching like people raising a ruckuss that we shouldn't be allowed to see something instead of just turning their damn TV off. The show itself was okay at best. I kept waiting to see if it got any better. I knew it didn't have long life left when the ads during the third episode were all for NBC programs and nothing else. It got cancelled the following week. Score 1 for the bad guys in spite of it being just "eh".
For those curious, the folks behind the interesting, but cancelled experiment Reunion revealed the potential killer in an interview but did state they may have taken it in another direction. It would have been the daughter who was given up for adpotion in the second episode (remember, the mystery was present day but each episode flashbacked to a different year starting 20 years ago in the pilot so we'd eventually reach present day and a solution to the mystery). Oh well.
Sci-Fi will begin broadcasting the new Doctor Who when Battlestar Galactica finishes it's second season at the end of March. If you like science fiction YOU MUST WATCH THIS SHOW (that also goes for Battlestar Galactica). I want to see the second season ASAP and don't want to have to jump thru hoops to do so.
Speaking of jumping thru hoops...Cartoon Network apparently took notice of all the activity on bittorrent sites concerning the new episodes of Justice League Unlimited that they were originally planning on airing this summer. The new episodes will now start in February (there are only 9 left before the season ends).
Well...I think that's all I've got today...
Be seeing you.
Let's face it, while The WB has had some good shows over the years (Buffy, Angel, Smallville, Everwood to name a few), UPN has had exactly two since the network began in 1995 (Nowhere Man and Veronica Mars...and since Buffy moved there we're not going to count her...and Star Trek has been crap since Voyager started). So hopefully a good combination can be made and this new network can start beating the hell out of the old guys just as FOX has of late.
Meanwhile...it's mid-season time...so here's a look at what we've checked out so far...
Emily's Reasons Why Not was crap and was justly cancelled after one episode.
Jake In Progress was an interesting show last season that was brought back with too many oddball changes (all of a sudden Jake and Patrick were childhood friends when they had just met last season??). Also cancelled after airing one episode.
24 returned with an amazing 2 night 4 hour run that saw the demise of two MAJOR characters and threw the entire show into a tizzy. Sure the logic tends to defy logic (Tony being shot in the neck and then he's running around 3 episodes later), but it is pure fun and keeps you on the edge of your seat at all times. This season's plot is a doozy.
Love Monkey isn't bad, but having Tom Cavanaugh as the star reminds me way too much of Ed which I still miss (and that show needs to be on DVD).
Scrubs has also returned and hasn't missed a stride yet. 100 episodes and still going strong.
Four Kings is the same kind of crap that NBC has always used to glue their big "Must See TV" shows together. It should be gone before next season starts.
Crumbs is inetersting and humorous...but I'm going to give it a few more episodes before really reviewing it.
There are two reasons I decided to watch The Book of Daniel. 1) The Cast. The big names are good actors and I knew a few people who were background actors (so it was nice trying to spot them). 2) The controversy. Nothing gets me watching like people raising a ruckuss that we shouldn't be allowed to see something instead of just turning their damn TV off. The show itself was okay at best. I kept waiting to see if it got any better. I knew it didn't have long life left when the ads during the third episode were all for NBC programs and nothing else. It got cancelled the following week. Score 1 for the bad guys in spite of it being just "eh".
For those curious, the folks behind the interesting, but cancelled experiment Reunion revealed the potential killer in an interview but did state they may have taken it in another direction. It would have been the daughter who was given up for adpotion in the second episode (remember, the mystery was present day but each episode flashbacked to a different year starting 20 years ago in the pilot so we'd eventually reach present day and a solution to the mystery). Oh well.
Sci-Fi will begin broadcasting the new Doctor Who when Battlestar Galactica finishes it's second season at the end of March. If you like science fiction YOU MUST WATCH THIS SHOW (that also goes for Battlestar Galactica). I want to see the second season ASAP and don't want to have to jump thru hoops to do so.
Speaking of jumping thru hoops...Cartoon Network apparently took notice of all the activity on bittorrent sites concerning the new episodes of Justice League Unlimited that they were originally planning on airing this summer. The new episodes will now start in February (there are only 9 left before the season ends).
Well...I think that's all I've got today...
Be seeing you.
Thursday, January 26, 2006
2005 Catch Up
So today we spend some time taking some quick looks at recent releases that we missed in theaters but have caught on DVD...so let's just get right to it...
Must Love Dogs is a typical romantic comedy starring John Cusack and Diane Lane. It was such a typical romantic comedy that I believe this film should force a moritorium on the genre for at leats 5 years (like that'll happen). The movie is so bland that it didn't even get a real "Special Edition DVD" release (and every piece of crap does these days) as it contains some deleted scenes, a gag reel and a trailer. Yawn.
The Bad News Bears is one of those remakes that begs the question "why did this need to be remade?" With Billy Bob Thornton stepping in for Walter Matthau we essentially get a cross between Bad Santa and The Bad News Bears. It's pointlessly raunchy...actually it's just pointless. See the original. Heck, see the sequels to the original.
The Constant Gardner is one of those films you're not sure about when you see the trailer. Is it a drama? Is it a mystery? Is it a dramery? Well...after having seen it, it is a political thriller...and a really good one at that. Ralph Fiennes plays a British diplomat who gets tangled in a web of deception after his journalist wife (Rachel Weisz) dies in a car accident. These days I normally don't like films that push a political agenda, but this one's a noble nose tweaking of the pharmacutical industry so I didn't mind much. Amazingly shot, this is one beautiful film to look at. This will easily make my best list for 2005.
Red Eye is another film that was marketed strangely. Trailers suggested a horror film on an airplane since it's directed by Wes Craven...but it is mostly suspense...and then about 45 minutes later the story moves off of the airplane and completely falls apart (not that it was so great to begin with). Rachel McAdams plays a hotel manager on her way home when she is forced by a strange man (Cillian Murphy) to do something against her will (to tell you what that is would ruin what little plot there is). Not worth cathcing this one (pun intended).
Layer Cake is a must see movie...especially fi you want to see why Daniel Craig was picked to be the new James Bond. This story of a drug dealer planning to retire is simply engaging from start to finish. One of the best films of the year.
Dial H-I-S-T-O-R-Y is an odd surreal piece of the kind I was forced to watch in film classes during college. Don't even remember what attracted me to this, but I gave up after 15 minutes (and the film runs just over an hour). It's mostly a long montage of images and sound bites of terrorist attacks from the 60s, 70s and 80s and its attempting to make some sort of point about the media's role in reporting these, but I'll be damned if I could figure it out in 15 minutes and didn't feel like wasting an hour to get there. For the record, the film was made in 1998.
The Aristocrats is the funniest film of 2005. Hands down. This documentary is essentially about the construction and deconstruction of a joke that many comedians tell amongst themselves and few people have actually heard. The joke starts "A guy walks into a talent agent's office and says "I've got this great act for you.'" And it ends with "The agent asks 'What's the act called?' and the guy replies 'The Aristocrats.'" Of course, this simple version isn't funny...it's the in between that I've left out where all the mayhem begins. You see every comedian puts their own spin on what this act does and it seems like each one is trying to top the other. They throw in every possible sex act, scatalogical act and taboo subject matter possible for this "family act" to go through. Some of the jokes last about 30 seconds (like Emo Phillips), some people claim to have streched it to a two hour story (Dana Gould), there's an animated version using the boys from South Park and even a version by a mime. And the film isn't just a string of comedians telling the joke. We get its history, how it gets reinterpreted by females, by African-Americans, how it can make a political statement and other permutations. This is not for the faint at heart as some of the descriptions defy repeating...but I was so on the floor with this film that I'm working on several versions myself.
Two animated films that got me a big angry about the use of stars instead of vocal actors are Madagascar and Robots. The former is a very funny film about animals wanting to escape from the Central Park Zoo and the latter is about a young robot with a dream that gets crushed by the system. The former utilizes Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer and Jada Pinkett Smith and the characters sound and act just like Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer and some lady whose voice you won't really recognize. It's distracting and annoying, but the film is very funny (especially the penguins).
Robots on the other hand isn't as funny and it uses many more recognizable actors, but the only ones that are truly obnoxious are Robin Williams and Mel Brooks since they have the most recognizable voices and play characters similar to themselves. Everyone else, Ewan MacGregor, Halle Berry, Stanley Tucci, Jennifer Coolidge, Paul Giamatti, Jim Broadbent and Drew Carey aren't as vocally recognizable and their characters don't seem like the actors' public personas anyway. So while this film wasn't as funny and didn't make me as angry (since it had more people "acting" than being themselves) it's still a good representation of what's wrong with most big screen animation these days.
Another film that got me angry, in a completely different way is Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room. This documentary takes a look at the rise and fall of Enron and essentially exposes what is the biggest flaw in a capitalist system. Once greed overtakes one part of it it's very easy for it to infiltrate others. This is a film everyone should see if only to understand that this WILL happen again on perhaps an even bigger scale. This is a tragedy of Shakespearian proportions and a wealth of characters who all deserve punishments as harsh as any in the Bard's plays.
The Chumscrubber is an odd little film with a strange cast. Glenn Close, Ralhp Fiennes, Rita Wilson, Lauren Holly, William Fitchner, Carrie-Ann Moss, Allison Janney, Jason Isaacs, John Heard and Jamie Bell star in this darkly comic look at suburbia. When a teenager finds his best friend has hung himself everyone seems to continue acting as if its business as usual. He quickly realizes that he may not have really known his friend and winds up involved with drug dealers who think they've kidnapped his brother but have actually taken the sherrif's son by mistake. It's not a great film by any means and its not an original film either (let's face it, David Lynch cornered the market on the dark side of suburbia years ago), but it is an interesting film with some great acting.
Well...that's all for today (isn't that enough). We'll play catch up on TV shows next time...
Be seeing you.
Must Love Dogs is a typical romantic comedy starring John Cusack and Diane Lane. It was such a typical romantic comedy that I believe this film should force a moritorium on the genre for at leats 5 years (like that'll happen). The movie is so bland that it didn't even get a real "Special Edition DVD" release (and every piece of crap does these days) as it contains some deleted scenes, a gag reel and a trailer. Yawn.
The Bad News Bears is one of those remakes that begs the question "why did this need to be remade?" With Billy Bob Thornton stepping in for Walter Matthau we essentially get a cross between Bad Santa and The Bad News Bears. It's pointlessly raunchy...actually it's just pointless. See the original. Heck, see the sequels to the original.
The Constant Gardner is one of those films you're not sure about when you see the trailer. Is it a drama? Is it a mystery? Is it a dramery? Well...after having seen it, it is a political thriller...and a really good one at that. Ralph Fiennes plays a British diplomat who gets tangled in a web of deception after his journalist wife (Rachel Weisz) dies in a car accident. These days I normally don't like films that push a political agenda, but this one's a noble nose tweaking of the pharmacutical industry so I didn't mind much. Amazingly shot, this is one beautiful film to look at. This will easily make my best list for 2005.
Red Eye is another film that was marketed strangely. Trailers suggested a horror film on an airplane since it's directed by Wes Craven...but it is mostly suspense...and then about 45 minutes later the story moves off of the airplane and completely falls apart (not that it was so great to begin with). Rachel McAdams plays a hotel manager on her way home when she is forced by a strange man (Cillian Murphy) to do something against her will (to tell you what that is would ruin what little plot there is). Not worth cathcing this one (pun intended).
Layer Cake is a must see movie...especially fi you want to see why Daniel Craig was picked to be the new James Bond. This story of a drug dealer planning to retire is simply engaging from start to finish. One of the best films of the year.
Dial H-I-S-T-O-R-Y is an odd surreal piece of the kind I was forced to watch in film classes during college. Don't even remember what attracted me to this, but I gave up after 15 minutes (and the film runs just over an hour). It's mostly a long montage of images and sound bites of terrorist attacks from the 60s, 70s and 80s and its attempting to make some sort of point about the media's role in reporting these, but I'll be damned if I could figure it out in 15 minutes and didn't feel like wasting an hour to get there. For the record, the film was made in 1998.
The Aristocrats is the funniest film of 2005. Hands down. This documentary is essentially about the construction and deconstruction of a joke that many comedians tell amongst themselves and few people have actually heard. The joke starts "A guy walks into a talent agent's office and says "I've got this great act for you.'" And it ends with "The agent asks 'What's the act called?' and the guy replies 'The Aristocrats.'" Of course, this simple version isn't funny...it's the in between that I've left out where all the mayhem begins. You see every comedian puts their own spin on what this act does and it seems like each one is trying to top the other. They throw in every possible sex act, scatalogical act and taboo subject matter possible for this "family act" to go through. Some of the jokes last about 30 seconds (like Emo Phillips), some people claim to have streched it to a two hour story (Dana Gould), there's an animated version using the boys from South Park and even a version by a mime. And the film isn't just a string of comedians telling the joke. We get its history, how it gets reinterpreted by females, by African-Americans, how it can make a political statement and other permutations. This is not for the faint at heart as some of the descriptions defy repeating...but I was so on the floor with this film that I'm working on several versions myself.
Two animated films that got me a big angry about the use of stars instead of vocal actors are Madagascar and Robots. The former is a very funny film about animals wanting to escape from the Central Park Zoo and the latter is about a young robot with a dream that gets crushed by the system. The former utilizes Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer and Jada Pinkett Smith and the characters sound and act just like Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer and some lady whose voice you won't really recognize. It's distracting and annoying, but the film is very funny (especially the penguins).
Robots on the other hand isn't as funny and it uses many more recognizable actors, but the only ones that are truly obnoxious are Robin Williams and Mel Brooks since they have the most recognizable voices and play characters similar to themselves. Everyone else, Ewan MacGregor, Halle Berry, Stanley Tucci, Jennifer Coolidge, Paul Giamatti, Jim Broadbent and Drew Carey aren't as vocally recognizable and their characters don't seem like the actors' public personas anyway. So while this film wasn't as funny and didn't make me as angry (since it had more people "acting" than being themselves) it's still a good representation of what's wrong with most big screen animation these days.
Another film that got me angry, in a completely different way is Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room. This documentary takes a look at the rise and fall of Enron and essentially exposes what is the biggest flaw in a capitalist system. Once greed overtakes one part of it it's very easy for it to infiltrate others. This is a film everyone should see if only to understand that this WILL happen again on perhaps an even bigger scale. This is a tragedy of Shakespearian proportions and a wealth of characters who all deserve punishments as harsh as any in the Bard's plays.
The Chumscrubber is an odd little film with a strange cast. Glenn Close, Ralhp Fiennes, Rita Wilson, Lauren Holly, William Fitchner, Carrie-Ann Moss, Allison Janney, Jason Isaacs, John Heard and Jamie Bell star in this darkly comic look at suburbia. When a teenager finds his best friend has hung himself everyone seems to continue acting as if its business as usual. He quickly realizes that he may not have really known his friend and winds up involved with drug dealers who think they've kidnapped his brother but have actually taken the sherrif's son by mistake. It's not a great film by any means and its not an original film either (let's face it, David Lynch cornered the market on the dark side of suburbia years ago), but it is an interesting film with some great acting.
Well...that's all for today (isn't that enough). We'll play catch up on TV shows next time...
Be seeing you.
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Questions & Answers & Other Silly Explainations
Hey folks,
A few of your have e-mailed recently asking why you'd been taken off my list or why you hadn't gotten a new Fugue in some time. Well...I've stopped sending them. I thought that perhaps setting up the blog page would be easier than me mass e-mailing. And it has been...for me...so I'm sending this one on to remind everyone where they can catch all my latest ramblings:
http://toccataandfugue.blogspot.com/
And for those even fewer who wrote asking why I hadn't posted anything on the blog in a while, well...things have been a bit crazy, but I'm trying to get back onto a regular schedule. Check back on Wednesdays and you'll see what I mean.
In the meantime, why have I been busy?
Well...for one, I've got a 7 month old son now in addition to a wife. So that keeps me pretty busy, especially since I'm playing Mister Mom most of the time.
It's truly amazing watching Malcolm grow and change so fast. He recently started pulling himself up onto things, so that's been making things really fun. If you're interested in photos check out the following link:
http://www.seemegrow.net/gallery/fenster
That site will get updated once a month, but we'll let you know when.
In the meantime, Natasha has been performing in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof in Darien for the last two weekends. The show ends this coming weekend (and it's sold out I believe, but you can always call 655-5414 for tickets). It'll be nice to have her back...at least until the next show. She just auditioned for The Pirates of Penzance (which opens in April if she gets a part) and I'm producing Room Service, which opens in March, and then directing Sly Fox, which opens in May. Malcolm sometimes spends way too much time at the theater so he better like it when he gets old enough to appreciate it.
It's been interesting trying to make this work and we'll have to change tactics (meaning hire a babysiter aside from my parents) if we've got three shows between the two of us coming up.
The house is almost done on the inside. We've been finished with the first contractor since October and the second contractor is finishing up some minor work inside this week. Everything else we want to get done is all outside (and quick work)....so yay to that!
While Tash & I have been trying to get to the movies to see a variety of things, it just hasn't worked out. We'll keep trying...but in the meantime we're catching up on DVDs. The next post will be a series of reviews of everything we've caught recently. My annual Best/Worst of the Year will not appear until closer to the end of february as I realized I hadn't seen enough films to properly fill out either list (and some major ones will be missing at the end of the day anyway).
As to why I haven't commented on Daniel Craig being picked as the new James Bond...well...I'm waiting for the whole enchilada (so to speak) of who else is in the film before commenting.
There'll be some good TV show reviews coming up shortly as well...along with a long in the works look at what's currently going on in DC Comics (yes...Earth 2 has returned for now)...
There are a few other things I've been working on, but they'll remain under wraps for a bit longer.
So...remember...if you don't get another one of these e-mails, it doesn't mean you've fallen off my list...it just means you need to check the link above as I will be updating it regularly...
Hope everyone is well and enjoying 2006 so far.
Be seeing you.
A few of your have e-mailed recently asking why you'd been taken off my list or why you hadn't gotten a new Fugue in some time. Well...I've stopped sending them. I thought that perhaps setting up the blog page would be easier than me mass e-mailing. And it has been...for me...so I'm sending this one on to remind everyone where they can catch all my latest ramblings:
http://toccataandfugue.blogspot.com/
And for those even fewer who wrote asking why I hadn't posted anything on the blog in a while, well...things have been a bit crazy, but I'm trying to get back onto a regular schedule. Check back on Wednesdays and you'll see what I mean.
In the meantime, why have I been busy?
Well...for one, I've got a 7 month old son now in addition to a wife. So that keeps me pretty busy, especially since I'm playing Mister Mom most of the time.
It's truly amazing watching Malcolm grow and change so fast. He recently started pulling himself up onto things, so that's been making things really fun. If you're interested in photos check out the following link:
http://www.seemegrow.net/gallery/fenster
That site will get updated once a month, but we'll let you know when.
In the meantime, Natasha has been performing in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof in Darien for the last two weekends. The show ends this coming weekend (and it's sold out I believe, but you can always call 655-5414 for tickets). It'll be nice to have her back...at least until the next show. She just auditioned for The Pirates of Penzance (which opens in April if she gets a part) and I'm producing Room Service, which opens in March, and then directing Sly Fox, which opens in May. Malcolm sometimes spends way too much time at the theater so he better like it when he gets old enough to appreciate it.
It's been interesting trying to make this work and we'll have to change tactics (meaning hire a babysiter aside from my parents) if we've got three shows between the two of us coming up.
The house is almost done on the inside. We've been finished with the first contractor since October and the second contractor is finishing up some minor work inside this week. Everything else we want to get done is all outside (and quick work)....so yay to that!
While Tash & I have been trying to get to the movies to see a variety of things, it just hasn't worked out. We'll keep trying...but in the meantime we're catching up on DVDs. The next post will be a series of reviews of everything we've caught recently. My annual Best/Worst of the Year will not appear until closer to the end of february as I realized I hadn't seen enough films to properly fill out either list (and some major ones will be missing at the end of the day anyway).
As to why I haven't commented on Daniel Craig being picked as the new James Bond...well...I'm waiting for the whole enchilada (so to speak) of who else is in the film before commenting.
There'll be some good TV show reviews coming up shortly as well...along with a long in the works look at what's currently going on in DC Comics (yes...Earth 2 has returned for now)...
There are a few other things I've been working on, but they'll remain under wraps for a bit longer.
So...remember...if you don't get another one of these e-mails, it doesn't mean you've fallen off my list...it just means you need to check the link above as I will be updating it regularly...
Hope everyone is well and enjoying 2006 so far.
Be seeing you.
Monday, January 02, 2006
Starting the New Year with a BANG!
Before we get started today, I want to complain about a trend in movie releases that HAS to stop. All three films reviewed today suffer from it and it has gotten to be too much. I'm talking about the marketing concept known as the "Unrated Version" which has essentially become little more than an end run around the MPAA and rarely actually adds anything to the film. The true "Director's Cut" is a rarity these days with video releases and most of the time we're just getting a bland enticement to purchase something "special" that was cut for legitimate reasons and has now been reinserted (don't want to stay restored because it's not like we're talking about an instance of studio interference like David Lynch's Dune or Terry Gilliam's Brazil) essentially making good films blah and bad films even longer. I wish the studios would stop and leave well enough alone.
I haven't seen the theatrical versions of any of the films reviewed today, so you're getting my impressions on the "Unrated" DVD releases.
The concept behind The 40 Year Old Virgin is pretty much explained in the title. Andy Stsitzer (Steve Carrell) has had bad luck with women all his life and remains a virgin at age 40. When his work buddies find out about this, they make it their mission to "correct this problem". Of course, Andy finds true love in the process with a divorced mother (Catherine Keener).
Taking in over $100 million at the box office, this film was one of the more successful comedies of the year (perhaps surpassed only by the next film reviewed today). From the creator of the cult TV series Freaks & Geeks and Undeclared, this film is very funny, very sweet and yet somewhat disjointed. The funniest scenes all involve the co-workers, whether it's their attempts at getting Andy laid or advice on things to do that will lead to that or their own personal subplots (and each of the three main ones does have their own) which kind of makes for something of a let down everytime Andy and Trish's story comes on. It almost gets in the way.
The theatrical version ran 116 minutes. The "Unrated" DVD version runs 133 minutes. I'm not sure what exactly was added where, but the movie feels padded and long in spots (enough so that the theatrical version was probably ten minutes too long...the best comedies tend to run no more than 105 minutes...any "pro" will tell you the shorter the better). But it is funny and very sweet (and not the raunchy sex comedy the title might suggest).
The "Unrated" DVD contains a commentary, some deleted scenes and alternate takes (these are what was probably used by the MPAA to threaten an NC-17, but they are not incorporated back into the film here), a gag reel and actor Seth Rogan having dinner with a porn star. All funny stuff, but begs the usual question of "Is this film truly special enough to deserve all these extras?" I'm not sure...but it is worth seeing. The theatrical version has also been released on DVD. There are no extras AND it is "Full Screen" only. Go figure.
Wedding Crashers has a concept that could potentially make the lead characters unlikable. Vince Vaughn and Luke Wilson star as two guys who, for fun, crash weddings and mingle with the real guests. At one wedding, John (Wilson) falls for a bridesmaid and Jeremy (Vaughn) hooks up with her sister. It turns out the girls are the daughters of the U.S. Treasury Secretary (Christopher Walken) and they wind up spending the weekend with the family as they get deeper and deeper into the lie they created.
The theatrical version runs 119 minutes and this "Uncorked" DVD runs 128. Unlike the previous film reviewed, I'm pretty sure most of what was added was nudity as there's a lot of it. The film is very funny and the usually annoying Luke Wilson is less so here (don't get me wrong, he is still annoying). Vince Vaughn remains an amazing and engaging actor and runs circles around his costar. The "rude" factor of what these guys do doesn't actually hurt anyone in the film (at least in the beginning when we see them going from a Jewish wedding to a Irish wedding to an Italian one etc.) and the "ick" factor is touched upon nicely later in the film with a cameo by Will Ferrell as a former buddy of Vaughn's who has "graduated" from weddings to funerals.
The DVD of this high grossing comedy (over $200 million) contains two commentaries, some deleted scenes and some behind the scenes footage as well as both the extended and theatrical versions. The theatrical version is also available on its own (with the same extras) for those stores (cough Wal-Mart cough) who like to keep "perverted" material out of children's hands.
Universal Pictures has had amazing success with their American Pie franchise. With three entries each grossing more than $100 million you'd expect more life out of the series. Universal has decided to take a slightly different route for a fourth entry. They've had plenty of success with direct-to-video sequels (Darkman, Tremors, The Land Before Time, The Skulls and Bring It On all come to mind) and most of these haven't been complete wastes of time and money. So now we have American Pie Presents Band Camp and I'm pretty sure this will be the franchise killer.
Stifler's younger brother Matt is trying to follow in his big brother's footsteps. He's a jock jerk who is constantly playing tricks on the band geeks. When one of these backfires, his guidance counselor (Chuck Sherman, played by Chris Owen again) sentences him to Band Camp in order to learn to get along with the geeks. Once there he decides to secretly make videos of the hot band geeks and one up his brother (who is apparently doing girls gone wild videos of his own). Of course, by film's end he falls in love with one of the "geeks" and learns the errors of his ways. Eugene Levy also appears as Jim's dad in a contrived bit of plotting that makes him the camp's guidance counselor.
It's very hard to enjoy a film that is focused on an obnoxious and detestable character. At least in the three previous films Stifler was not the main character, so you could easily laugh at him and not take him seriously. Here, we're stuck...and it's not pretty. On top of this, the writer (Brad Riddell...first job) and director (Steve Rash...Under the Rainbow and Can't Buy Me Love) seem to have emphasized the gross in "gross out humor". None of it is funny and it all reeks of being "realistic" which is bad for humor (they should have watched either Family Guy or Stand By Me to learn how to make vomitting hysterical...and the scene of Stifler jerking off in an out of order bathroom stall is probably the grossest I've ever seen...and I own Passolini's Salo on DVD so that's gotta be saying something).
The "Unrated" DVD (there had to be 2 versions?? the film didn't get a theatrical release??!) runs 95 minutes and the R Rated version runs 87. My guess is that we're treated to many more boob and butt shots (which don't help this crap fest). The "Unrated" version has loads of "special features" it doesn't deserve. The R Rated version is fullscreen only. This may be the first time I'd recommend a "cut version" of a film...because the less we have of this the better. I'm pretty sure Eugene Levy lost a bet or is being blackmailed based on his appearance here.
That's all for today.
Be seeing you.
I haven't seen the theatrical versions of any of the films reviewed today, so you're getting my impressions on the "Unrated" DVD releases.
The concept behind The 40 Year Old Virgin is pretty much explained in the title. Andy Stsitzer (Steve Carrell) has had bad luck with women all his life and remains a virgin at age 40. When his work buddies find out about this, they make it their mission to "correct this problem". Of course, Andy finds true love in the process with a divorced mother (Catherine Keener).
Taking in over $100 million at the box office, this film was one of the more successful comedies of the year (perhaps surpassed only by the next film reviewed today). From the creator of the cult TV series Freaks & Geeks and Undeclared, this film is very funny, very sweet and yet somewhat disjointed. The funniest scenes all involve the co-workers, whether it's their attempts at getting Andy laid or advice on things to do that will lead to that or their own personal subplots (and each of the three main ones does have their own) which kind of makes for something of a let down everytime Andy and Trish's story comes on. It almost gets in the way.
The theatrical version ran 116 minutes. The "Unrated" DVD version runs 133 minutes. I'm not sure what exactly was added where, but the movie feels padded and long in spots (enough so that the theatrical version was probably ten minutes too long...the best comedies tend to run no more than 105 minutes...any "pro" will tell you the shorter the better). But it is funny and very sweet (and not the raunchy sex comedy the title might suggest).
The "Unrated" DVD contains a commentary, some deleted scenes and alternate takes (these are what was probably used by the MPAA to threaten an NC-17, but they are not incorporated back into the film here), a gag reel and actor Seth Rogan having dinner with a porn star. All funny stuff, but begs the usual question of "Is this film truly special enough to deserve all these extras?" I'm not sure...but it is worth seeing. The theatrical version has also been released on DVD. There are no extras AND it is "Full Screen" only. Go figure.
Wedding Crashers has a concept that could potentially make the lead characters unlikable. Vince Vaughn and Luke Wilson star as two guys who, for fun, crash weddings and mingle with the real guests. At one wedding, John (Wilson) falls for a bridesmaid and Jeremy (Vaughn) hooks up with her sister. It turns out the girls are the daughters of the U.S. Treasury Secretary (Christopher Walken) and they wind up spending the weekend with the family as they get deeper and deeper into the lie they created.
The theatrical version runs 119 minutes and this "Uncorked" DVD runs 128. Unlike the previous film reviewed, I'm pretty sure most of what was added was nudity as there's a lot of it. The film is very funny and the usually annoying Luke Wilson is less so here (don't get me wrong, he is still annoying). Vince Vaughn remains an amazing and engaging actor and runs circles around his costar. The "rude" factor of what these guys do doesn't actually hurt anyone in the film (at least in the beginning when we see them going from a Jewish wedding to a Irish wedding to an Italian one etc.) and the "ick" factor is touched upon nicely later in the film with a cameo by Will Ferrell as a former buddy of Vaughn's who has "graduated" from weddings to funerals.
The DVD of this high grossing comedy (over $200 million) contains two commentaries, some deleted scenes and some behind the scenes footage as well as both the extended and theatrical versions. The theatrical version is also available on its own (with the same extras) for those stores (cough Wal-Mart cough) who like to keep "perverted" material out of children's hands.
Universal Pictures has had amazing success with their American Pie franchise. With three entries each grossing more than $100 million you'd expect more life out of the series. Universal has decided to take a slightly different route for a fourth entry. They've had plenty of success with direct-to-video sequels (Darkman, Tremors, The Land Before Time, The Skulls and Bring It On all come to mind) and most of these haven't been complete wastes of time and money. So now we have American Pie Presents Band Camp and I'm pretty sure this will be the franchise killer.
Stifler's younger brother Matt is trying to follow in his big brother's footsteps. He's a jock jerk who is constantly playing tricks on the band geeks. When one of these backfires, his guidance counselor (Chuck Sherman, played by Chris Owen again) sentences him to Band Camp in order to learn to get along with the geeks. Once there he decides to secretly make videos of the hot band geeks and one up his brother (who is apparently doing girls gone wild videos of his own). Of course, by film's end he falls in love with one of the "geeks" and learns the errors of his ways. Eugene Levy also appears as Jim's dad in a contrived bit of plotting that makes him the camp's guidance counselor.
It's very hard to enjoy a film that is focused on an obnoxious and detestable character. At least in the three previous films Stifler was not the main character, so you could easily laugh at him and not take him seriously. Here, we're stuck...and it's not pretty. On top of this, the writer (Brad Riddell...first job) and director (Steve Rash...Under the Rainbow and Can't Buy Me Love) seem to have emphasized the gross in "gross out humor". None of it is funny and it all reeks of being "realistic" which is bad for humor (they should have watched either Family Guy or Stand By Me to learn how to make vomitting hysterical...and the scene of Stifler jerking off in an out of order bathroom stall is probably the grossest I've ever seen...and I own Passolini's Salo on DVD so that's gotta be saying something).
The "Unrated" DVD (there had to be 2 versions?? the film didn't get a theatrical release??!) runs 95 minutes and the R Rated version runs 87. My guess is that we're treated to many more boob and butt shots (which don't help this crap fest). The "Unrated" version has loads of "special features" it doesn't deserve. The R Rated version is fullscreen only. This may be the first time I'd recommend a "cut version" of a film...because the less we have of this the better. I'm pretty sure Eugene Levy lost a bet or is being blackmailed based on his appearance here.
That's all for today.
Be seeing you.
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