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Tin Main (Review)
So the first thought I had when I heard about this miniseries was that I was worried it would be too cheesy and silly with regards to graphics. The other Sci Fi original movies I'd seen were laughly bad at best so I had reservations. Lucky for me they did a n okay job with the basics and didn't take it too far.
Also, I feel like I should say that I waited until I had recorded all three parts of this miniseries before watching it so that I could get it all at once. Boy am I glad I waited. Let's get to the goods.
Stuff I Liked
The obvious good part of this miniseries was the story. It was a magnificent reimagining of a timeless classic with lots of up-to-date references and character changes. Glitch being the scarecrow, Raw being the lion, and Cain being the tin man all fit perfectly along with DG being the new and improved Dorothy. Each character was well developed and perfectly fleshed out within the first hour of the show and I really cared for each of them throughout the storyline. Glitch was my favorite though. he reminded me of the character Morph from the X-Men Animated Series, only clumsier and more forgetful. He was the comic relief, for sure, and i always love some comedy. On top of that he was named after one of my all time favorite characters from childhood (see ReBoot).
I loved how they took a great story and spun it out of control. Azadelia was a great addition to the family and the twist of her being the witch as well as DG's sister was just genius. The start of the story was very engaging and made me want to dive into the story all that much more. The parents being robots! Priceless. Raw being a psychic, Glitch being the queen's counselor, and Cain being a literal tin man in the story just added to their depth. Throw in an obvious throwback reference to the original Dorothy as "the Grey Gale" and you have license to write whatever story you want because it's not the same it's generations down the road. Made sense to me!
And we can't forget about Toto! I wondered where that lovable terrier would come into play and was somewhat shocked to see it come so late in the story. Him being a spy to start with didn't sit well but he redeemed himself nicely. All in all, I really loved the imagination of the writers the entire time. Throwing curve balls at us while still making you say "oh, that's referring to that" so you could follow the story. Well done, team, well done.
Stuff I Didn't Like
Well there are a lot of things I loved, obviously, and while that's the case there were a few things I didn't quite enjoy as much. The fact that the enemies, the longcoats, were so inept in their job got kind of annoying. They reminded me of the "puttys" from Power Rangers fame. You remember, those goons the main boss sent in to do the job that ALWAYS failed. In a kids show that might float but in real life it's just plain dumb. Find guys that get the job done. Technically one could argue that Zero got the job done pretty well, but really even he failed.
I mentioned the graphics before, and while I liked how they didn't go too far there were still points that took me out of the story because they were so ... cheap-ish. I can't say I'm surprised, the graphics had to be SciFi-esque because of the channel but there were moments that just sucked. The shooting of the main bat was poorly done. The Papaes (sp?) were just too cartoony and not that threatening. Another one, every time they showed the army of longcoats forming at the gates it was THE SAME DAMN FOOTAGE. I mean come on, create more than one 5 second loop of that stuff if you're gonna use 30 seconds worth. But the worst, by far, was the shape shifting. I think that says it all, you know how bad it was.
The last thing I didn't like was the ending. now don't get me wrong I like a happy ending, but at least put some thought into it. You don't need to go all Lord of the Rings and put five endings in, but at least show what happens to these characters now that they've saved the O.Z. Show me something an "annual" later where they're all sitting on a lakeside somewhere enjoying the day. Or show me Cain and his son throwing the ball back and forth. You know, closure would be nice.
Oh, and why call it "Tin Man" anyway? He was a major part of the story but couldn't you think of anything better? Hoe about "The O.Z." or something similar. Not a big flaw but something to discuss.
Closing
Speaking of closure I should wrap this up. I doubt anyone's still reading this (mainly because no one reads it as it is) but hey I like to write about random things sometimes. Anyway, I give this movie/miniseries a solid 8 out of 10. If it's on again a couple years from now I'll probably watch it. If it comes out on DVD sometime next year I might buy it, depending on the price, just for the fact that you don't find a lot of good stories like this one. The writers and adapters did a fantastic job of taking a story I'd heard tons of times and made me wonder what was going to happen next. Toss in some magic, some family, and a lot of hugging and this miniseries is sure to last. Thank you Sci Fi, you've made me proud.
(8/10)
Also, I feel like I should say that I waited until I had recorded all three parts of this miniseries before watching it so that I could get it all at once. Boy am I glad I waited. Let's get to the goods.
Stuff I Liked
The obvious good part of this miniseries was the story. It was a magnificent reimagining of a timeless classic with lots of up-to-date references and character changes. Glitch being the scarecrow, Raw being the lion, and Cain being the tin man all fit perfectly along with DG being the new and improved Dorothy. Each character was well developed and perfectly fleshed out within the first hour of the show and I really cared for each of them throughout the storyline. Glitch was my favorite though. he reminded me of the character Morph from the X-Men Animated Series, only clumsier and more forgetful. He was the comic relief, for sure, and i always love some comedy. On top of that he was named after one of my all time favorite characters from childhood (see ReBoot).
I loved how they took a great story and spun it out of control. Azadelia was a great addition to the family and the twist of her being the witch as well as DG's sister was just genius. The start of the story was very engaging and made me want to dive into the story all that much more. The parents being robots! Priceless. Raw being a psychic, Glitch being the queen's counselor, and Cain being a literal tin man in the story just added to their depth. Throw in an obvious throwback reference to the original Dorothy as "the Grey Gale" and you have license to write whatever story you want because it's not the same it's generations down the road. Made sense to me!
And we can't forget about Toto! I wondered where that lovable terrier would come into play and was somewhat shocked to see it come so late in the story. Him being a spy to start with didn't sit well but he redeemed himself nicely. All in all, I really loved the imagination of the writers the entire time. Throwing curve balls at us while still making you say "oh, that's referring to that" so you could follow the story. Well done, team, well done.
Stuff I Didn't Like
Well there are a lot of things I loved, obviously, and while that's the case there were a few things I didn't quite enjoy as much. The fact that the enemies, the longcoats, were so inept in their job got kind of annoying. They reminded me of the "puttys" from Power Rangers fame. You remember, those goons the main boss sent in to do the job that ALWAYS failed. In a kids show that might float but in real life it's just plain dumb. Find guys that get the job done. Technically one could argue that Zero got the job done pretty well, but really even he failed.
I mentioned the graphics before, and while I liked how they didn't go too far there were still points that took me out of the story because they were so ... cheap-ish. I can't say I'm surprised, the graphics had to be SciFi-esque because of the channel but there were moments that just sucked. The shooting of the main bat was poorly done. The Papaes (sp?) were just too cartoony and not that threatening. Another one, every time they showed the army of longcoats forming at the gates it was THE SAME DAMN FOOTAGE. I mean come on, create more than one 5 second loop of that stuff if you're gonna use 30 seconds worth. But the worst, by far, was the shape shifting. I think that says it all, you know how bad it was.
The last thing I didn't like was the ending. now don't get me wrong I like a happy ending, but at least put some thought into it. You don't need to go all Lord of the Rings and put five endings in, but at least show what happens to these characters now that they've saved the O.Z. Show me something an "annual" later where they're all sitting on a lakeside somewhere enjoying the day. Or show me Cain and his son throwing the ball back and forth. You know, closure would be nice.
Oh, and why call it "Tin Man" anyway? He was a major part of the story but couldn't you think of anything better? Hoe about "The O.Z." or something similar. Not a big flaw but something to discuss.
Closing
Speaking of closure I should wrap this up. I doubt anyone's still reading this (mainly because no one reads it as it is) but hey I like to write about random things sometimes. Anyway, I give this movie/miniseries a solid 8 out of 10. If it's on again a couple years from now I'll probably watch it. If it comes out on DVD sometime next year I might buy it, depending on the price, just for the fact that you don't find a lot of good stories like this one. The writers and adapters did a fantastic job of taking a story I'd heard tons of times and made me wonder what was going to happen next. Toss in some magic, some family, and a lot of hugging and this miniseries is sure to last. Thank you Sci Fi, you've made me proud.
(8/10)
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So the new television season has reached a terminal point where the shows written have run out due to the writer's strike. This has left many shows on the fence as to whether or not they'll even come back once the writers get what they want. For instance, Heroes has already decided it's at it's season's end. The Office may never come back, how sad would that be? 30 Rock is also one of the first to get "axed" so to speak.
As for those last two, aside from being in NBC's Thursday night lineup together, they also share another interesting fact: when the writers strike the actors go with them. Not out of solidarity but because they're the same person, they write the show they act in.
I hate the strike as much as any other random tv fan. Well, except the reality show fans, they might actually kinda like this because that's what we're gonna see in the meantime. Clash of the Choirs? Come on, that's just stupid. Duel? A Shot at Love With Tila Tequila? Do we need any new reality shows? The ones we have are already pretty stupid (Fifth Grader, I'm looking at you here.)
The one reality show that I am looking forward to, albeit it an old one, is American Gladiators. I remember watching the show as a kid on Saturday mornings and just loving the idea. I wanted to compete! I wanted to dodge tennis balls shot out of a cannon, climb up a moving ramp, swing through breakable paper doors; I know I'm not alone! I just hope that they bring it back with some sort of throw-back awwareness. Make it cheesy, like the original was. Please, for the love of God don't take it too seriously and think that the names of Ice and Blaze make you a real hero.
In other redo news there's talk about them remaking another childhood favorite of mine: Knight Rider. The new pictures of KITT have me worried a little. I mean, I know it's gotta be updated and you gotta have a "new" car for a new generation, but there was always something about that old car that talked. It had a soul, it had seen the world. If Transformers has taught us anything it's that new cars in old shoes just look too "commercially". I know I'm not the only one who thought that the entire movie felt like a GM ad, am I right?
So what does this all mean? Well, without writers our television sets will will revert back to the old days when writing was simple. Where people race against each other, battle wits, and drive kickass talking supercars. I'm not looking forward to the rest of this television season but there are a couple bright spots. On the bright side maybe my DVR can finally get a break from recording the 30 hours a week that I tend to make it do. Oh well, at least the strike can give us something to talk about while the studios decide not to.
As for those last two, aside from being in NBC's Thursday night lineup together, they also share another interesting fact: when the writers strike the actors go with them. Not out of solidarity but because they're the same person, they write the show they act in.
I hate the strike as much as any other random tv fan. Well, except the reality show fans, they might actually kinda like this because that's what we're gonna see in the meantime. Clash of the Choirs? Come on, that's just stupid. Duel? A Shot at Love With Tila Tequila? Do we need any new reality shows? The ones we have are already pretty stupid (Fifth Grader, I'm looking at you here.)
The one reality show that I am looking forward to, albeit it an old one, is American Gladiators. I remember watching the show as a kid on Saturday mornings and just loving the idea. I wanted to compete! I wanted to dodge tennis balls shot out of a cannon, climb up a moving ramp, swing through breakable paper doors; I know I'm not alone! I just hope that they bring it back with some sort of throw-back awwareness. Make it cheesy, like the original was. Please, for the love of God don't take it too seriously and think that the names of Ice and Blaze make you a real hero.
In other redo news there's talk about them remaking another childhood favorite of mine: Knight Rider. The new pictures of KITT have me worried a little. I mean, I know it's gotta be updated and you gotta have a "new" car for a new generation, but there was always something about that old car that talked. It had a soul, it had seen the world. If Transformers has taught us anything it's that new cars in old shoes just look too "commercially". I know I'm not the only one who thought that the entire movie felt like a GM ad, am I right?
So what does this all mean? Well, without writers our television sets will will revert back to the old days when writing was simple. Where people race against each other, battle wits, and drive kickass talking supercars. I'm not looking forward to the rest of this television season but there are a couple bright spots. On the bright side maybe my DVR can finally get a break from recording the 30 hours a week that I tend to make it do. Oh well, at least the strike can give us something to talk about while the studios decide not to.
Long time no blog
I find myself going back and forth on this whole blogging thing. I remember my first blog and I remember when I stopped writing in it. Then I remember six months later when I started another one, and then I remember how I stopped again. This cycle seems to go on and on for me, like a marry-go-round I'll never be able to get off of.
So yeah, take that for what you will, random internets. I might be back soon to update no one on my life or maybe I won't. I have no idea.
So yeah, take that for what you will, random internets. I might be back soon to update no one on my life or maybe I won't. I have no idea.
Three new albums to review
Sick Puppies - Dressed Up As Life - (8/10)
I first found this band a couple weeks back when I saw their video for All The Same on Fuse's Top 10 Countdown (which I blogged about earlier). I decided that I liked the song enough to test out the CD and after listening to the 30-second clips on Amazon I went to Best Buy and purchased it. I gotta say that this band isn't kidding around. They're catchy, hook-filled, and have tons of emotion. They sound like a mix between Greenwheel (which no one's heard of), Hoobastank, and a little bit of Failure all rolled in one. If you like any or all of those bands then you'll probably like Sick Puppies. All I know is that the next time this Aussie three-piece is near my neck of the woods I'm gonna go see them. Favorites: All The Same, What Are You Looking For?, and As*hole Father
Incubus - Light Grenades - (8/10)
Since I am going to see these guys in Columbus in July I figured I should go get their newest CD and acclamate myself with it. Strangely enough it was the very same episode of the Top 10 Countdown that really showed me how good Dig was and I bought this album the same day I bought Sick Puppies' album but I had only heard the two tracks on the radio, the rest was blind. I definitely think that the main difference between the old Incubus and the new Incubus is that the new Incubus is much more mellow with a hint of rage at random times. I love the new sound though, and really can't wait to see them live again. Favorites: Dig, Paper Shoes, and Love Hurts
Chevelle - Vena Sera - (7/10)
The fourth album from this once-brotherly trio peeked it's way into my brain about three months ago when I downloaded it and then promptly did nothing with it. Then a couple of weeks ago I decided that I wanted to go to the Chevelle/Finger Eleven show at Bogarts so I burned it, listened to it, got addicted and then never went to the show. The album reminds me a whole lot of the older-era Tool, say Undertow and Aenima vintage, and it's definitely a good thing. Some of the songs just harmonize on the three-beat so well that you'd swear it was Maynard singing. It's got the anger and visceral tone that I've come to expect from these guys and it's perfect for working out or running to. The beats and rhythms just work perfectly with the melodic vocals and make it very catchy. I haven't bought it yet but I definitely will the next time I'm at Best Buy, it's worth my 13 bucks for sure. Favorites: Straight Jacket Fashion, I Get It, and Well Enough Alone
I first found this band a couple weeks back when I saw their video for All The Same on Fuse's Top 10 Countdown (which I blogged about earlier). I decided that I liked the song enough to test out the CD and after listening to the 30-second clips on Amazon I went to Best Buy and purchased it. I gotta say that this band isn't kidding around. They're catchy, hook-filled, and have tons of emotion. They sound like a mix between Greenwheel (which no one's heard of), Hoobastank, and a little bit of Failure all rolled in one. If you like any or all of those bands then you'll probably like Sick Puppies. All I know is that the next time this Aussie three-piece is near my neck of the woods I'm gonna go see them. Favorites: All The Same, What Are You Looking For?, and As*hole Father
Incubus - Light Grenades - (8/10)
Since I am going to see these guys in Columbus in July I figured I should go get their newest CD and acclamate myself with it. Strangely enough it was the very same episode of the Top 10 Countdown that really showed me how good Dig was and I bought this album the same day I bought Sick Puppies' album but I had only heard the two tracks on the radio, the rest was blind. I definitely think that the main difference between the old Incubus and the new Incubus is that the new Incubus is much more mellow with a hint of rage at random times. I love the new sound though, and really can't wait to see them live again. Favorites: Dig, Paper Shoes, and Love Hurts
Chevelle - Vena Sera - (7/10)
The fourth album from this once-brotherly trio peeked it's way into my brain about three months ago when I downloaded it and then promptly did nothing with it. Then a couple of weeks ago I decided that I wanted to go to the Chevelle/Finger Eleven show at Bogarts so I burned it, listened to it, got addicted and then never went to the show. The album reminds me a whole lot of the older-era Tool, say Undertow and Aenima vintage, and it's definitely a good thing. Some of the songs just harmonize on the three-beat so well that you'd swear it was Maynard singing. It's got the anger and visceral tone that I've come to expect from these guys and it's perfect for working out or running to. The beats and rhythms just work perfectly with the melodic vocals and make it very catchy. I haven't bought it yet but I definitely will the next time I'm at Best Buy, it's worth my 13 bucks for sure. Favorites: Straight Jacket Fashion, I Get It, and Well Enough Alone
Mr. Brooks (Review)
So another day another movie. Two in a row isn't a streak exactly but it's more than usual. After seeing Knocked Up yesterday I decided that I need to get out more and see more movies. So I did.
Mr. Brooks hasn't gotten much press and I can kind of see why. I haven't seen more than the one, very simple preview about this movie and even after seeing that I had no idea what it was about. I saw an update about it on Dane Cook's myspace profile (we're buddies) and it made me curious. I'd only really read one article on it and it was really about Dane Cook. So I can honestly say that I had no idea what I was in for.
Have you seen Following? American Psycho? Fight Club perhaps? This movie is a bastard child of all three with vital pieces of their plots playing a large role in this plot. I'm not going to give much away because the shock factor makes it better, but I will say that Dane Cook plays a guy who blackmails a serial killer, played by Kevin Costner, into letting him tag along. Demi Moore plays the cop that's chasing Costner and William Hurt plays Costner's friend. Seriously well cast and seriously well acted.
There were parts that stood out, like the super-loud gunshots. There were parts that went unnoticed, like the parts where Costner's character is just staring or generally quiet. Both of these aspects of the movie made it intruiging and interesting without being boring at all. There are twists and turns and lots of scary things around the corner. If you're a fan of any of the three movies I mentioned you will probably love this movie. If, on the other hand, you've never seen any of those then you should, first of all, and then go see Mr. Brooks. It will have you on the edge of your seat and leave you wanting more without being annoying in the process. (9/10)
Mr. Brooks hasn't gotten much press and I can kind of see why. I haven't seen more than the one, very simple preview about this movie and even after seeing that I had no idea what it was about. I saw an update about it on Dane Cook's myspace profile (we're buddies) and it made me curious. I'd only really read one article on it and it was really about Dane Cook. So I can honestly say that I had no idea what I was in for.
Have you seen Following? American Psycho? Fight Club perhaps? This movie is a bastard child of all three with vital pieces of their plots playing a large role in this plot. I'm not going to give much away because the shock factor makes it better, but I will say that Dane Cook plays a guy who blackmails a serial killer, played by Kevin Costner, into letting him tag along. Demi Moore plays the cop that's chasing Costner and William Hurt plays Costner's friend. Seriously well cast and seriously well acted.
There were parts that stood out, like the super-loud gunshots. There were parts that went unnoticed, like the parts where Costner's character is just staring or generally quiet. Both of these aspects of the movie made it intruiging and interesting without being boring at all. There are twists and turns and lots of scary things around the corner. If you're a fan of any of the three movies I mentioned you will probably love this movie. If, on the other hand, you've never seen any of those then you should, first of all, and then go see Mr. Brooks. It will have you on the edge of your seat and leave you wanting more without being annoying in the process. (9/10)
Knocked Up (Review)
So a couple months back I saw the preview for Knocked Up and my first thought was honestly "blah." I wasn't interested, really. I mean, Katherine Heigl is hot, no doubt, but she can't carry the whole movie on that. Seth Rogen? Really? I just had my doubts. Well at least until the reviews started creeping out about it and how hilarious it was.
And oh was it ever.
I went to see it tonight, a Monday for those keeping track, with my friend Michelle. It was showing in the large theater at Newport and it was about 90% sold out. Not bad for a Monday night showing. The previews in front of the movie were solid and included Live Free or Die Hard (fourth in the series) and Good Luck Chuck (starring Dane Cook).
Anyway, on to the movie. It was definitely hilarious. There were hints of There's Something About Mary and 40-Year Old Virgin in the movie combined with references similar to those attempted by Family Guy. There are far too many to mention here but I loved the "Doc Brown" conversation and the entire scene in Vegas. There was also one gross out scene that I won't ruin for you here but it's definitely worth it. I think seeing it with a packed house made it that much better because everyone laughed at the same time and made it even bigger.
I'd give this movie an 8 out of 10 for sure, but there were a couple things that kept it from going higher. For one, Heigl and Rogen have some chemistry but they just looked odd together for me. He's a chubby funny guy and she's a blonde bombshell. I couldn't see the connection working all that well. In addition to that they go from inception to birth in two hours instead of an hour and a half. There were some scenes that did seem to drag on a bit, like "haven't you made that joke already?" kind of stuff. The pop culture references and the dynamic characters were good but could have been a little sharper. Not that I could do any better though.
There were two characters that almost stole the movie for me, as well. Pete and Debbie's youngest daughter (played by director Judd Apatow's daughter) was downright priceless. Her giggling in the car melted me and her speaking parts were just as cute as hell. The other character that almost got me in tears was Jill (played by Kristen Wiig from SNL), the E! producer woman. The way she delivered her lines was just hysterical. Such a snotty, condescending tone that just sounded as fake as Hollywood should. I loved it.
So yeah, go see it. Hopefully when you go it's not sold out so you can spread out and relax. Well maybe it'd be better if it's packed, that way you don't feel like such an idiot laughing so loudly which I'm sure you're bound to do over and over. Oh and be careful with your pop because it might end up all over yourself.
And oh was it ever.
I went to see it tonight, a Monday for those keeping track, with my friend Michelle. It was showing in the large theater at Newport and it was about 90% sold out. Not bad for a Monday night showing. The previews in front of the movie were solid and included Live Free or Die Hard (fourth in the series) and Good Luck Chuck (starring Dane Cook).
Anyway, on to the movie. It was definitely hilarious. There were hints of There's Something About Mary and 40-Year Old Virgin in the movie combined with references similar to those attempted by Family Guy. There are far too many to mention here but I loved the "Doc Brown" conversation and the entire scene in Vegas. There was also one gross out scene that I won't ruin for you here but it's definitely worth it. I think seeing it with a packed house made it that much better because everyone laughed at the same time and made it even bigger.
I'd give this movie an 8 out of 10 for sure, but there were a couple things that kept it from going higher. For one, Heigl and Rogen have some chemistry but they just looked odd together for me. He's a chubby funny guy and she's a blonde bombshell. I couldn't see the connection working all that well. In addition to that they go from inception to birth in two hours instead of an hour and a half. There were some scenes that did seem to drag on a bit, like "haven't you made that joke already?" kind of stuff. The pop culture references and the dynamic characters were good but could have been a little sharper. Not that I could do any better though.
There were two characters that almost stole the movie for me, as well. Pete and Debbie's youngest daughter (played by director Judd Apatow's daughter) was downright priceless. Her giggling in the car melted me and her speaking parts were just as cute as hell. The other character that almost got me in tears was Jill (played by Kristen Wiig from SNL), the E! producer woman. The way she delivered her lines was just hysterical. Such a snotty, condescending tone that just sounded as fake as Hollywood should. I loved it.
So yeah, go see it. Hopefully when you go it's not sold out so you can spread out and relax. Well maybe it'd be better if it's packed, that way you don't feel like such an idiot laughing so loudly which I'm sure you're bound to do over and over. Oh and be careful with your pop because it might end up all over yourself.
House Season Finale
WARNING: If you haven't seen the season finale of House then stop reading. Hell, who am I kidding, everyone saw it and no one reads this. Moving on.
I seriously love how this show is not afraid to shake things up. It's really just starting to get widespread recognition and the characters are all really gelling well together. Well, until tonight's episode anyway. Chase has been fired, after two long weeks of torture Foreman finally left, and Cameron resigned out of left field. House is back to square one with no one.
WHA~?
I didn't watch the show religiously until this season but I loved the three secondary characters. In the story so does House. He needs them to bounce differentials off of and give him things to gloat about when they're wrong. He needs that foil in order to be his best and now they're all gone. Now I liked the "Foreman leaving" storyline because it was trying to show how House needs them all. I always assumed that Foreman would end up staying and all would be hunky dory but uh uh. Him leaving was a long time coming but still unexpected.
But really it paled in comparison to Chase getting fired. I never thought House would do such a thing. True, he had it coming for his remarks, but House has had worse. I was just starting to like Chase too with his Tuesday reminders to Cameron and his interesting accent. Foreman always seemed cocky and arrogant so I could go either way with him. And Cameron is the girl, who can hate that? Now all three are gone?
Again. WHA~?
I honestly can't wait til next season. I'm dying to see where this show is taking me and I love that I am constantly surprised, and pleasantly so, that I have no idea what's next. Nicely done, guys, you have earned some kudos from me. Too bad they're worthless. But thanks for getting me hooked and leaving me to sober up alone all summer. You rule!
I seriously love how this show is not afraid to shake things up. It's really just starting to get widespread recognition and the characters are all really gelling well together. Well, until tonight's episode anyway. Chase has been fired, after two long weeks of torture Foreman finally left, and Cameron resigned out of left field. House is back to square one with no one.
WHA~?
I didn't watch the show religiously until this season but I loved the three secondary characters. In the story so does House. He needs them to bounce differentials off of and give him things to gloat about when they're wrong. He needs that foil in order to be his best and now they're all gone. Now I liked the "Foreman leaving" storyline because it was trying to show how House needs them all. I always assumed that Foreman would end up staying and all would be hunky dory but uh uh. Him leaving was a long time coming but still unexpected.
But really it paled in comparison to Chase getting fired. I never thought House would do such a thing. True, he had it coming for his remarks, but House has had worse. I was just starting to like Chase too with his Tuesday reminders to Cameron and his interesting accent. Foreman always seemed cocky and arrogant so I could go either way with him. And Cameron is the girl, who can hate that? Now all three are gone?
Again. WHA~?
I honestly can't wait til next season. I'm dying to see where this show is taking me and I love that I am constantly surprised, and pleasantly so, that I have no idea what's next. Nicely done, guys, you have earned some kudos from me. Too bad they're worthless. But thanks for getting me hooked and leaving me to sober up alone all summer. You rule!
Third Show Guide
I'm now the editor for Idiot Savants, the old MTV game show from the late 90s. I saw a clip in YouTube last week and went after getting the guide, and now it's mine! I'm gonna try my best to add all the episodes and get as much info there as I can.
In other TV news I'm kinda bummed that the season's pretty much over. Wednesday night's Lost was outstanding though. No other episode had me running in circles as much as this one did and the way they did the reveal at the end was just perfect. I'm not gonna spoil anything, just in case the one or two people who might read this haven't seen it yet, but really all I can say is wow. Everyone at work has been talking about it. Who's in the casket? When exactly do Jack and Kate meet up at the end of the episode? Do they actually get off the island at all? So many questions! I love it!
In other TV news I'm kinda bummed that the season's pretty much over. Wednesday night's Lost was outstanding though. No other episode had me running in circles as much as this one did and the way they did the reveal at the end was just perfect. I'm not gonna spoil anything, just in case the one or two people who might read this haven't seen it yet, but really all I can say is wow. Everyone at work has been talking about it. Who's in the casket? When exactly do Jack and Kate meet up at the end of the episode? Do they actually get off the island at all? So many questions! I love it!
Four Finales in One Night
Thursday night has been by far my favorite night of television this season. This past Thursday four of my top ten shows ended their seasons and they all did so with a bang. Here's my take on each one.
The Office
First of all this season has been even funnier than last season. Each episode had me in stitches at some point and the laughs were just right where they needed to be. The hour-long finale didn't do anything but prove that this is one of the best shows on television. Watching Michael, Jim, and Karen go for Jan's job just cracked me up. Michael was the obvious choice but he couldn't take his girlfriend's job. He seemed like a love-struck 5th grader after he got back together with her too, that was classic. Karen went in next but she didn't seem to have the qualifications exactly. Jim was last and should have gotten the job but apparently he said something that lost it for him. No doubt it involved Pam whom he asked out for a dinner date at the end. YES! Finally we're gonna see where Jim and Pam go as a couple. In the end Ryan, the temp, got the promotion. Hilarious. Well done, guys, well done. (9/10)
Scrubs
This one was another hour-long finale that showed why this show is one of the best on television too. It had laughs, it had tears, and it had romance, especially the forbidden kind. JD and Elliot have been the lynchpins of the series since it started 6 years ago so why change it now? Elliot's getting married to Keith, JD's got a baby on the way with Kim, and neither of them knows what they're doing. Classic Scrubs. The last scene where they're laying in the bed staring at the ceiling and wind up holding hands just had my heart racing. Will they kiss or won't they? Have they had all the chances they're allowed or will they get one more to see if it's right? We'll have to wait until next season to see. I, for one, hope they get together. They're perfect for each other. (8/10)
CSI
The miniature killer is back and this time Grissom's not stopping until they're stopped. Personally I loved the whole storyline of the miniature killer. Death after death, scene after scene, all of it was intense and full of misdirection. They thought they caught him a while back when Ernie Dell killed himself but they were wrong and he struck again. Only we find out that it's not a he after all. Natalie Davis is shown to be the killer but can the group find her and stop her? Apparently not because before they figure it out she gains access to Grissom's office and leaves him a present then kidnaps Sara and puts her under a car in the desert. Talk about drama! The episode ends without revealing where Sara is and gives us yet another season-ending cliffhanger. Ugh, it'll be a long summer. (8/10)
ER
Thirteen seasons in and this show still has a WTF factor to it. Each season finale has made me jump with joy or shock and this one was definitely no different. The one scene where we see that Ray is alive but that his legs are gone shocked me most. I literally said "Holy crap" out loud while watching. I was actually glad to see that he was alive because last week's episode didn't tell us anything after the truck hit him. Katie snapping at Neela was pretty WTF too, who knew she felt that way? And then to wrap it all up there's a shotting at the rally and Neela's getting trampled! Not as good as past season-enders but definitely not bad at all. The gang's still got it and the show is going in a new direction with the new ER chief, whom I kinda like by the way. All in all it was a good episode with lots of exposition but with the right amount of cliffhanger thrown in. (7.5/10)
So there you have it, mini-reviews on four of my favorite shows. I'm sad to see them go but at the same time I can't wait for them to come back. It's gonna be a long summer, alright, but I can take it.
The Office
First of all this season has been even funnier than last season. Each episode had me in stitches at some point and the laughs were just right where they needed to be. The hour-long finale didn't do anything but prove that this is one of the best shows on television. Watching Michael, Jim, and Karen go for Jan's job just cracked me up. Michael was the obvious choice but he couldn't take his girlfriend's job. He seemed like a love-struck 5th grader after he got back together with her too, that was classic. Karen went in next but she didn't seem to have the qualifications exactly. Jim was last and should have gotten the job but apparently he said something that lost it for him. No doubt it involved Pam whom he asked out for a dinner date at the end. YES! Finally we're gonna see where Jim and Pam go as a couple. In the end Ryan, the temp, got the promotion. Hilarious. Well done, guys, well done. (9/10)
Scrubs
This one was another hour-long finale that showed why this show is one of the best on television too. It had laughs, it had tears, and it had romance, especially the forbidden kind. JD and Elliot have been the lynchpins of the series since it started 6 years ago so why change it now? Elliot's getting married to Keith, JD's got a baby on the way with Kim, and neither of them knows what they're doing. Classic Scrubs. The last scene where they're laying in the bed staring at the ceiling and wind up holding hands just had my heart racing. Will they kiss or won't they? Have they had all the chances they're allowed or will they get one more to see if it's right? We'll have to wait until next season to see. I, for one, hope they get together. They're perfect for each other. (8/10)
CSI
The miniature killer is back and this time Grissom's not stopping until they're stopped. Personally I loved the whole storyline of the miniature killer. Death after death, scene after scene, all of it was intense and full of misdirection. They thought they caught him a while back when Ernie Dell killed himself but they were wrong and he struck again. Only we find out that it's not a he after all. Natalie Davis is shown to be the killer but can the group find her and stop her? Apparently not because before they figure it out she gains access to Grissom's office and leaves him a present then kidnaps Sara and puts her under a car in the desert. Talk about drama! The episode ends without revealing where Sara is and gives us yet another season-ending cliffhanger. Ugh, it'll be a long summer. (8/10)
ER
Thirteen seasons in and this show still has a WTF factor to it. Each season finale has made me jump with joy or shock and this one was definitely no different. The one scene where we see that Ray is alive but that his legs are gone shocked me most. I literally said "Holy crap" out loud while watching. I was actually glad to see that he was alive because last week's episode didn't tell us anything after the truck hit him. Katie snapping at Neela was pretty WTF too, who knew she felt that way? And then to wrap it all up there's a shotting at the rally and Neela's getting trampled! Not as good as past season-enders but definitely not bad at all. The gang's still got it and the show is going in a new direction with the new ER chief, whom I kinda like by the way. All in all it was a good episode with lots of exposition but with the right amount of cliffhanger thrown in. (7.5/10)
So there you have it, mini-reviews on four of my favorite shows. I'm sad to see them go but at the same time I can't wait for them to come back. It's gonna be a long summer, alright, but I can take it.
Another guide is mine
I woke up today to find that I am the new editor for The Whitest Kids U'Know, the new sketch comedy show on Fuse. The funny thing is that there have already been eight episodes aired and there are only two more to come before the 10-episode run is over. I really hope they pick it up for another season, it's freakin' funny. So check it out and let me know what you think!
Spider-Man 3 (Review)
The third installment in the Spider-Man franchise came out last weekend and just as the past two had done it broke box office records. It opened to long lines at theaters and sell out crowds at almost every showing on Friday and Saturday. Luckily for me I worked those days and on my first day off I went to see it for myself.
I had heard that the movie is sadder than the others and that Peter cries more than in the others. I had heard that despite that it had some great special effects and a fast storyline. I'd say both were right and both were wrong. Sure, there's some crying, but when a guy is planning on proposing and the woman dumps him that'd make any grown man cry. And really I found the movie darker and angrier than it was sad and depressing. The whole black costume saga was about the dark side of Spider-Man. It enhances his rage and aggression and actually makes him a bad guy in a way. So yeah, there were some tears but nothing I couldn't handle.
As for the special effects, well let me tell you, they blew me away. The "creation" of the Sandman villain was probably the coolest thing I'd seen since The Mummy's sandstorm scene. Each grain of sand was animated separately and along with the millions of other grains of sand they formed Flint Marko again. Simply awe inspiring. Each time he took the screen I knew we were in for a great battle and some awesome special effects. And then there was Venom! Not too bad, in my opinion. I had high expectations and I think they actually might have been met. Brock's character development was short and to the point but it definitely worked.
The only thing I didn't like, and it's probably because I'm a comic fanboy, was the friendship between Spider-Man and Harry's Goblin. In the comics, Peter had no one but himself to defeat the enemies and it made him that much more badass. Don't get me wrong, he definitely needs help from time to time, but the fact that he has no one always seemed more realistic to me. In any case, Harry and Peter team up to save the day in the movie and while it was cheesy it also worked out okay with the plot. I'm not going to spoil anymore than I already have, but trust me, it doesn't follow the comic storyline at all.
So what would I give this sequel? That's a toughie. The special effects were a straight out 10 while the acting was more like a 6 or 7. The lead actors looked almost like they didn't want to be there anymore. The cameos were rushed and cheesy, the jokes fell flat more than they hit, and there was all that crying. On the other hand the action was great, the enemies were deadly, and the black costume was beautiful. So taking it all in I'd give it an 8.5/10. Worth seeing twice in the theaters but not worth waiting in line for on opening night. I'm glad I didn't waste my time but at the same time I'm glad I saw it as soon as I had the chance. Go see it for yourself and decide.
I had heard that the movie is sadder than the others and that Peter cries more than in the others. I had heard that despite that it had some great special effects and a fast storyline. I'd say both were right and both were wrong. Sure, there's some crying, but when a guy is planning on proposing and the woman dumps him that'd make any grown man cry. And really I found the movie darker and angrier than it was sad and depressing. The whole black costume saga was about the dark side of Spider-Man. It enhances his rage and aggression and actually makes him a bad guy in a way. So yeah, there were some tears but nothing I couldn't handle.
As for the special effects, well let me tell you, they blew me away. The "creation" of the Sandman villain was probably the coolest thing I'd seen since The Mummy's sandstorm scene. Each grain of sand was animated separately and along with the millions of other grains of sand they formed Flint Marko again. Simply awe inspiring. Each time he took the screen I knew we were in for a great battle and some awesome special effects. And then there was Venom! Not too bad, in my opinion. I had high expectations and I think they actually might have been met. Brock's character development was short and to the point but it definitely worked.
The only thing I didn't like, and it's probably because I'm a comic fanboy, was the friendship between Spider-Man and Harry's Goblin. In the comics, Peter had no one but himself to defeat the enemies and it made him that much more badass. Don't get me wrong, he definitely needs help from time to time, but the fact that he has no one always seemed more realistic to me. In any case, Harry and Peter team up to save the day in the movie and while it was cheesy it also worked out okay with the plot. I'm not going to spoil anymore than I already have, but trust me, it doesn't follow the comic storyline at all.
So what would I give this sequel? That's a toughie. The special effects were a straight out 10 while the acting was more like a 6 or 7. The lead actors looked almost like they didn't want to be there anymore. The cameos were rushed and cheesy, the jokes fell flat more than they hit, and there was all that crying. On the other hand the action was great, the enemies were deadly, and the black costume was beautiful. So taking it all in I'd give it an 8.5/10. Worth seeing twice in the theaters but not worth waiting in line for on opening night. I'm glad I didn't waste my time but at the same time I'm glad I saw it as soon as I had the chance. Go see it for yourself and decide.
Emotional night of TV for me
I got home from work and immediately fired my up my trusty DVR. Here's what I watched, my thoughts and comments, and a little inspiration thrown in at the end.
The Office - "Women's Appreciation"
Hilarious as always, a great way to start my night of primetime television. Some classic Jim and Dwight moments, a monumental moment in the life of Michael and Jan, and we get to see how nice the women's room is at Dunder Miflin! Seriously though, women are great and all but Michael was right, they can be somewhat hard to understand and kinda flighty at times. A good start to my emotional ride of the night. (7/10)
Scrubs - "My Cold Shower"
This one was gonna be tough to watch and I knew it ahead of time. Elliot should be with JD not with Keith. Not that I don't like Keith, I do, but he's not right for her and everyone knows it. Throughout the episode there were comments about how no one's getting any action and that hit a little close to home. My heart started to open up a bit and the ending with JD "crying" in the shower just about crushed me. Poor guy, I've been there. (8/10)
ER - "I Don't"
A surprise wedding! What a great idea! And a really interesting way to get Abbey to actually go through with it. Good thinking, Luka. A great ER wedding all in all. There was drama: Gates and Ray getting into a fight over Neela. There was comedy: Neela getting kissed by May Lee, who saw that coming?! And of course there was emotion: weddings are full of that, right? All the while my heart was just getting warmed up. Seeing the lights of that truck as it bared down on Ray just took it out of me. My heart started racing, I really felt something for the guy. Again, I've been there. (9/10)
No. 1 Countdown - Rock
Now I know what you're thinking- what's with the changeup? Well after getting my heart strings pulled I decided to take a break and see what new rock is out there. I've been listening to the new NIN album but I could use something a little more...uplifting. Lately I've found music videos to be a good source of inspiration, namely the Incubus video for "Dig" and the Plain White T's video for "Hey There Delilah". So while watching the countdown I see a video for a band called Sick Puppies and their song titled "All The Same" that just about breaks me. The video focuses on a man named Juan Mann who started a peaceful campaign of giving out free hugs to anyone who wanted one and was later banned from doing so. How ridiculous is that? Who's he hurting, exactly? That's right, no one. If anything he's helping.
It's somewhere during this video that I start to realize just how sad, empty and alone I really feel. I can't explain it any better, and I don't care if you get it or not. I get it.
So my night went from appreciating women with Michael Scott, to seeing Elliot get engaged to someone OTHER than JD, to watching Abbey and Luka tie the knot. Really a great job of keeping up a theme, wouldn't you say? Then to top it off I get a reminder that I haven't had a good, solid hug in a long time. Something's got to change because while I can make due living life this way I don't think I would call it much of a life worth living. So yeah, I'm sad right now, and there's nothing I can do about it except sleep it off. I'll be okay in the morning.
The Office - "Women's Appreciation"
Hilarious as always, a great way to start my night of primetime television. Some classic Jim and Dwight moments, a monumental moment in the life of Michael and Jan, and we get to see how nice the women's room is at Dunder Miflin! Seriously though, women are great and all but Michael was right, they can be somewhat hard to understand and kinda flighty at times. A good start to my emotional ride of the night. (7/10)
Scrubs - "My Cold Shower"
This one was gonna be tough to watch and I knew it ahead of time. Elliot should be with JD not with Keith. Not that I don't like Keith, I do, but he's not right for her and everyone knows it. Throughout the episode there were comments about how no one's getting any action and that hit a little close to home. My heart started to open up a bit and the ending with JD "crying" in the shower just about crushed me. Poor guy, I've been there. (8/10)
ER - "I Don't"
A surprise wedding! What a great idea! And a really interesting way to get Abbey to actually go through with it. Good thinking, Luka. A great ER wedding all in all. There was drama: Gates and Ray getting into a fight over Neela. There was comedy: Neela getting kissed by May Lee, who saw that coming?! And of course there was emotion: weddings are full of that, right? All the while my heart was just getting warmed up. Seeing the lights of that truck as it bared down on Ray just took it out of me. My heart started racing, I really felt something for the guy. Again, I've been there. (9/10)
No. 1 Countdown - Rock
Now I know what you're thinking- what's with the changeup? Well after getting my heart strings pulled I decided to take a break and see what new rock is out there. I've been listening to the new NIN album but I could use something a little more...uplifting. Lately I've found music videos to be a good source of inspiration, namely the Incubus video for "Dig" and the Plain White T's video for "Hey There Delilah". So while watching the countdown I see a video for a band called Sick Puppies and their song titled "All The Same" that just about breaks me. The video focuses on a man named Juan Mann who started a peaceful campaign of giving out free hugs to anyone who wanted one and was later banned from doing so. How ridiculous is that? Who's he hurting, exactly? That's right, no one. If anything he's helping.
It's somewhere during this video that I start to realize just how sad, empty and alone I really feel. I can't explain it any better, and I don't care if you get it or not. I get it.
So my night went from appreciating women with Michael Scott, to seeing Elliot get engaged to someone OTHER than JD, to watching Abbey and Luka tie the knot. Really a great job of keeping up a theme, wouldn't you say? Then to top it off I get a reminder that I haven't had a good, solid hug in a long time. Something's got to change because while I can make due living life this way I don't think I would call it much of a life worth living. So yeah, I'm sad right now, and there's nothing I can do about it except sleep it off. I'll be okay in the morning.
Credits rant
There are lots of things about the world that get to me, and I could write about all of them if you give me enough time, but I'm gonna start small and work my way up.
One of my newer pet peeves is when a network airs a show and then decide not to focus on the credits. Instead, they squeeze them off to one side or down to the bottom and make them entirely unreadable! They'd rather spend half the screen on an ad for the weekend marathon of Top Chef or True Hollywood Story than show the viewers who worked so hard to make the program they just watched! Even if the credits are shown they're scrolled so ridiculously fast that you'd need to be able to pause them to even catch a glimpse! It's just wrong!
Now I'm not saying that you need to spend 5 minutes on the credits, not at all, but at least make them available somewhere in case someone is really curious who was in charge of casting or art direction on a movie. At least let the viewers know that what they just saw while sitting on their couch doing nothing came to their homes because of the hard work of lots and LOTS of people who spent their hard-earned time putting it all together. So many people are needed to make one 22-minute episode of Scrubs, let's say, and it's just not right that the networks don't seem to care.
I know the networks only care about money, trust me, I get it. But it can only go so far. If you're only going to spend 20 seconds and a fifth of the screen on the credits then don't bother! Just put a URL at the end that says "go to www.nbc.com/credits for credit details." HOW HARD IS THAT?! At least don't make it seem like you're trying by shoving them up the screen so fast and so small that no human alive can read them, not even on a 92" plasma screen! It's just ridiculous and I'm fed up. Not like anything will get done though, networks don't care about their viewers anymore, but that's entirely different rant and I've already said enough.
One of my newer pet peeves is when a network airs a show and then decide not to focus on the credits. Instead, they squeeze them off to one side or down to the bottom and make them entirely unreadable! They'd rather spend half the screen on an ad for the weekend marathon of Top Chef or True Hollywood Story than show the viewers who worked so hard to make the program they just watched! Even if the credits are shown they're scrolled so ridiculously fast that you'd need to be able to pause them to even catch a glimpse! It's just wrong!
Now I'm not saying that you need to spend 5 minutes on the credits, not at all, but at least make them available somewhere in case someone is really curious who was in charge of casting or art direction on a movie. At least let the viewers know that what they just saw while sitting on their couch doing nothing came to their homes because of the hard work of lots and LOTS of people who spent their hard-earned time putting it all together. So many people are needed to make one 22-minute episode of Scrubs, let's say, and it's just not right that the networks don't seem to care.
I know the networks only care about money, trust me, I get it. But it can only go so far. If you're only going to spend 20 seconds and a fifth of the screen on the credits then don't bother! Just put a URL at the end that says "go to www.nbc.com/credits for credit details." HOW HARD IS THAT?! At least don't make it seem like you're trying by shoving them up the screen so fast and so small that no human alive can read them, not even on a 92" plasma screen! It's just ridiculous and I'm fed up. Not like anything will get done though, networks don't care about their viewers anymore, but that's entirely different rant and I've already said enough.
I'm an editor!
I woke up today to find out that I'm the editor for Scarred! I have no clue what that really means yet and I have no clue on what to do with the power, but I guess it's nice to have something else on my tv.com resume. I got a new icon, a new section on my stats section, and something else to check on in the near future. Better than nothing, right? Just had to share!
Long time, no update
So it's been over two weeks since I blogged. I owe you an entry, to say the least, so here goes.
- I've started watching the newest Real World/Road Rules Challenge titled Inferno 3 and I gotta say that so far it's just like it's predecessors. Tons of conflicting personalities, lots of bruising of egos, and lots and lots of drama. God I hate that I love it.
- Scarred has had three episodes and each one has made me flinch when the actual act is shown over and over. Tons of bone-breaking videos are on the web and I love that someone decided to make money off of them. Way to go, MTV. Where's the M these days anyway?
- I got another speeding ticket this week. That makes 5 now on my license. One more and my license goes bye bye for a year. I'm a freaking moron who apparently can't learn a lesson. If I can make til next January then the points start coming off, but at the rate I'm going that's not looking good.
- The Reds are .500! 10-10 isn't great but it's not horrible either and in this town it's all we need to get interested. They are going places, people, you better watch out!
- Speaking of baseball my fantasy team isn't doing bad. I'm 3rd out of 7 teams and trying my best to stay on top of things. I'm not sure I like fantasy baseball as much as football but it's still enough fun to keep me interested. Any kind of fun is good these days.
That'll do it for now. I'll try to update with more TV worthy blog entry next time. Take what you can get you blood-sucking slackers!
- I've started watching the newest Real World/Road Rules Challenge titled Inferno 3 and I gotta say that so far it's just like it's predecessors. Tons of conflicting personalities, lots of bruising of egos, and lots and lots of drama. God I hate that I love it.
- Scarred has had three episodes and each one has made me flinch when the actual act is shown over and over. Tons of bone-breaking videos are on the web and I love that someone decided to make money off of them. Way to go, MTV. Where's the M these days anyway?
- I got another speeding ticket this week. That makes 5 now on my license. One more and my license goes bye bye for a year. I'm a freaking moron who apparently can't learn a lesson. If I can make til next January then the points start coming off, but at the rate I'm going that's not looking good.
- The Reds are .500! 10-10 isn't great but it's not horrible either and in this town it's all we need to get interested. They are going places, people, you better watch out!
- Speaking of baseball my fantasy team isn't doing bad. I'm 3rd out of 7 teams and trying my best to stay on top of things. I'm not sure I like fantasy baseball as much as football but it's still enough fun to keep me interested. Any kind of fun is good these days.
That'll do it for now. I'll try to update with more TV worthy blog entry next time. Take what you can get you blood-sucking slackers!
Grindhouse (Review)
I decided to venture out of my apartment tonight and went to see Grindhouse at Newport. This double feature directed by Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino has been all the buzz lately and I just had to check it out for myself. The show started at 9:00 and I didn't leave the theater until 12:20. Over three hours of entertainment for 8.25 (student, HAH!) plus parking. Not too shabby! On to the review!
I'd say it was a great movie but that might be overdoing it. I think I might have been overhyped to see this one, something I tend to do these days. The previews weren't great until the movie started and Machete was previewed. This fake trailer directed by Rodriguez was over the top in all the right ways and really set the mood for the entire presentation by showing how funny scary movies can be. It allowed the viewer to laugh and settle in for the huge undertaking of watching two movies in a row.
Rodriguez went first with Planet Terror, a classic zombie-type movie. Tons of blood, lots of guns, and plenty of action all over the place. There were some comical moments which I think all zombie movies should have and I loved hearing the entire theater erupt in laughter a couple times. Rose McGowan was amazing as Cherry Darling and really did a great job of playing a one-legged go-go dancer slash vigilante. All in all it was pretty exciting and kept me interested from the start: 8/10.
Next come three fake "prevue" trailers directed by Rob Zombie, Eli Roth, and Edgar Wright. Zombie's was first, "Werewolf Women of the SS" where naked Nazi women were turned into werewolves to fight for evil. Next was Wright's "Don't" which was a spoof on slasher movies where they always say "don't open the door" and included the line "If you're going to see this movie- Don't!" Hilarious! Roth's "Thanksgiving" was next and was icing on the comedy cake. It included some pretty ridiculous scenes including a girl on a trampoline landing a splits on a knife sticking through the bottom of the trampoline along with a guy screwing a decapitated head. My favorite part of the entire movie: 9/10.
After the trailers it was Tarantino's turn with his take on old school chase movies titled Death Proof which starred Kurt Russell as Stuntman Mike. This movie was two sections in and of itself and kind of dragged on at times. It started slow and built up to a great car crash then sort of started over and did it again. The building up was too long, though, and I found myself losing interest. Remember, by this point I was over 2 hours into the movie and I was needing something with a BANG. The ending made it worth it and I definitely loved the twist. It still fared worse than the first act but it wasn't what I would call bad. Sweet cars and hot women are always a good combo, but still: 7/10.
So yeah, there you have it. I'd give it an overall rating of 8/10 which means I would probably buy it on a whim or if the price is right but it's not worth waiting in line at Best Buy for or anything. I obviously recommend seeing it in theaters since that's what it was intended for. The audio and video really do a great job of putting you in a seventies style theater and watching it at home might not feel the same. So get out there soon before it leaves theaters. And take a date, you'll both thank me later.
I'd say it was a great movie but that might be overdoing it. I think I might have been overhyped to see this one, something I tend to do these days. The previews weren't great until the movie started and Machete was previewed. This fake trailer directed by Rodriguez was over the top in all the right ways and really set the mood for the entire presentation by showing how funny scary movies can be. It allowed the viewer to laugh and settle in for the huge undertaking of watching two movies in a row.
Rodriguez went first with Planet Terror, a classic zombie-type movie. Tons of blood, lots of guns, and plenty of action all over the place. There were some comical moments which I think all zombie movies should have and I loved hearing the entire theater erupt in laughter a couple times. Rose McGowan was amazing as Cherry Darling and really did a great job of playing a one-legged go-go dancer slash vigilante. All in all it was pretty exciting and kept me interested from the start: 8/10.
Next come three fake "prevue" trailers directed by Rob Zombie, Eli Roth, and Edgar Wright. Zombie's was first, "Werewolf Women of the SS" where naked Nazi women were turned into werewolves to fight for evil. Next was Wright's "Don't" which was a spoof on slasher movies where they always say "don't open the door" and included the line "If you're going to see this movie- Don't!" Hilarious! Roth's "Thanksgiving" was next and was icing on the comedy cake. It included some pretty ridiculous scenes including a girl on a trampoline landing a splits on a knife sticking through the bottom of the trampoline along with a guy screwing a decapitated head. My favorite part of the entire movie: 9/10.
After the trailers it was Tarantino's turn with his take on old school chase movies titled Death Proof which starred Kurt Russell as Stuntman Mike. This movie was two sections in and of itself and kind of dragged on at times. It started slow and built up to a great car crash then sort of started over and did it again. The building up was too long, though, and I found myself losing interest. Remember, by this point I was over 2 hours into the movie and I was needing something with a BANG. The ending made it worth it and I definitely loved the twist. It still fared worse than the first act but it wasn't what I would call bad. Sweet cars and hot women are always a good combo, but still: 7/10.
So yeah, there you have it. I'd give it an overall rating of 8/10 which means I would probably buy it on a whim or if the price is right but it's not worth waiting in line at Best Buy for or anything. I obviously recommend seeing it in theaters since that's what it was intended for. The audio and video really do a great job of putting you in a seventies style theater and watching it at home might not feel the same. So get out there soon before it leaves theaters. And take a date, you'll both thank me later.
Jenna Fischer steals the movie
Blades of Glory - Review
The new comedy out in theaters, Blades of Glory, stars comedy giants Will Ferrell (SNL), Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite), Amy Poehler (UCB, SNL), and "soon-to-be-giant" Will Arnett (Arrested Development). To top it all off there's Pam from The Office, Jenna Fischer. With so many funny stars it was bound for comedic genius, right? Well, not so much.
First of all there's too many stars and not enough plot. The characters themselves are funny but they aren't funny together. They're good in spurts but not all at once. It's almost like the writers were just hoping for the actors to carry the movie and forgot to write a real plot into the script. I mean, yeah, there's a plot, but it's pretty predictable and pretty formulaic. There are funny moments but not a downright, laugh-out-loud string of scenes.
In addition to the lack of a plot there's the lack of power the jokes have. Each joke (that works anyway) is seperated from the rest. I can remember 4 or 5 good punchlines from the movie which isn't very many. Most Will Ferrell movies have at least one good catchphrase or at least a great gut-busting scene that everyone remembers for weeks. This one doesn't. There are some jokes with potential of that kind of power but they consistently fall short.
The only saving grace, in my eyes, was the casting of Jenna Fischer as Katie Van Waldenberg, the younger sister of Arnett and Poehler's characters. She's dynamic, she has a soul, and she's pretty hot in this movie. As soon as the credits rolled I said "Jenna Fischer stole the movie." There's a scene or two where she distracted me from what was really going on and made me really want to see more of her, in more ways than one. It's not what I expected from our lovable Pam but man did I enjoy it.
So in closing, go see the movie and judge for yourself. I'm sure there are people out there that will say it's the funniest thing since sliced bread but I'm not so sold on it. I'd give it a 7 just because of the cast and the momentary spurts of comedy. Oh, and for Fischer's role as the semi-slutty girl-next-door. That reason alone might make me buy the DVD when it comes out all by itself. Damn!
The new comedy out in theaters, Blades of Glory, stars comedy giants Will Ferrell (SNL), Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite), Amy Poehler (UCB, SNL), and "soon-to-be-giant" Will Arnett (Arrested Development). To top it all off there's Pam from The Office, Jenna Fischer. With so many funny stars it was bound for comedic genius, right? Well, not so much.
First of all there's too many stars and not enough plot. The characters themselves are funny but they aren't funny together. They're good in spurts but not all at once. It's almost like the writers were just hoping for the actors to carry the movie and forgot to write a real plot into the script. I mean, yeah, there's a plot, but it's pretty predictable and pretty formulaic. There are funny moments but not a downright, laugh-out-loud string of scenes.
In addition to the lack of a plot there's the lack of power the jokes have. Each joke (that works anyway) is seperated from the rest. I can remember 4 or 5 good punchlines from the movie which isn't very many. Most Will Ferrell movies have at least one good catchphrase or at least a great gut-busting scene that everyone remembers for weeks. This one doesn't. There are some jokes with potential of that kind of power but they consistently fall short.
The only saving grace, in my eyes, was the casting of Jenna Fischer as Katie Van Waldenberg, the younger sister of Arnett and Poehler's characters. She's dynamic, she has a soul, and she's pretty hot in this movie. As soon as the credits rolled I said "Jenna Fischer stole the movie." There's a scene or two where she distracted me from what was really going on and made me really want to see more of her, in more ways than one. It's not what I expected from our lovable Pam but man did I enjoy it.
So in closing, go see the movie and judge for yourself. I'm sure there are people out there that will say it's the funniest thing since sliced bread but I'm not so sold on it. I'd give it a 7 just because of the cast and the momentary spurts of comedy. Oh, and for Fischer's role as the semi-slutty girl-next-door. That reason alone might make me buy the DVD when it comes out all by itself. Damn!
A start and an end in the same day
Baseball season started today. The Reds played the Cubs at 2pm today and won 5-1. The score really isn't important though, at least not to me. What's important is the fact that baseball has officially arrived in Cincinnati. The days of dreary, cloudy skies are over and the days of crisp, clean skies are upon us. Now, baseball obviously doesn't change the weather (there's no way that it could) but it changes my mood. It reminds me that sunny days of sitting outside watching baseball are nearby and that I can definitely say that winter is behind me.
Well, almost. The high for Thursday is 47 (for now) so that's gonna be a rough day for me. To top it off there's a daygame that day that I plan on going to. Figures. But it doesn't matter, baseball has begun!
Now the same day that the great American pasttime began, my favorite sporting event - March Madness - came to an end. Florida beat Ohio State tonight 84-75 in the championship. Being borin in CBus I am obviously a Buckeyes fan so it hurt to see them go down like that. I guess it just wasn't their time. But really how is it Florida's time again? They won the title last year, they won the football title in January, let someone else have a chance!
Yeah, that's stupid. No athlete can actually stop competing, they're not made that way. I guess I just wanted a change of pace in college sports. So sue me. Maybe next year, Bucks. Maybe next year.
Well, almost. The high for Thursday is 47 (for now) so that's gonna be a rough day for me. To top it off there's a daygame that day that I plan on going to. Figures. But it doesn't matter, baseball has begun!
Now the same day that the great American pasttime began, my favorite sporting event - March Madness - came to an end. Florida beat Ohio State tonight 84-75 in the championship. Being borin in CBus I am obviously a Buckeyes fan so it hurt to see them go down like that. I guess it just wasn't their time. But really how is it Florida's time again? They won the title last year, they won the football title in January, let someone else have a chance!
Yeah, that's stupid. No athlete can actually stop competing, they're not made that way. I guess I just wanted a change of pace in college sports. So sue me. Maybe next year, Bucks. Maybe next year.
Snuke, Para-lyzed, and a Cooler
1. The Snuke - 10:00
This is the title of the newest episode of South Park which aired tonight and I found it to be HILARIOUS! A snuke is a nuclear bomb usually hidden in a suitcase but in this case it was hidden in Hilary Clinton's snatch. "The snuke is in her snizz." Man, those guys know comedy and they know how to make fun of anyone. In addition to the "Hildog" bashing they also parodied 24. The best part was at the end when the power went out at the bad guy headquarters and reset the countdown clock to a flashing 12:00:00. Priceless!
2. Para-lyzed - 10:30ish (DVRd)
This was the last word(s) spoken by Nikki on Lost tonight. Hurley thought she said "Paolo lies" but boy was he wrong. She and her husband, both thieves and liars, wound up buried alive. Gotta love karma. The part where her eyes opened freaked me out though, regardless it was the best part of the entire episode.
3. A Cooler - 12:00
I then caught a rerun of Las Vegas on TNT. I remember watching this show a couple of times before just to see Vanessa Marcil, Molly Sims, and the curvacious Nikki Cox alone. Tonight's episode (302) was about counterfeit chips and a dealer dealing winning blackjack hands. Molly Sims acted as the cooler and stopped the winning. Really not a bad show and tons and tons of big stars in this one episode. Maybe I should watch it more often!
This is the title of the newest episode of South Park which aired tonight and I found it to be HILARIOUS! A snuke is a nuclear bomb usually hidden in a suitcase but in this case it was hidden in Hilary Clinton's snatch. "The snuke is in her snizz." Man, those guys know comedy and they know how to make fun of anyone. In addition to the "Hildog" bashing they also parodied 24. The best part was at the end when the power went out at the bad guy headquarters and reset the countdown clock to a flashing 12:00:00. Priceless!
2. Para-lyzed - 10:30ish (DVRd)
This was the last word(s) spoken by Nikki on Lost tonight. Hurley thought she said "Paolo lies" but boy was he wrong. She and her husband, both thieves and liars, wound up buried alive. Gotta love karma. The part where her eyes opened freaked me out though, regardless it was the best part of the entire episode.
3. A Cooler - 12:00
I then caught a rerun of Las Vegas on TNT. I remember watching this show a couple of times before just to see Vanessa Marcil, Molly Sims, and the curvacious Nikki Cox alone. Tonight's episode (302) was about counterfeit chips and a dealer dealing winning blackjack hands. Molly Sims acted as the cooler and stopped the winning. Really not a bad show and tons and tons of big stars in this one episode. Maybe I should watch it more often!
Three Days Grace - One-X (Review)
Well it looks like I'm back and this time I'm gonna review the one album that played nonstop in my CD player for the past month:
Three Days Grace - One-X
1. It's All Over
2. Pain
3. Animal I Have Become
4. Never Too Late
5. On My Own
6. Riot 7. Get Out Alive
8. Let It Die
9. Over And Over
10. Time Of Dying
11. Gone Forever
12. One-X
13. Running Away (Bonus track)
---
The album came out last summer but I dragged my feet on getting it. Eventually I decided to download it and then dragged my feet some more on deciding when to burn it. But boy, once I did I was pleasantly surprised.
The first two singles, Animal I Have Become and Pain, were both getting pretty heavy airplay when the album came out and I was pretty familiar with them. Really I think everyone's heard them at some point so there's no need to talk much about them, you either like them or you don't. But there are some songs on this CD that really got under my skin in a good way. They dug down and stayed there for a while, making me sing them to myself on busy nights at work or while I'm flipping through the channels on TV. They made a home under my skin and I was enjoying it.
My favorite portion of the album is tracks 8 through 11. Track 8, Let It Die, is a great song about falling out of love with someone and I love the vocals more than anything. Here's the chorus and trust me, it sounds better than it reads.
"I swear I never meant to let it die
I just don't care about you anymore
It's not fair when you say that I didn't try
I just don't care about you anymore"
The lyrics are great, the melody is solid, and the guitar work is rocktastic. It's one of those songs that's very easy to sing along to and very catchy at the same time. A great mix.
It is immediately followed by my favorite song on the album, Over and Over. This one's about falling in love with someone who is totally wrong for you. I like to think the songs go together, like he's falling out of love with someone and in love with someone else at the same time. Besides that, I think I can relate to this one more than the last one, I've had a similar problem, ya know? Here's the start of Over and Over.
"I feel it every day, it's all the same
It brings me down, but I'm the one to blame
I've tried everything to get away
"So here I go again, chasing you down again
Why do I do this?
Over and over, Over and over, I fall for you"
That sums up my love life pretty nicely. I tend to be interested in women that aren't interested in me and as soon as the chase is over I move on. It's horrible, I know, but it's part of who I am I guess. In any case this song is amazing and probably one of the better slow/sad songs that also rocks. I give it a 9 by itself.
After those two the next two aren't bad either, Time of Dying at track 10 and Gone Forever at track 11. They complete the mood and keep things moving nicely into the title track, One-X at 12. I listen to these five songs more than any of the others and they great every time.
Most great albums have a good start, a mediocre middle, and a great ending. It's like a good roller coaster, up, down, then way up. This one starts with a great lead-in track, gets into the singles quickly, moves into the filler tracks that aren't bad at all, and ends with a great finish. It has all the makings of a great album and I seriously think it's going under the radar. If you have the ability then you should download it. If not, and you have the means, then you should buy it. If you don't have either then let me know and I'll see what I can do. It's that damn good.
Three Days Grace - One-X
1. It's All Over
2. Pain
3. Animal I Have Become
4. Never Too Late
5. On My Own
6. Riot 7. Get Out Alive
8. Let It Die
9. Over And Over
10. Time Of Dying
11. Gone Forever
12. One-X
13. Running Away (Bonus track)
---
The album came out last summer but I dragged my feet on getting it. Eventually I decided to download it and then dragged my feet some more on deciding when to burn it. But boy, once I did I was pleasantly surprised.
The first two singles, Animal I Have Become and Pain, were both getting pretty heavy airplay when the album came out and I was pretty familiar with them. Really I think everyone's heard them at some point so there's no need to talk much about them, you either like them or you don't. But there are some songs on this CD that really got under my skin in a good way. They dug down and stayed there for a while, making me sing them to myself on busy nights at work or while I'm flipping through the channels on TV. They made a home under my skin and I was enjoying it.
My favorite portion of the album is tracks 8 through 11. Track 8, Let It Die, is a great song about falling out of love with someone and I love the vocals more than anything. Here's the chorus and trust me, it sounds better than it reads.
"I swear I never meant to let it die
I just don't care about you anymore
It's not fair when you say that I didn't try
I just don't care about you anymore"
The lyrics are great, the melody is solid, and the guitar work is rocktastic. It's one of those songs that's very easy to sing along to and very catchy at the same time. A great mix.
It is immediately followed by my favorite song on the album, Over and Over. This one's about falling in love with someone who is totally wrong for you. I like to think the songs go together, like he's falling out of love with someone and in love with someone else at the same time. Besides that, I think I can relate to this one more than the last one, I've had a similar problem, ya know? Here's the start of Over and Over.
"I feel it every day, it's all the same
It brings me down, but I'm the one to blame
I've tried everything to get away
"So here I go again, chasing you down again
Why do I do this?
Over and over, Over and over, I fall for you"
That sums up my love life pretty nicely. I tend to be interested in women that aren't interested in me and as soon as the chase is over I move on. It's horrible, I know, but it's part of who I am I guess. In any case this song is amazing and probably one of the better slow/sad songs that also rocks. I give it a 9 by itself.
After those two the next two aren't bad either, Time of Dying at track 10 and Gone Forever at track 11. They complete the mood and keep things moving nicely into the title track, One-X at 12. I listen to these five songs more than any of the others and they great every time.
Most great albums have a good start, a mediocre middle, and a great ending. It's like a good roller coaster, up, down, then way up. This one starts with a great lead-in track, gets into the singles quickly, moves into the filler tracks that aren't bad at all, and ends with a great finish. It has all the makings of a great album and I seriously think it's going under the radar. If you have the ability then you should download it. If not, and you have the means, then you should buy it. If you don't have either then let me know and I'll see what I can do. It's that damn good.
