Cloverfield: I never had the time or energy to check out this monster movie from J.J. Abrams when it came out earlier this year, so I decided to rent it now. I will give the movie credit for not following the normal monster movie conventions (you barely see the monster, and the focus is on a few individuals and their attempts to escape the danger). I'll also say that the film delivers a number of decent thrills. But for all that it does right, the movie doesn't work due to its high level of implausibility. The actions that the main characters choose to do are so unrealistic that I couldn't sympathize with their situation. In addition, the movie was filmed as if one of the main characters was recording it all on their own camera, documentary-style. As I'm watching it, I'm yelling at the screen, 'put the f'ing camera down and save yourself!' Despite trying to give this a very 'real' feel, it felt like one of the fakest movies I had ever seen. Still, if you're looking for a cheap thrill, this is probably better than most of those cheesy horror flicks that come out every three weeks. Netflix rating: **
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang: After being so impressed with Robert Downey Jr.'s work in both Iron Man and Zodiac, I decided to seek out some of his other recent work. This relatively unknown film came out 2-3 years ago and is an homage to film noir and detective movies. Downey (again delivering a good performance) plays a small time crook who ends up getting a job as an actor and then becomes a detective to prepare for the role. It sounds confusing, but it (sort of) makes sense in the film. The film has a lot of good laughs and the central mystery is fun. It also has fun at being unconventional with Downey also being the film's narrator and making snarky comments throughout. However, the film at times acts cuter than what it really is. There are also some slow moments in the film that could have been cut out. I couldn't take a steady diet of this, but it offered a nice change of pace. Netflix rating: ****
Saturday, May 31, 2008
OMFG!!! Pictures from the Sex and the City premiere!
What a fab event this was...
Check out Kristin Davis in her gold dress...
and there's Cynthia Nixon with her "girl"friend...
and the moment we've all been waiting for, here comes Sarah Jessica Parker and Kim Catrall. Aren't they looking lovely?
Ugh! After seeing this movie have a better opening day than Indiana Jones, I have lost all faith in humanity.
Check out Kristin Davis in her gold dress...
and there's Cynthia Nixon with her "girl"friend...
and the moment we've all been waiting for, here comes Sarah Jessica Parker and Kim Catrall. Aren't they looking lovely?
Ugh! After seeing this movie have a better opening day than Indiana Jones, I have lost all faith in humanity.
EPIC FAIL - Sports edition
I don't know how a prestigious organization like the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League will ever be able to live down such an embarassing incident.
I'm surprised a diva like her couldn't throw that further. I'm sure if that had been a bottle of the wrong brand on mineral water she would have been able to hurl it all the way to the plate.
I don't know what's more shocking - the announcer calling Danika Patrick the biggest name in her sport when she's only won one race in her career or the nonplussed reaction by the guy in the headphones to this terrible incident.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Eerie Indiana
It's funny, I never saw any of the Indiana Jones movies until about 10 years ago and never was a huge fan of the series, yet I ended up seeing the new film on opening day.
Now having seen the fourth installment, I can say that it was just an ok film. But since I thought the other three were just 'ok' too, I'm not sure that tells you a lot about the quality of the film, so let me try and provide some further analysis of the film's strengths and weaknesses.
The film wastes no time in getting right into the action and heart of the story, which is pretty typical of this franchise. However, after the initial action sequence, the film really gets weighed down with a series of pointless scenes. There are several moments early on where Spielberg unnecessarily hammers home the point that the film is taking place in the 50s (Oooh, greasers! Eeek, the Red Scare!) Yet, despite inundating us with the film's temporal context, he never really says anything about the decade. The Russian villains here could have just as easily been Nazis again. I give the film credit for advancing the film's chronology to match Harrison's actual aging, but they don't do anything significant with the era that they place the film in.
Speaking of Harrison Ford, despite the nearly twenty year layoff between films, he picks up the fedora and bullwhip without a hitch. He remains the same presence on-screen that he was when he made the character so engaging in the first place. Yes, he may be greyer on top, but that doesn't mean he doesn't still bring the energy here. For many, just seeing him back as this beloved character will make this film a thumbs up for them.
Ford's surrounding cast is a mixed bag. On one hand, it's nice to see Karen Allen back as Marion Ravenwood from Raiders of the Lost Ark, but the reunion between her and Indy somewhat fell flat. Part of the reason is that not enough time was given to let them banter and squabble to exhibit the chemistry they had in the first film. The other reason is that it seemed odd to bring back a former flame when it seemed that the women in the Indiana Jones films were similar to Bond girls; one and done. I never got the vibe in Raiders that Marion was Indy's soul mate, even though they try to make it seem that way here.
The film, also includes one of my least favorite actors, Shia LaBeouf. In this film, he actually doesn't bother me all that much, which is probably the best compliment I can give him. Rather I was more annoyed by Spielberg's apparent man-crush for him and the way he exhibited it in the way his character's portrayed. There were too many scenes that attempted to make you believe he is the heir apparent to the Indy franchise and they just came across as ludicrous to me.
Finally, Cate Blanchett is here as well as the villainous Irina Spalko; a Russian who wants to to use mind control to take over the world. Frankly, I thought her talents went to waste here. She's a quality actress, but really any woman with a halfway decent Russian accent could have done this role. Again, it's really more of a fault of the writing and directing rather than anything that she did poorly.
There are several other side characters here(John Hurt, Ray Winstone, Jim Broadbent), who could have been interesting, but again the film spends so much time focusing on the action, that they never have a chance to shine or truly explain why they're being included in the film at all.
I suppose I should also mention the titular crystal skull; the desired chotchkee that both good and evil are seeking. For me, the skull doesn't have the same gravitas as say the Ark or the Holy Grail from previous films. That's probably unfair though as in some cultures the crystal skull is just as highly revered as the Ark is to Christianity. However, since the cultures in which the skull is revered probably are the minority of the viewing audience, I think more could have been done to emphasis what a great treasure it truly is.
The action surrounding the procurement of the crystal skull is all good fun and on par with the action of the previous films. You have several scenes where key items are exchanged back and forth between both sides. You have the trademark creepy scenes involving some sort of critter (in this case, big, nasty ants). And you have a finale that involves a special-effects laiden death scene. I would explain more about what is the significance behind finding the crystal skull, but I don't want to spoil too much here. Needless to say, the events are likely to make fans devisive over whether or not they belong in an Indiana Jones film.
Where the filmmakers falter in creating a coherent story, they equally succeed in providing a number of easter eggs related to the previous films. There are several references to characters, objects, and events from the earlier films that will be appreciated by all of the fans of the franchise. The scene which calls back to Indy's fear of snakes is probably my favorite of the film.
Given the goodwill that these films have built up over time, this new film will probably get a pass from most people, including myself, despite some glaring weaknesses. If this were a stand alone film, I'm not sure how kind most people would be to it. But because the action is acceptable summer fare and because they throw enough bones to fans of the franchise, it receives a marginal recommendation for all. There's likely to be something for everyone to enjoy about this film.
And despite the problems I saw here, I would still be ok with seeing another film made if everyone is up for it. In particular, I would really like to see them attempt Indy 5 as opposed to trying a spinoff franchise involving LaBeouf. If nothing else, this film proved that Harrison Ford can still swashbuckle with the best of them. Grade: B-
Now having seen the fourth installment, I can say that it was just an ok film. But since I thought the other three were just 'ok' too, I'm not sure that tells you a lot about the quality of the film, so let me try and provide some further analysis of the film's strengths and weaknesses.
The film wastes no time in getting right into the action and heart of the story, which is pretty typical of this franchise. However, after the initial action sequence, the film really gets weighed down with a series of pointless scenes. There are several moments early on where Spielberg unnecessarily hammers home the point that the film is taking place in the 50s (Oooh, greasers! Eeek, the Red Scare!) Yet, despite inundating us with the film's temporal context, he never really says anything about the decade. The Russian villains here could have just as easily been Nazis again. I give the film credit for advancing the film's chronology to match Harrison's actual aging, but they don't do anything significant with the era that they place the film in.
Speaking of Harrison Ford, despite the nearly twenty year layoff between films, he picks up the fedora and bullwhip without a hitch. He remains the same presence on-screen that he was when he made the character so engaging in the first place. Yes, he may be greyer on top, but that doesn't mean he doesn't still bring the energy here. For many, just seeing him back as this beloved character will make this film a thumbs up for them.
Ford's surrounding cast is a mixed bag. On one hand, it's nice to see Karen Allen back as Marion Ravenwood from Raiders of the Lost Ark, but the reunion between her and Indy somewhat fell flat. Part of the reason is that not enough time was given to let them banter and squabble to exhibit the chemistry they had in the first film. The other reason is that it seemed odd to bring back a former flame when it seemed that the women in the Indiana Jones films were similar to Bond girls; one and done. I never got the vibe in Raiders that Marion was Indy's soul mate, even though they try to make it seem that way here.
The film, also includes one of my least favorite actors, Shia LaBeouf. In this film, he actually doesn't bother me all that much, which is probably the best compliment I can give him. Rather I was more annoyed by Spielberg's apparent man-crush for him and the way he exhibited it in the way his character's portrayed. There were too many scenes that attempted to make you believe he is the heir apparent to the Indy franchise and they just came across as ludicrous to me.
Finally, Cate Blanchett is here as well as the villainous Irina Spalko; a Russian who wants to to use mind control to take over the world. Frankly, I thought her talents went to waste here. She's a quality actress, but really any woman with a halfway decent Russian accent could have done this role. Again, it's really more of a fault of the writing and directing rather than anything that she did poorly.
There are several other side characters here(John Hurt, Ray Winstone, Jim Broadbent), who could have been interesting, but again the film spends so much time focusing on the action, that they never have a chance to shine or truly explain why they're being included in the film at all.
I suppose I should also mention the titular crystal skull; the desired chotchkee that both good and evil are seeking. For me, the skull doesn't have the same gravitas as say the Ark or the Holy Grail from previous films. That's probably unfair though as in some cultures the crystal skull is just as highly revered as the Ark is to Christianity. However, since the cultures in which the skull is revered probably are the minority of the viewing audience, I think more could have been done to emphasis what a great treasure it truly is.
The action surrounding the procurement of the crystal skull is all good fun and on par with the action of the previous films. You have several scenes where key items are exchanged back and forth between both sides. You have the trademark creepy scenes involving some sort of critter (in this case, big, nasty ants). And you have a finale that involves a special-effects laiden death scene. I would explain more about what is the significance behind finding the crystal skull, but I don't want to spoil too much here. Needless to say, the events are likely to make fans devisive over whether or not they belong in an Indiana Jones film.
Where the filmmakers falter in creating a coherent story, they equally succeed in providing a number of easter eggs related to the previous films. There are several references to characters, objects, and events from the earlier films that will be appreciated by all of the fans of the franchise. The scene which calls back to Indy's fear of snakes is probably my favorite of the film.
Given the goodwill that these films have built up over time, this new film will probably get a pass from most people, including myself, despite some glaring weaknesses. If this were a stand alone film, I'm not sure how kind most people would be to it. But because the action is acceptable summer fare and because they throw enough bones to fans of the franchise, it receives a marginal recommendation for all. There's likely to be something for everyone to enjoy about this film.
And despite the problems I saw here, I would still be ok with seeing another film made if everyone is up for it. In particular, I would really like to see them attempt Indy 5 as opposed to trying a spinoff franchise involving LaBeouf. If nothing else, this film proved that Harrison Ford can still swashbuckle with the best of them. Grade: B-
Friday, May 23, 2008
FOX pilots
So as you probably gathered if you read my posts about the networks' fall lineups, there is not going to be a lot of new shows as a result of the strike. And of the new shows that the networks did announce, not a lot of information was given. However, FOX has recently released teasers for a few of their new shows; a couple of which I'm interested in. One is the Family Guy spinoff devoted to the Cleveland character, and the other is Fringe, the latest offering from J.J. Abrams. You can check both of them out below.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
NMR: Quick recap
So with as much as I've been doing for school lately, plus being up in Cleveland all last week, I haven't been able to watch much through Netflix lately.
However, in preparation for the new one coming out this week, I did rent the first three Indiana Jones movies again recently. I had not seen them in a long time, so I'm glad I watched them again. Overall, I'm not a huge fan of the movies. I'm not sure what it is, but this franchise doesn't captivate me like a lot of others ones do. Having said that, I think, oddly enough, that Last Crusade is the best of the bunch. It includes everything that should be in a film like that and Sean Connery was a welcome addition to the cast. It's a shame that he's retired now and couldn't be lured into making a cameo for the new one. Raiders is solid, but because so much of that movie has been parodied in other shows and films, it's hard to appreciate it in the same way as when it first came out. The worst of the bunch was Temple of Doom, which it seems is the consensus dud. We never see the professorial side of Indiana in that movie and both the female lead and Short Round are really annoying. There are a few decent action sequences, but not enough to put it on par with the other two films. Given their classic status, I'll grade these higher than I might have if they were new films.
Raiders: ****
Temple: ***
Last Crusade: ****
I also saw United 93, which is a terrific film, subject matter aside. But because it deals with such a horrific event, I could never in my right mind watch it again. If you feel you can handle it, I would definitely recommend you see it. Netflix rating: *****
However, in preparation for the new one coming out this week, I did rent the first three Indiana Jones movies again recently. I had not seen them in a long time, so I'm glad I watched them again. Overall, I'm not a huge fan of the movies. I'm not sure what it is, but this franchise doesn't captivate me like a lot of others ones do. Having said that, I think, oddly enough, that Last Crusade is the best of the bunch. It includes everything that should be in a film like that and Sean Connery was a welcome addition to the cast. It's a shame that he's retired now and couldn't be lured into making a cameo for the new one. Raiders is solid, but because so much of that movie has been parodied in other shows and films, it's hard to appreciate it in the same way as when it first came out. The worst of the bunch was Temple of Doom, which it seems is the consensus dud. We never see the professorial side of Indiana in that movie and both the female lead and Short Round are really annoying. There are a few decent action sequences, but not enough to put it on par with the other two films. Given their classic status, I'll grade these higher than I might have if they were new films.
Raiders: ****
Temple: ***
Last Crusade: ****
I also saw United 93, which is a terrific film, subject matter aside. But because it deals with such a horrific event, I could never in my right mind watch it again. If you feel you can handle it, I would definitely recommend you see it. Netflix rating: *****
Friday, May 16, 2008
Tropic Thunder red band trailer
Here's the new 'restricted' trailer for the Ben Stiller comedy due out this August. Man, this thing looks like it will pull no punches when it comes to mocking the Hollywood industry. And it looks damn funny to boot!
Red band trailer for Tropic Thunder
Red band trailer for Tropic Thunder
The Office deleted scenes (Goodbye Toby)
In addition to the deleted scenes, I've added a link at the bottom of a review from last night's truly excellent season finale. I agree with virtually everything this guy says, so consider reading it as the equivalent to hearing what I had to say about the episode. Ryan's arrest video, which the Dunder Mifflin crew watching on YouTube in last night's episode has also been added for your enjoyment.
Time.com review of The Office season finale
Time.com review of The Office season finale
The return of OO
I mentioned a few backs that the wrestling website that I wrote a column for, Online Onslaught, seemingly went away. Well after abandoning the previous hosting company, Rick, OO's webmaster, has a new site up that looks just like the old one. You can check it out here.
And while you're there, you can check out my new column which is featured on the front page. This one reviews Summerslam 2002, which is most notable for Shawn Michaels return match after being semi-retired for four years with a back injury.
And while you're there, you can check out my new column which is featured on the front page. This one reviews Summerslam 2002, which is most notable for Shawn Michaels return match after being semi-retired for four years with a back injury.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Upfronts Update (CBS and Fox)
Here are the remaining schedule announcements from CBS and Fox. Again, not a lot of shakeups in their lineups and only a few new shows debuting.
CBS:
Fox:
CBS:
CBS has sent out its fall lineup, and in addition to adding five new series, the Eye is shuffling around three returning favorites.
Old Christine, which to the surprise of many was plucked from ABC's anxious grasp and kept on at CBS, now will lead off Wednesday nights. That sets the table for Project Gary, a new comedy starring Jay Mohr as a recent divorcé. With Rules of Engagement on hold until midseason, Worst Week (Jericho's Kyle Bornheimer and Kitchen Confidential's Erinn Hayes are newly engaged) will join the Monday comedy block.
CBS Tuesday still starts out with NCIS, but then continues with The Mentalist (starring Simon Baker) and Without a Trace (landing on a new night).
Claiming Trace's Thurday-at-10 spot is Jerry Bruckheimer's Eleventh Hour. One of the perhaps oddest fits has The Ex List, a big ol' romantic dramedy, filling the Friday gap between Ghost Whisperer and Numbers.
The Unit now calls Sundays-at-10 home. Harper's Island, a murder mystery, debuts midseason.
Fox:
For those who've been keeping an ear to the tracks, Fox's fall plan didn't shake out exactly as expected. Perhaps waylaid by CBS' decision to program Wednesday's 8 o'clock hour with comedies, Fox has opted to counterprogram with Bones. Leading out of House on Tuesdays at 9 is Lost creator J.J. Abrams' much-anticipated Fringe.
On Monday, Terminator and Prison Break have swapped places, with Sarah Connor now opening the night. Wednesday's 9 o'clock hour features 'Til Death and the new comedy Do Not Disturb (née The Inn). Thursday's reality twofer now features Moment of Truth and Kitchen Nightmares, with 5th Grader and Lyrics airing Friday.
Prison Break, Fringe and Bones each will return with two-hour episodes, airing Aug. 25, 26 and 27 (respectively).
Sunday maintains the status quo, with the new animated series Sit Down, Shut Up and The Cleveland Show premiering in spring '09.
Joss Whedon's Dollhouse, as expected, won't open until midseason. 24, Idol and Hell's Kitchen all return in January.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Upfronts Update (ABC and CW)
As I mentioned before, the announcements of the network's fall schedules has taken on a different light this year. Since the strike went on for so long, very few pilots for new shows were made. So most of the networks' new schedules look eerily similar to their current lineup.
Yesterday, NBC gave their schedule. I talked about most of their big moves a few weeks ago because they had already revealed a lot of their plans (i.e. The Office spinoff debuting after the Super Bowl). I didn't mention their new shows, so I might do that in a different post if I have the time and/or energy.
Today, ABC and the CW gave their schedules. Since I don't watch much on either network, I'm just posting TV Guide.com's reporting of their schedules. Enjoy!
ABC
the CW
Yesterday, NBC gave their schedule. I talked about most of their big moves a few weeks ago because they had already revealed a lot of their plans (i.e. The Office spinoff debuting after the Super Bowl). I didn't mention their new shows, so I might do that in a different post if I have the time and/or energy.
Today, ABC and the CW gave their schedules. Since I don't watch much on either network, I'm just posting TV Guide.com's reporting of their schedules. Enjoy!
ABC
ABC has announced their new fall schedule and it looks promising. (That's right, no shows based on Geico commercials!) Let's break down the schedule starting with new shows.
New ABC Series
• Life on Mars (airing Thursdays at 10 pm/ET)
David E. Kelley's version of the BBC series, it revolves around a modern-day police detective (Jason O'Mara) who, after a car crash, mysteriously finds himself transported back to 1973 and still working as a cop.
• Opportunity Knocks (Tuesdays at 8)
This game show is going on the road, arriving the doorsteps of everyday Americans to test how well they know their family. The mobile team will stop by any small town in America in a semi that is flush with flat-screen TVs, new furniture and cash prizes that the family can win right there.
New Midseason Series
• The Goode Family
Mike Judge brings ABC this animated series about a family obsessed with doing the "right" thing, whether it's environmentally, politically or socially. Their efforts, however, often have accidental (and comic) consequences.
• Scrubs
J.D., Turk, Carla, Kelso, Cox and all your other Sacred Heart favorites resurface on ABC to truly finish their story.
• Untitled Ashton Kutcher/Tyra Banks Project
Besides that duo making me cringe, the show is described as "a beauty pageant unlike any you've ever seen."
Of course, Lost, According to Jim and The Bachelor will also be back midseason.
Shows on the Move
• Boston Legal moves to Mondays at 10.
• Eli Stone's sophomore run unspools Tuesdays at 10.
the CW
The CW is the latest network to spill their fall slate, and two nights — Monday (Gossip Tree Hill) and Thursday (Smallnatural) — remain unchanged.
Tuesday will offer some "zip" in the form of 90210, the BH follow-up featuring an occasional drop-by from "guidance counselor" Jennie Garth. Leading out of that is Surviving the Filthy Rich (fka How to Teach Filthy Rich Girls, and starring Reba's JoAnna Garcia).
Wednesday, as usual, kicks off with Top Model, now followed by Stylista, a Devil Wears Prada-esque reality series from Tyra Banks. Everybody Hates Chris and The Game, having lost their Sunday-night home, have been moved to Friday.
Speaking of CW's Sunday... that's "TBA." Media Rights Capital, the firm network "outsourced" the evening to, will announce its offerings (two dramas and two comedies) at a later date.
Reaper will return midseason.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Three the easy way!
Sadly, despite this and Cliff Lee pitching 9 innings of shutout ball, the Indians still lost this game 3-0 in extra innings.
TV Comings and Goings
The network upfront meetings are taking place this week, which usually means the announcements of the Fall TV schedules. Because of the strike, they aren't being run as usual. Right now, we're getting announcements here and there about what's going on. If they actually announce full TV schedules, I'll announce them here and provide some comments. But for now, here is the fate for some of the bubble shows...
The lucky ones:
How I Met Your Mother - renewed for a 4th season, thanks to it's recent upswing in the ratings. I guess Britney Spears was good for something after all.
Reaper - picked up for a second season, but it'll only be for 13 episodes and as a mid-season replacement.
Scrubs - officially moving to ABC this fall for another season.
Boston Legal - renewed for a 5th season
Eli Stone - renewed for a 2nd season
The New Adventures of Old Christine - renewed by CBS for a 4th season
Rules of Engagement - renewed for another (3rd?) season by CBS
Shows that will RIP
Shark
Moonlight
Aliens in America
Miss Guided
Women's Murder Club
Cavemen
Big Shots
Carpoolers
Men in Trees
Cashmere Mafia
October Road
Back to You
Canterbury's Law
New Amsterdam
The Return of Jezebel James
Las Vegas
Journeyman
Bionic Woman
Cane
Welcome to the Captain
The lucky ones:
How I Met Your Mother - renewed for a 4th season, thanks to it's recent upswing in the ratings. I guess Britney Spears was good for something after all.
Reaper - picked up for a second season, but it'll only be for 13 episodes and as a mid-season replacement.
Scrubs - officially moving to ABC this fall for another season.
Boston Legal - renewed for a 5th season
Eli Stone - renewed for a 2nd season
The New Adventures of Old Christine - renewed by CBS for a 4th season
Rules of Engagement - renewed for another (3rd?) season by CBS
Shows that will RIP
Shark
Moonlight
Aliens in America
Miss Guided
Women's Murder Club
Cavemen
Big Shots
Carpoolers
Men in Trees
Cashmere Mafia
October Road
Back to You
Canterbury's Law
New Amsterdam
The Return of Jezebel James
Las Vegas
Journeyman
Bionic Woman
Cane
Welcome to the Captain
Heroes Season 3 trailer
It's not much, but I guess we'll take anything we can get at this point.
By the way, don't be fooled by their promise of a "3-hour premiere". It's really a 2-hour premiere with a season 2 recap episode airing before it.
By the way, don't be fooled by their promise of a "3-hour premiere". It's really a 2-hour premiere with a season 2 recap episode airing before it.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Stark raving
Even with as busy as I have been, I still managed to keep my yearly tradition (dating back to 1998!) of seeing the first big movie of the summer box office season in its opening weekend. And if the first movie is any indication, we should be in for a great summer. This year has gotten off to a great start (much better than last year with the underwhelming Spider-Man 3), both in terms of quality and financial success (Weekend box office numbers)
And unless you've been trapped by Afghanis in a cave, you'd know that I'm talking about Iron Man. The film, which is latest adaptation of a Marvel comic superhero, is about Tony Stark, playboy weapons developer, who, after being attacked by terrorists using the weapons he created, decides to do something good with his life and destroy the very weapons he made. In order to do so, he creates a special suit and thus becomes Iron Man. And that is about as crude of an explanation of the story's background as you'll ever see.
What clearly makes this film as good as it is, is Robert Downey Jr. playing Stark/Iron Man. He, moreso than any other actor currently portraying a superhero in film, is the perfect embodiment of the comic book character. Not only is he a perfect fit for the role, but he also makes the character really appealing and entertaining. Playing an intelligent, yet sarcastic playboy billionaire could be offputting or too familiar (comparisons to Bruce Wayne/Batman perhaps), but Downey rises above those potential problems and delivers an outstanding performance. It's wonderful to see a guy who's dealt with so many personal problems in his life, finally start to get things together and provide a performance that is likely going to be enjoyed by so many.
Luckily for Downey and the film as a whole, he doesn't have to carry the film on his back, as he is surrounded by a very capable cast of characters. Gwenyth Paltrow plays Stark's dutiful assistant/potential love interest Pepper Potts. I've never been crazy about Paltrow's work, but she's really great here and has some wonderful chemistry with Downey. I'm glad to see they casted someone who was a little bit older and mature, like her, because I think the dynamic would have been off if they would have chosen pretty, young, flavor-of-the-week actress instead.
Rounding out the cast is Terrance Howard as James 'Rhodey' Rhodes who is Stark's friend and military liason and Jeff Bridges, playing Obidiah Stane, Stark's business partner, who clearly doesn't share Stark's newfound oppositional viewpoint on war profiteering. I would have liked to seen more from them (a lot of time is spent solely focusing on Stark and his creation of the Iron Man suit), but in the time that they are given, they provide solid performances.
The film follows a typical origin storyline. While the variables are obviously different, the basic remains familiar here. In addition, the film uses a handful of movie cliches that I could have done without (false drama created through computer download counter, scenes setting up later plot points being hammered home, etc.). The overall sense of familiarity/cliche I think is a result of director Jon Faverau. This is Faverau's first foray into the big budget action flick territory and it is apparent. He doesn't quite have the ability yet to rise above these overused tactics, in the way that Christopher Nolan has. Still these are minor problems with the film and don't really detract from the film's enjoyability.
I mentioned earlier how I felt the Rhodes and Stane characters could have gotten more screentime. The Stane character in particular could have been more fleshed out, I felt. Without spoiling too much, I felt many of his actions needed more explanation. Also, Iron Man's final battle with the film's villain could have gone on longer as well. The film takes its time in having Stark not only design the suit but also perfecting how to use it as well. If it weren't for the fact that those scenes are so damn enjoyable, I might be more critical of the time management issues of the film.
I will say that for as good as the film is, I left the theater not feeling as amped up as I have been seeing that I absolutely loved. And what's bugging me is that I'm not sure why I didn't feel a stronger connection to the film. It could be that the final battle scene wasn't as cathartic as it could have been. It may be that I'm not as familiar with the Iron Man character as I was with other comic book heroes and thus don't have as strong of an emotional attachment to the character. It may have been the people I saw the film with (I ended up going with a bunch of CRDM students). I'm not sure what the explanation is. I can't really pinpoint a major problem with the film, so I don't know why I'm not embracing it more. I'm thinking though that maybe another viewing of the film will hopefully either make me appreciate it more or give me some clarity on a flaw that I'm missing.
Despite, what I'm saying here, I wholeheartedly recommend everyone check out this movie. The film never drags and it provides an excellent balance of action and comedy. The nagging issues I mentioned will not and should not affect your enjoyment of this film. Downey alone makes the film worth the price of admission and I definitely think we have a new comic book franchise on our hands. But we can look to the future at another time, for now, go out and see this movie and pray that everything else this summer will be as good as this.
One final recommendation...please do yourself a favor and stick around past the credits. There is one final additional scene that includes a surprise cameo and is very tantalizing. Trust me, you won't be disappointed. Grade: B+
And unless you've been trapped by Afghanis in a cave, you'd know that I'm talking about Iron Man. The film, which is latest adaptation of a Marvel comic superhero, is about Tony Stark, playboy weapons developer, who, after being attacked by terrorists using the weapons he created, decides to do something good with his life and destroy the very weapons he made. In order to do so, he creates a special suit and thus becomes Iron Man. And that is about as crude of an explanation of the story's background as you'll ever see.
What clearly makes this film as good as it is, is Robert Downey Jr. playing Stark/Iron Man. He, moreso than any other actor currently portraying a superhero in film, is the perfect embodiment of the comic book character. Not only is he a perfect fit for the role, but he also makes the character really appealing and entertaining. Playing an intelligent, yet sarcastic playboy billionaire could be offputting or too familiar (comparisons to Bruce Wayne/Batman perhaps), but Downey rises above those potential problems and delivers an outstanding performance. It's wonderful to see a guy who's dealt with so many personal problems in his life, finally start to get things together and provide a performance that is likely going to be enjoyed by so many.
Luckily for Downey and the film as a whole, he doesn't have to carry the film on his back, as he is surrounded by a very capable cast of characters. Gwenyth Paltrow plays Stark's dutiful assistant/potential love interest Pepper Potts. I've never been crazy about Paltrow's work, but she's really great here and has some wonderful chemistry with Downey. I'm glad to see they casted someone who was a little bit older and mature, like her, because I think the dynamic would have been off if they would have chosen pretty, young, flavor-of-the-week actress instead.
Rounding out the cast is Terrance Howard as James 'Rhodey' Rhodes who is Stark's friend and military liason and Jeff Bridges, playing Obidiah Stane, Stark's business partner, who clearly doesn't share Stark's newfound oppositional viewpoint on war profiteering. I would have liked to seen more from them (a lot of time is spent solely focusing on Stark and his creation of the Iron Man suit), but in the time that they are given, they provide solid performances.
The film follows a typical origin storyline. While the variables are obviously different, the basic remains familiar here. In addition, the film uses a handful of movie cliches that I could have done without (false drama created through computer download counter, scenes setting up later plot points being hammered home, etc.). The overall sense of familiarity/cliche I think is a result of director Jon Faverau. This is Faverau's first foray into the big budget action flick territory and it is apparent. He doesn't quite have the ability yet to rise above these overused tactics, in the way that Christopher Nolan has. Still these are minor problems with the film and don't really detract from the film's enjoyability.
I mentioned earlier how I felt the Rhodes and Stane characters could have gotten more screentime. The Stane character in particular could have been more fleshed out, I felt. Without spoiling too much, I felt many of his actions needed more explanation. Also, Iron Man's final battle with the film's villain could have gone on longer as well. The film takes its time in having Stark not only design the suit but also perfecting how to use it as well. If it weren't for the fact that those scenes are so damn enjoyable, I might be more critical of the time management issues of the film.
I will say that for as good as the film is, I left the theater not feeling as amped up as I have been seeing that I absolutely loved. And what's bugging me is that I'm not sure why I didn't feel a stronger connection to the film. It could be that the final battle scene wasn't as cathartic as it could have been. It may be that I'm not as familiar with the Iron Man character as I was with other comic book heroes and thus don't have as strong of an emotional attachment to the character. It may have been the people I saw the film with (I ended up going with a bunch of CRDM students). I'm not sure what the explanation is. I can't really pinpoint a major problem with the film, so I don't know why I'm not embracing it more. I'm thinking though that maybe another viewing of the film will hopefully either make me appreciate it more or give me some clarity on a flaw that I'm missing.
Despite, what I'm saying here, I wholeheartedly recommend everyone check out this movie. The film never drags and it provides an excellent balance of action and comedy. The nagging issues I mentioned will not and should not affect your enjoyment of this film. Downey alone makes the film worth the price of admission and I definitely think we have a new comic book franchise on our hands. But we can look to the future at another time, for now, go out and see this movie and pray that everything else this summer will be as good as this.
One final recommendation...please do yourself a favor and stick around past the credits. There is one final additional scene that includes a surprise cameo and is very tantalizing. Trust me, you won't be disappointed. Grade: B+
The Office deleted scenes (Did I Stutter?)
Also, I had to include the pics of Dwight's organization plans because they are so brillantly hilarious that they deserve to be observed up close:
Regular chart
Dwight's Emergency Overlay
Sunday, May 4, 2008
TV catch up
Let's run down the lineup as quickly as we can.
Big Bang Theory: Really funny episode this week that saw the main nerds geeking out over their inadvertant purchase of The Time Machine from the 1960 movie. I thought this would turn out to be a spoof on The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, with them making it a time-share time machine, but it ended up producing a nice Leonard/Penny storyline forcing Leonard to question his geeky habits, something all of us nerds must go through at some point in our lives. More episodes like this will keep me watching on a regular basis.
How I Met Your Mother: The two CBS comedies flipped this week as this was the lesser of the two. A solid episode, but lighter on the laughs than normal. With it being Ted's 30th birthday, you would have thought there would be more, but instead it dealt with some major storyline issues involving the fallout between Ted and Barney after Barney slept with Robin. Seeing Ted not want to be Barney's bro anymore was tough, but you know they'll be back as friends soon enough. So, not my favorite episode, but a necessary evil in terms of storyline development. Oh and the lack of resolution on 'the goat story' was frustrating, but I'm sure they never thought that the show would still be going 3 seasons in, so they felt the need to prolong it. I'm sure we'll hear that story someday.
House: Good to have Dr. Crankypants finally back and up against a worthy patient - a man who is eternally nice. Actually, the 'patient of the week' story wasn't all that interesting in comparison to some of the other stuff going on. Such as House and Cutthroat Bitch fighting for 'custody' over Wilson. You just know whenever someone tries to tell House no, that he's always going to retalliate big time. I didn't care for the 'House has syphilis' fake out because they've done the cry wolf thing before and it's beginning to lose impact. The performance review stuff produced some decent moments, particularly between House and Cuddy, but then again, when aren't their scenes together good. In case you can't tell, there was a lot going on here. *sigh*, such is life in a post-strike world.
Reaper: So the cat's finally out of the bag and Andi finally knows what Sam has been up to these past few months. Funny, it was not as cathartic a moment as I would have liked. Probably because of the fact that she's still pretty creeped out by it and because you know this will probably mean more problems, rather than happily ever after for those two. And we are already seeing it play out somewhat as the Devil has cashed in on his favor for allowing Sam to tell Andi; he wants Sam to be a mole in Tony's organization. Frankly, I think Sam got off easy here and if all I had to do to stop telling my hot girlfriend secrets was to help the Devil stop a gay demon from starting a revolution, I'd do it in a heartbeat. So, you'll forgive me if I don't sympathize with Sam for feeling like he's in a bad situation. At least we're finally getting some advancement on this show. Let's just hope it isn't a case of too little, too late in terms of a second season renewal.
Price is Right Million Dollar Spectacular: A fun show, but nobody won a million, so no need to talk about it anymore.
Mythbusters: There was no new episode this week, but I stumbled upon something called the "Mythbusters Young Scientist Special". It was an episode where some junior high kids had won a contest and got to be on the show. They all helped with environment myths. I actually saw this on something called The Science Channel and not Discovery. I never saw it on Discover and I'm not sure if it's because it never aired on there or if my TiVo just never caught it because it went by a special title. If you've never seen this episode and you're a fan of the show, you may want to see if you have The Science Channel and see if it's still airing on there.
My Name is Earl: Once again an NBC Thursday sitcom has some questionable content during it's supposed 'family hour'. This episode saw all sorts of different characters pining over one another in an episode aptly titled 'Love Octagon'. Despite all the loving going on, most of it wasn't all that interesting. In fact, the few scenes involving Joy and Darnell having to live at the Crab Shack produced more entertainment than the main plot did. Still, this one gave us a major development as Earl got hitched again, this time to Billie (Alyssa Milano). Go Earl!
The Office: An excellent episode this week that finally had them staying put in the office. Seeing Michael deal with a quasi-realistic situation (Stanley's insubordination) was a lot of fun. I loved seeing him once again go to Darrell for some help about the 'urban lifestyle'. The cold opening involving Michael wanting to do something with the wet cement outside was hilarious (If you didn't see it, the office workers convinced him to put his whole face in the cement. Ha!) I was disappointed that they introduced a couple of subplots and then didn't resolve them, but I have a feeling this is a case of 'more to come later...' That definitely has to be the case with Ryan and Toby teaming up to give Jim a formal warning. The Dwight flipping Andy's car for profit, may just be a one-off thing, but their battle for Angela's affection certainly won't be. By the way, if you actually want to buy Andy's Xterra, the show is actually selling it on Ebay. Bid now here.
30 Rock: A somewhat meh episode as they seemed to just be biding time here until their season finale next week; a theme common in a lot of show's this past week. I enjoyed the return of Floyd and some more Cleveland references, but they weren't as good as the ones from his episode last year. I'll have to call my parents to see if we finally got that IKEA up there yet or not. The drinking game between the TGS staff and the teamsters was good, but could have been a lot better. Jack's demotion and subsequent hiring in the White House wasn't all that exciting, but maybe it'll have a good payoff next week. Frankly, this show is a lot better when they focus on random humor instead of trying to do long-term cliched sitcom storylines.
Survivor: A fantastic episode that finally saw the smug women's alliance get dropped down a peg this week. Probst said it best at the end of this episode, this group of castaways has become the masters of the blindside. The only real negative of the episode was seeing James get eliminated from the game due to injury. It's a shame that stellar personalities like him and Jonathan had to be removed prematurely. I can only imagine how much this game has been changed as a result of their injuries. I thought the challenges were a little weak, especially since they weren't anything we haven't seen before. I'm glad the time spent showing the reward challenge winners and their loved ones enjoying jellyfish lake was brief, since I wouldn't have been able to stomach seeing Alexis, Natalie and Cirie basking in their happiness for very long.
Lost: Not a lot happened this week, which made for maybe my least favorite episode of the season (Not surprisingly, the other candidate also heavily involved Kate and Aaron). The flashbacks didn't really provide us with a whole lot beyond sowing the seeds for the destructive turn that Jack's life takes. On one hand I felt he unnecessarily forced the issue with Kate and what she was doing, but on the other hand, it is so like Kate to continue playing both men and also never being content with being happy and in one place. These two main characters have such unlikeable flaws and this episode only magnified them that much more. Maybe that's why Jack got sick as was hinted at via Rose, who questioned why Jack got appendicitis. Speaking of Jack's ailment, that provided no drama since we all knew he would be fine. The Sawyer/Claire/Miles stuff was somewhat interesting, but left a lot of questions. Did Miles actually see Christian and if so, did he see a real person or a ghost? For that matter, could Claire be a ghost, which is why Miles took such a keen interest in her? Hopefully we'll get more clarity on that next week. Speaking of next week, it definitely looks like it'll be a return to excellence as we finally get some advancement on what's happening on the freighter and it's the return of Horace Goodspeed!
CSI: Still haven't seen it yet. It always gets the short end of the stick as a result of Thursdays being such a crowded TV night.
Big Bang Theory: Really funny episode this week that saw the main nerds geeking out over their inadvertant purchase of The Time Machine from the 1960 movie. I thought this would turn out to be a spoof on The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, with them making it a time-share time machine, but it ended up producing a nice Leonard/Penny storyline forcing Leonard to question his geeky habits, something all of us nerds must go through at some point in our lives. More episodes like this will keep me watching on a regular basis.
How I Met Your Mother: The two CBS comedies flipped this week as this was the lesser of the two. A solid episode, but lighter on the laughs than normal. With it being Ted's 30th birthday, you would have thought there would be more, but instead it dealt with some major storyline issues involving the fallout between Ted and Barney after Barney slept with Robin. Seeing Ted not want to be Barney's bro anymore was tough, but you know they'll be back as friends soon enough. So, not my favorite episode, but a necessary evil in terms of storyline development. Oh and the lack of resolution on 'the goat story' was frustrating, but I'm sure they never thought that the show would still be going 3 seasons in, so they felt the need to prolong it. I'm sure we'll hear that story someday.
House: Good to have Dr. Crankypants finally back and up against a worthy patient - a man who is eternally nice. Actually, the 'patient of the week' story wasn't all that interesting in comparison to some of the other stuff going on. Such as House and Cutthroat Bitch fighting for 'custody' over Wilson. You just know whenever someone tries to tell House no, that he's always going to retalliate big time. I didn't care for the 'House has syphilis' fake out because they've done the cry wolf thing before and it's beginning to lose impact. The performance review stuff produced some decent moments, particularly between House and Cuddy, but then again, when aren't their scenes together good. In case you can't tell, there was a lot going on here. *sigh*, such is life in a post-strike world.
Reaper: So the cat's finally out of the bag and Andi finally knows what Sam has been up to these past few months. Funny, it was not as cathartic a moment as I would have liked. Probably because of the fact that she's still pretty creeped out by it and because you know this will probably mean more problems, rather than happily ever after for those two. And we are already seeing it play out somewhat as the Devil has cashed in on his favor for allowing Sam to tell Andi; he wants Sam to be a mole in Tony's organization. Frankly, I think Sam got off easy here and if all I had to do to stop telling my hot girlfriend secrets was to help the Devil stop a gay demon from starting a revolution, I'd do it in a heartbeat. So, you'll forgive me if I don't sympathize with Sam for feeling like he's in a bad situation. At least we're finally getting some advancement on this show. Let's just hope it isn't a case of too little, too late in terms of a second season renewal.
Price is Right Million Dollar Spectacular: A fun show, but nobody won a million, so no need to talk about it anymore.
Mythbusters: There was no new episode this week, but I stumbled upon something called the "Mythbusters Young Scientist Special". It was an episode where some junior high kids had won a contest and got to be on the show. They all helped with environment myths. I actually saw this on something called The Science Channel and not Discovery. I never saw it on Discover and I'm not sure if it's because it never aired on there or if my TiVo just never caught it because it went by a special title. If you've never seen this episode and you're a fan of the show, you may want to see if you have The Science Channel and see if it's still airing on there.
My Name is Earl: Once again an NBC Thursday sitcom has some questionable content during it's supposed 'family hour'. This episode saw all sorts of different characters pining over one another in an episode aptly titled 'Love Octagon'. Despite all the loving going on, most of it wasn't all that interesting. In fact, the few scenes involving Joy and Darnell having to live at the Crab Shack produced more entertainment than the main plot did. Still, this one gave us a major development as Earl got hitched again, this time to Billie (Alyssa Milano). Go Earl!
The Office: An excellent episode this week that finally had them staying put in the office. Seeing Michael deal with a quasi-realistic situation (Stanley's insubordination) was a lot of fun. I loved seeing him once again go to Darrell for some help about the 'urban lifestyle'. The cold opening involving Michael wanting to do something with the wet cement outside was hilarious (If you didn't see it, the office workers convinced him to put his whole face in the cement. Ha!) I was disappointed that they introduced a couple of subplots and then didn't resolve them, but I have a feeling this is a case of 'more to come later...' That definitely has to be the case with Ryan and Toby teaming up to give Jim a formal warning. The Dwight flipping Andy's car for profit, may just be a one-off thing, but their battle for Angela's affection certainly won't be. By the way, if you actually want to buy Andy's Xterra, the show is actually selling it on Ebay. Bid now here.
30 Rock: A somewhat meh episode as they seemed to just be biding time here until their season finale next week; a theme common in a lot of show's this past week. I enjoyed the return of Floyd and some more Cleveland references, but they weren't as good as the ones from his episode last year. I'll have to call my parents to see if we finally got that IKEA up there yet or not. The drinking game between the TGS staff and the teamsters was good, but could have been a lot better. Jack's demotion and subsequent hiring in the White House wasn't all that exciting, but maybe it'll have a good payoff next week. Frankly, this show is a lot better when they focus on random humor instead of trying to do long-term cliched sitcom storylines.
Survivor: A fantastic episode that finally saw the smug women's alliance get dropped down a peg this week. Probst said it best at the end of this episode, this group of castaways has become the masters of the blindside. The only real negative of the episode was seeing James get eliminated from the game due to injury. It's a shame that stellar personalities like him and Jonathan had to be removed prematurely. I can only imagine how much this game has been changed as a result of their injuries. I thought the challenges were a little weak, especially since they weren't anything we haven't seen before. I'm glad the time spent showing the reward challenge winners and their loved ones enjoying jellyfish lake was brief, since I wouldn't have been able to stomach seeing Alexis, Natalie and Cirie basking in their happiness for very long.
Lost: Not a lot happened this week, which made for maybe my least favorite episode of the season (Not surprisingly, the other candidate also heavily involved Kate and Aaron). The flashbacks didn't really provide us with a whole lot beyond sowing the seeds for the destructive turn that Jack's life takes. On one hand I felt he unnecessarily forced the issue with Kate and what she was doing, but on the other hand, it is so like Kate to continue playing both men and also never being content with being happy and in one place. These two main characters have such unlikeable flaws and this episode only magnified them that much more. Maybe that's why Jack got sick as was hinted at via Rose, who questioned why Jack got appendicitis. Speaking of Jack's ailment, that provided no drama since we all knew he would be fine. The Sawyer/Claire/Miles stuff was somewhat interesting, but left a lot of questions. Did Miles actually see Christian and if so, did he see a real person or a ghost? For that matter, could Claire be a ghost, which is why Miles took such a keen interest in her? Hopefully we'll get more clarity on that next week. Speaking of next week, it definitely looks like it'll be a return to excellence as we finally get some advancement on what's happening on the freighter and it's the return of Horace Goodspeed!
CSI: Still haven't seen it yet. It always gets the short end of the stick as a result of Thursdays being such a crowded TV night.
Cleveland Indians Week in Review (Week 5)
Yeah, I didn't do one last week. You may have noticed I didn't post anything last week. It's the end of the school year, 'nuff said.
I'm not going to dwell much on the Tribe because I have other catch up posts to make and frankly, there isn't a whole lot of positive things to say right now about this team. They ended up going 2-4 this week and probably could have gone 6-0 had our offense did anything, and sometimes I mean, literally anything, in those 4 losses. The best thing right now is our starting pitching. Everyone seems to be in top form right now, which is great to see and you hope it lasts. However, their brilliant performances are getting wasted because we are just not scoring any runs. It's getting to a pretty ridiculous point right now. When our own TV announcers are pointing out clear, consistent problems that our batters are having, you wonder why the batting coach isn't picking up these things and helping our guys correct those problems. I really think we need to fire batting coach Derek Shelton at this point. There needs to be a shakeup with this team at the moment and Eric Wedge using the random generator machine to produce a starting lineup isn't the answer. So so frustrating to see a team with so much potential not making the most of it. Let's move on before I get any more upset.
I'm not going to dwell much on the Tribe because I have other catch up posts to make and frankly, there isn't a whole lot of positive things to say right now about this team. They ended up going 2-4 this week and probably could have gone 6-0 had our offense did anything, and sometimes I mean, literally anything, in those 4 losses. The best thing right now is our starting pitching. Everyone seems to be in top form right now, which is great to see and you hope it lasts. However, their brilliant performances are getting wasted because we are just not scoring any runs. It's getting to a pretty ridiculous point right now. When our own TV announcers are pointing out clear, consistent problems that our batters are having, you wonder why the batting coach isn't picking up these things and helping our guys correct those problems. I really think we need to fire batting coach Derek Shelton at this point. There needs to be a shakeup with this team at the moment and Eric Wedge using the random generator machine to produce a starting lineup isn't the answer. So so frustrating to see a team with so much potential not making the most of it. Let's move on before I get any more upset.
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