Oh happy day!!

All I can say is good riddance! At least the Indians decided to give me an early birthday present. Now if they can find a decent replacement, I'll be doubly happy.

Premiere week report card (Monday night)

Heroes: I've been mildly entertained and intriqued by the storylines that have kicked off their fourth season. However, this show's problem has never been creating interesting storylines, it's been being able to follow through on them. If they once again go off on tangents or drop plot points in favor of their lame attempts to create mood and atmosphere then I will finally throw the towel in on this show. I think the thing that this show needs is a sense of purpose. These are the most lazy, self-serving 'heroes' I've ever seen. They need a rallying cry akin to season 1's 'Save the Cheerleader, Save the World' mantra that they can all be a part of and work towards as the season progresses. B-

How I Met Your Mother: I've been very disappointed in this show thus far this season. The season premiere, in particular, was underwhelming. I don't care for the Barney/Robin pairing at all and I think it takes away the allure of both of their characters in favor of an 'aww' storyline. That's what Marshall and Lily are for, why neuter these other two characters? And as for Ted, I haven't enjoyed his professor storyline thus far. Maybe I'm sensitive since I'm in that profession, but everything thus far has seem cartoonish and unrealistic. This show can be so much more and has been settling for ordinary sitcom laughs lately. C

The Big Bang Theory: Thank goodness for this show or else HIMYM's subpar efforts would be really disappointing. This show continues to rock, as all the characters are fully developed and each bring something unique to the table. Of course, Sheldon continues to be the funniest character in any sitcom these days. As for the Penny/Leonard pairing, as long as they commit to a status for them, I'll be fine with it. It's when you bring in the on again, off again element that I start getting annoyed. If they want them together, then follow the Jim and Pam model. And if not, that's fine too because we can continue to just watch Penny find her inner nerd, which can be just as, if not moreso funny. A-

The Meeting deleted scenes

#4



#3


#2


#1

Premiere week report card (Sunday night)

The Simpsons: I guess it could be expected for a show that's been running for 20 years now, but I thought this was a rather bland season premiere. The episode, written by Seth Rogen, seemed like a mash-up of plots done before. Worse yet, there was nothing particularly funny in the episode. Just a few days later and I can't recall one thing that really gave me a good laugh. At this point though, I've come to accept that when this show is able to surprise me and/or make me laugh, it's a rarity and not the norm. C+

The Cleveland Show: Even though it's a cartoon and a spin-off, it's tough to judge this because, again, pilots are so character-driven it's tough to know whether or not they will be consistently funny. I've never thought Cleveland was a strong enough character to run his own show, but that remains to be seen. There wasn't a whole lot that was funny, but I am intriqued by some of the characters, particularly Cleveland's bear neighbor. In order for me to stick around, it's going to have to do a lot to seperate itself from Seth's other cartoons. INC

Family Guy: I've never been crazy about the Brian and Stewie road trip episodes and even though their trip was to multiverses this time, it wasn't enough to make this one work either. This felt like it belonged as a short on a Simpsons Halloween episode. I saw most of the jokes a mile away and the ones I didn't, weren't particularly funny. I didn't even get that much joy out of their Disney song spoof. It's a shame how one dimensional (no pun intended) this show has become. C

American Dad: Maybe I was just having an off night because even the usually more reliable AD failed to generate many laughs from me. This show has become Seth's best by taking some really obscure, yet funny approaches to sitcome cliches. However, this episode, which featured Stan enlisting Steve in a Vietnam reenactment in order to sing the National Anthem better didn't do much for me. I just kept thinking they could have done some more interesting things with the plot. I think I'll just chalk my lack of enthusiasm for this one to a combination of being tired and suffering from Seth fatigue. I think I'll try and watch this one first from now on. B-

The Amazing Race: Man, what a frenetic start to this season with a challenge and elimination done before the teams even left for their first destination. It's a shame someone had to be kicked out that early, but it appeared that the team that got the boot would have been one of those annoying, bickering teams, so no great loss. Then things got really wild with the teams heading to Japan and competing in a Japanese game show eating wasabi bombs. I always love the challenges this show creates. They're perfect to engage the audience, while maximizing the frustration between teammates. This should be a very interesting season. There are a lot of capable and entertaining teams and I have no real sense of who the dominant ones will be. Teams made a lot of movement on the leaderboard throughout the two hours, so it seems like it could be anyone's race. A-

Whistle(blow) while you work

This will have to be a condensed review, since I'm trying to cram in as many posts as possible. Last week, I got to see the movie I was most excited about seeing this fall - The Informant!

This is based on a true story about Mark Whitacre, who begins working with the FBI, providing them with information about price fixing that is going on at his company, ADM; a giant in the food industry. As the investigation grows, we learn more about Whitacre himself and his involvement with everything at the company. If you're unaware of this story, you will be amazed at what you see. Whitacre is clearly a guy where there is more than meets the eye.

Playing this complex role is Matt Damon, who had the 'difficult' task of gaining 30 pounds in order to better resemble him. Damon does an amazing job here at portraying the various facets of this man. Most people will see this movie because they know he's in it and he's a star, but they'll stay for the performance he gives. I would not be surprised to see him get an Oscar nomination for it.

Surrounding Damon, though, is a wonderful ecclectic bunch of comedic actors, all in various small roles. Guys like Joel McHale, Tony Hale, Patton Oswalt, Scott Bakula, Tom Papa, and Tom Wilson (yes, Biff from Back to the Future) all show up at various times and add a little something extra to the movie. This is a very funny movie; however the humor that Damon and the rest of the cast provide is very wry and subtle. Don't be going into this expecting a lot of pratfalls and poop jokes.

If I had a complaint, it would be that it is a dense story with a lot of characters and you don't always follow along with what is happening. I am anxious to see this film again as I feel it will be even better the second time around now that I know the basic story. Being familiar with the characters, I'll have a better chance to appreciate all of the film's humor.

This film probably lacks the gravitas or visual artistry to make it a serious contender for Best Picture. That should not dissuade you from checking this out though. This is such an interesting story about corporate America, greed, and stupidity, all of which are quite pertinent in our current economic situation. With this interesting story, plus the dry humor and fantastic performances, there's bound to be something here for everyone to enjoy. Grade: B+

Premiere week report card (Thursday night)

Some quickie thoughts on how my favorite shows have fared in their season premieres.

Parks and Recreation: The show is definitely finding its groove in season 2. A lot of the actors seems to finally be grasping their characters, which is a good sign. The Office really flourished in its second season, so let's hope the same holds true here. I'm not crazy about them trying to pair up Ann and Mark, so let's hope that's fleeting. I'd also like to see them try and add another character as well. Perhaps Louis C.K.'s cop character who showed up in episode 2 is the answer. B+

The Office: Now in it's sixth season, this show's season premiere felt like old times. It was a simple, yet relatable situation that remained within the confines of the office. And most importantly, it was very funny. That gave me a lot of hope that this show is back on top. With Jim and Pam's upcoming nuptials, this could be a big season where the show either cements itself as a sitcom classic or potentially jumps the shark. Given how they've started, things are looking good. A-

Community: It's tough to judge pilots since they're so character driven. There was enough to like to keep me watching. The second episode continued to be a mixed bag. I like most of the cast, but their characters could still use some tweaking. In particular, I want to see Joel McHale's character be a bit more likeable. I'm not sold that this will be a winner, but I'm willing to stick it out a little longer to see where this is going. INC

Survivor Samoa: It's funny how they've spent so much time building up Russell as the biggest villain ever in Survivor history and yet there are several contestants that I like less than him this season. Yes, he may do some evil things, but I'll never criticize a guy for having a game plan. I'm not sure if his plan will make him the winner, but so far it's worked. And how crazy was it for him to find the idol with no clue. This guy is something else. Things have been so entertaining over in his camp, I sometimes forget that there's another tribe. And it seems the producers have as well. Seems like everyone's opinion of this season will depend on their feelings on Russell. For now, consider me entertained. B+

CSI: It's tough to stay relevant nearly a decade later, so CSI has their work cut out for them. I'll give them credit for trying their best. The 'attack' on their lab could have been overdone, but it was effective and made me care about the characters again. Bringing Sara back could have been done more smoothly, but it's still nice to have her around. I also liked the mini cliffhanger they did to end the show. That was a nice effort to generate my interest in the season. While it may not be appointment TV anymore, the opener proved it can still be very entertaining. B

Fringe: You could look at this show's return in two ways...1) Be disappointed that we haven't gotten a lot of answers to the questions posed in the season finale or 2) happy that they're dragging things out because they have a larger game plan and intend on being around for a while. For now, I'm comfortable waiting for answers as long as the show remains entertaining. Both the shape-shifting device and the mutant baby have provided interesting stories the past couple of weeks. The main cast has also developed a wonderful chemistry, so it's fun watching them interact every week. I'm not crazy about the new female FBI agent, so I hope she doesn't last. B+

NMR: Spies and lows

Three Days of the Condor - This is a classic anti-spy movie starring Robert Redford playing Joe Turner, a CIA researcher who comes into his office only to find his co-workers have been murdered. Redford spends the rest of the movie trying to stay alive while figuring out who's behind the attacks. Filled with intrique, espionage, and government cover-ups, this movie laid the foundation for so many spy thrillers we see today. Watching it now, a lot of the films twists and turns feel unoriginal when in reality they were the first to do them. That's the trouble with seeing these older movies these days. Despite the familiarity, the film remains relevant in today's world and is worth checking out. Rating: ****

The Tailor of Panama - This was Pierce Brosnan's first effort to seperate himself from James Bond. He still plays a British spy here, but this guy is nothing like the suave 007. Banished to Panama, he teams up with a tailor played by Geoffrey Rush in hopes of using him to gain intel that will put him back into the good graces of British Intelligence. It ends up with everyone trying to play each other and everyone failing miserably. Based off a John LeCarre novel, I liked the concept and themes here, but still found the film less than engaging. The film's slow pace and less than satisfactory conclusion prevent it from receiving a higher score. Rating: **

Gossip deleted scenes

#3



#2


#1

Nielsens, Schmielsens

This has the potential to be very interesting...

Fourteen companies create TV ratings coalition which may challenge Nielsen corporation

NMR: State of Play

Since this is a newer release, I'll give it a post all to itself.

This is the political thriller that came and went fairly quickly from theaters back in April. That's a shame too because this is a very solid film supported by a very strong cast. The premise of the film is actually based on a BBC miniseries of the same name. Russell Crowe stars as a newspaper journalist who finds himself suddenly covering the story of the death of the aide to a congressman, played by Ben Affleck. Compounding the problem is the fact that Crowe and Affleck's characters were college roommates.

What follows that set-up is a very interesting film that delves into a lot of topics including war profiteering, fidelity, and the dying newspaper industry. The stuff related to journalism is probably the most fascinating stuff, particularly to someone like me who studies the media. Rachel McAdams co-stars as a blogger who works for the same newspaper as Crowe. Through these two characters we see the old and new guard of journalism. Crowe represents the reporter who holds onto a story as long as he can in order to get everything right, whereas McAdams' blogger is posting several stories a day online. Helen Mirren, giving a typically great performance plays the editor who tries to deal with both sides. She has the journalistic integrity to side with Crowe but is feeling pressure to remain relevant from her corporate bosses.

While the believablity of Crowe and Affleck being college roommates is questionable, the two do well with their roles and have some good scenes together. The two, needless to say have a complicated relationship, which is compounded by the fact that Crowe may still be in love with Affleck's wife. I should also mention that Jeff Daniels and Jason Bateman show up for smaller roles, but still do the most with these thankless roles.

My lone criticism of the film comes from the fact that they deliver about one twist too many. As the film progresses more and more gets revealed about who really is behind the death of this young woman. If they would have just stuck with their themes more instead of trying to constantly swerve the audience, this could have easily been a best picture nominee. Instead, it's merely a very good thriller that is definitely worth a rental. Grade/Rating: B+/****

I've had dreams like this

In case you missed it, here's the awesome opening segment of last night's Monday Night RAW, hosted by none other than Bob Barker!!

NMR: Wrestling docs

The Spectacular Legacy of the AWA: An interesting look into one of the longest running territorial wrestling organizations. I thought the documentary was fairly even handed showcasing the AWA's strengths and failures. My biggest complaint about this was that it was really more a documentary about Verne Gagne than the AWA as an organization. I would have liked to know more about the AWA's main stars and the key feuds that made the organization as popular as it was. Still, if you really don't know anything about the AWA, this is worth a look. Rating: ****

The Life and Times of Mr. Perfect: Mr. Perfect aka Curt Hennig was one of my favorite wrestlers, so I really enjoyed this look at his career. This is a pretty straight-forward and honest depiction of Hennig's life. There's no burial of him like the Warrior received, nor is there over-exagerrations of his greatness like on the Hogan doc. It really is remarkable how short of a career he had, particularly in the WWE. Yet the fact that he made such an impact during that time shows why he was so great, yet sadly also makes us wonder what could have been. I often compare him to Phil Hartman; both were amazing at what they did, but also taken from us way too soon. This is a must see for everyone, not just fans of Mr. Perfect. Rating: *****

The Rise and Fall of WCW: This is the new set that was just released and what prompted me to watch all of these wrestling documentaries right now. Sadly, this is the worst of the bunch. The story of WCW's history is worth telling, but this show seemed like nothing more than a cash grab. A lot of the stuff on here felt like it was cobbled together from previous WWE released documentaries (in fact all of Bischoff's comments come from the Monday Night Wars DVD). If you aren't that familar with WCW or you don't watch a lot of other wrestling documentaries, than this is probably worth a look. For diehard fans, this is a definite disappointment. Rating: ***

Stare gazing

I talked about The Men Who Stare at Goats recently in my fall preview and we now have our first look at the film. I continue to be intriqued by this oddball film and cannot wait to see it when it comes out.

Who's ready for samoa Survivor?

We're about three weeks away from the new season of Survivor: Samoa to begin, which means it's time to unveil the new set of castaways.

Here's the quick and dirty info on all 20 contestants:
DAVID BALL, 38, an LA fitness instructor
BETSY BOLAN, 48, a Campton, N.H., police officer
MIKE BORASSI, 62, a Marina del Rey, Calif., private chef
BEN BROWNING, 28, an LA mixologist
MARISA CALIHAN, 26, a Cincinnati student
ERIK CARDONA, 28, an Ontario, Calif., bartender
BRETT CLOUSER, 23, an LA T-shirt designer
JOHN FINCHER, 25, an LA rocket scientist
YASMIN GILES, 33, an LA hairstylist
RUSSELL HANTZ, 36, a Dayton, Texas, oil company owner
ELIZABETH KIM, 33, a New York City urban planner
LAURA MORETT, 39, a Salem, Oregon, office manager
MONICA PADILLA , 25, a San Diego law student
JAISON ROBINSON, 28, a Chicago law student
KELLY SHARBAUGH, 25, an LA hairstylist
RUSSELL SWAN, 42, a Glenside, Pa., attorney
ASHLEY TRAINER, 22, a Maple Grove, Minn., spa sales rep
MICK TRIMMING, 33, an LA doctor
SHANNON WATERS, 45, a Renton, Wash., sales rep
NATALIE WHITE, 26, a Van Buren, Ark., pharmaceutical sales rep

It seems like a surprisingly older cast, so we'll see how that plays out. For more info on the 20 players, go here.

In the meantime, you can check out this commercial that just started running, previewing the upcoming season:

NMR: I feel like I'm taking crazy pills

Primal Fear: If not for the performance of Edward Norton, this would be a complete waste of time. In his first major film role, he immediately shows us why he's a talented actor playing the young man accused of killing a bishop in Chicago. The rest of the film, despite a decent cast, is mired in legal cliches that we've seen before, and done better, on most legal shows on TV. If you're a Norton fan, definitely give this a look. Rating: ***

Misery: While this also features an outstanding performance, the movie as a whole is much better than Primal Fear. It's a simple concept that is played effectively, thanks in large part to Kathy Bates' portrayal of Annie Wilkes. That 'hobbling' scene is one of the most gruesome things I've ever seen on film. I'd like to also praise Richard Farnsworth, who brings an added level of energy to the film as the small town sheriff. This is a great movie if you're looking for some thrills and scares without a lot of gore. Rating: ****

Falling Down: I really don't know what to make of this movie. I had a hard time figuring out how we were supposed to react to Michael Douglas' D-FENS, a guy who's out for vengeance against all of society's misdeeds. I think most can relate to some of the things that annoy him in the film, but he himself isn't a very likeable character. The film seems pretty exploitative until the very end when there's a really good scene between Douglas and Robert Duvall, playing a cop on his last day on the job. As good as it is, it's not enough to salvage the film. Rating: **

New Nolan

Here's a teaser trailer for Christopher Nolan's (The Dark Knight) new film, Inception, starring Leonardo DiCaprio. With the way they keep pushing back Shutter Island, who knows, this may be the next DiCaprio film we actually see in theaters.

Fall Movie Preview (3-1)

You'll notice that there was no #4 movie previewed. That's because that slot was being reserved for Shutter Island, the new Scorcese/DiCaprio film that I had mentioned in my Top 30 of '09 list earlier this year. Well wouldn't you know it, news comes today that they are pushing the film back to February. WTF! Fall is usually slim pickings when it comes to movies and one of the few that I was really looking forward to has now been shoved to the film wasteland known as February. Well with it out of the way, it just puts all the more pressure on these last three films to be even better.

3. Extract (September 4)
Plot: In "Extract," writer/director Mike Judge ("Beavis and Butt-Head," "King of the Hill") returns to the fertile territory of the American workplace, rotating his perspective away from the white collar cubicle warriors of "Office Space" and towards a blue collar boss – a small business owner – who employs an odd cast of losers, loners and misfits in his flavor extract factory.

Quick thoughts: This one really snuck up on me. I had never really been a fan of Mike Judge's work. However, this summer I found myself really appreciating King of the Hill reruns. Then I saw the trailer for this and found myself laughing quite a bit. It's got a real great cast and centering the film within the workplace should be perfect for Judge. Let's hope this delivers as well as I think it will.


2. Sherlock Holmes (December 25)
Plot: In a dynamic new portrayal of Arthur Conan Doyle's most famous characters, "Sherlock Holmes" sends Holmes and his stalwart partner Watson on their latest challenge. Revealing fighting skills as lethal as his legendary intellect, Holmes will battle as never before to bring down a new nemesis and unravel a deadly plot that could destroy the country.

Quick thoughts: Robert Downey Jr.'s hot streak looks to continue here. The trailer for this makes it seem like there will be plenty of action to help with the mass appeal, but with it being a Sherlock movie, you know it should also be rooted in a good mystery, which I always appreciate it. It's a shame we have to wait so long still to see this, but I believe it will be worth the wait.


1. The Informant! (September 18)
Plot: Based on the book by Kurt Eichenwald. What was Mark Whitacre thinking? A rising star at agri-industry giant Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), Whitacre suddenly turns whistleblower. Even as he exposes his company's multi-national price-fixing conspiracy to the FBI, Whitacre envisions himself being hailed as a hero of the common man and handed a promotion. But before all that can happen, the FBI needs evidence, so Whitacre eagerly agrees to wear a wire and carry a hidden tape recorder in his briefcase, imagining himself as a kind of de facto secret agent. Unfortunately for the FBI, their lead witness hasn't been quite so forthcoming about helping himself to the corporate coffers. Whitacre's ever-changing account frustrates the agents and threatens the case against ADM as it becomes almost impossible to decipher what is real and what is the product of Whitacre's rambling imagination. Based on the true story of the highest-ranking corporate whistleblower in U.S. history.

Quick thoughts: I'm sure you're all tired of me talking about this movie, but I cannot wait for it. This just seems really quirky and interesting and right up my alley. Matt Damon has really turned into a great actor and I think this is the film that brings Steven Soderbergh back into favor with people after doing several small films that no one cared about. Seeing the trailer for the first time last month cinched it for me. I'll definitely be seeing this one and I hope all of you do as well.

Mascot love

From the recent big track and field event...



And a video from earlier this year of the Milwaukee Bucks' mascot

Fall Movie Preview (8-5)

8. 2012 (November 13)
Plot: Never before has a date in history been so significant to so many cultures, so many religions, scientists, and governments. 2012 is an epic adventure about a global cataclysm that brings an end to the world and tells of the heroic struggle of the survivors.

Quick thoughts: Based on the trailer, there doesn't seem to be anything here that we haven't already seen before from Roland Emmerich (The Day After Tomorrow). However, if at the time there aren't any other viable options out there, this seems like the perfect type of movie to simply shut off your brains and just watch everything get turned into rubble.


7. Capitalism: A Love Story (September 23)
Plot: Capitalism: A Love Story will explore the root causes of the global economic meltdown and take a comical look at the corporate and political shenanigans that culminated in what Moore has described as "the biggest robbery in the history of this country" – the massive transfer of U.S. taxpayer money to private financial institutions. On this, the 20-year anniversary of his masterpiece Roger & Me, Moore returns to the issue that began his career: the disastrous impact that corporate dominance and out-of-control profit motives have on the lives of Americans and citizens of the world. But this time the culprit is much bigger than General Motors, and the crime scene far wider than Flint, Michigan.

Quick thoughts: Yes, we may not always agree with his politics, but there's no denying that he knows how to make engaging films. Given the relevancy of this topic, I think a lot of people are going to be interested in seeing it. Also economics seem to be Moore's bread and butter, so I'll be very curious to see what he has to say this time around.


6. The Road (October 16)
Plot: Academy Award nominee Viggo Mortensen, Academy Award winners Robert Duvall and Charlize Theron, Guy Pearce and 12-year-old Kodi Smit McPhee star in the big-screen adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's best-selling, Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Road – the story of a man (Mortensen) and his young son (Smit-McPhee) traveling through a desperate, post-apocalyptic world.

Quick thoughts: This one has a great cast and great source material that seem to make it likely to be prominent during awards season. However, this was supposed to come out last year and postponements are usually never a good sign in terms of quality. For now, I'm going to remain hopeful, but if it doesn't I can say I told you so.


5. The Box (November 6)
Plot: What if someone gave you a box containing a button that, if pushed, would bring you a million dollars...but simultaneously take the life of someone you don't know? Would you do it? And what would be the consequences? The year is 1976. Norma Lewis is a teacher at a private high school and her husband, Arthur, is an engineer working at NASA. They are, by all accounts, an average couple living a normal life in the suburbs with their young son...until a mysterious man with a horribly disfigured face appears on their doorstep and presents Norma with a life-altering proposition: the box. With only 24 hours to make their choice, Norma and Arthur face an impossible moral dilemma. What they don't realize is that no matter what they decide, terrifying consequences will have already been set in motion. They soon discover that the ramifications of this decision are beyond their control and extend far beyond their own fortune and fate.

Quick thoughts: Man, I really hope that this one turns out to be good. I'm fascinated by the plot and the trailer made me all the more interested. However, I've been burned before and this is just the type of movie that could easily turn out to be well-intentioned garbage. The fact that they've scheduled it for November instead of Sept. or Oct. makes me think the studio has high hopes for it as well.

NMR: Off the Depp end

After watching Johnny Depp in Public Enemies, I decided to catch a couple of his older films that I had never seen before.

Donnie Brasco: This felt like one of the most authentic mobster movies I have ever seen. You have great performances from both Depp and Al Pacino, although that's not that surprising. About the only flaw is that the film loses a bit of drama near the end given that you know the fate of Depp's character already given that the person his character is based on is still alive. However, that shouldn't really detract you from seeing this well made film if you haven't done so already. Rating: ****

From Hell: I don't know if I was just in the wrong mood when I saw this or what, but I did not care for it at all. Even though I find the Jack the Ripper case interesting, I did not buy anything about this story. While the person the film claims is the killer is complete fiction, I knew right away who it was going to be. I found the film to be filled with cliches. You also have a (typical) lousy performance from Heather Graham. As for Depp, while a fine performance, it's definitely not one of his better ones. Rating: **