A word about the American Idol results

BULLSHIT.

The Good, the Bad and the Really Really Ugly

It was back to middle-of-the-road on American Idol this week. I'm getting annoyed at these broad themes for each week (songs of the 60s, #1 singles and now songs of the 90s). What's next, songs by a male performer? Hmm, maybe rock songs?

Come on, torture them a little! Make them sing songs of Little Richard or something.

Anyway, I thought this week belonged to Carrie. Confidence is starting to creep back in and I think she may actually be a serious challenge to Bo. Her song choice was both awful and inspired: she sucked any genuine meaning out of Martina McBride's apparent battered woman story "Independence Day" yet she managed to turn it into a powerhouse patriotic anthem full of country and Red State appeal that should shore up her fan base. She still has lots of room for improvement but what she has is working for her right now.

Honestly, I do think Carrie is the most suitable choice to win this competition. It makes me wonder if Bo and Nadia really know what they're actually competing for (a record deal that will strangle any genuine creative impulses they may have, which could be especially hurtful in Nadia's case). Still, those two at least make the show more satisfying. But I didn't think either was in peak form this week, due mostly to song choice.

Then there's everyone else.

Jessica unquestionably leads the pack but what was she thinking picking that LeAnn Rimes drivel from a category like songs of the 90s (maybe the category was so broad it actually confused her). That's still preferable to shameless pandering like Vonzell's baby-Whitney routine (worth remembering this is the same non-entity who pointlessly covered Alicia Keys a few weeks back). But at least she handled the song well.

And the boys. Ugh, the boys.

Nikko is definitely improving but he's clearly never going to be more than a mediocre talent. Anthony's performances are all pretty dull, but they're not offensive just yet.

That's more than I can say for Anwar. He was an early favorite of mine but I'm completely fed up with him now. It was shocking to see Randy Jackson actually have a moment of clarity and lay out what is so clearly wrong with Anwar's start-off-sounding-like-ass-and-try-to-save-it-by-going-really-really-high schtick. You have to be Paula Abdul to fall for that crap. Sorry Anwar but three strikes and you should be out.

And I don't know what happened to Scott but he was at his worst last night. He sounded terrible. I wouldn't be surprised to see him go.

That just leaves the devil's spawn. I've discovered that the recapper for Entertainment Weekly refers to him as Smeagol.

How fitting.

Good actors at work

M. Night Shyamalan is wasting no time in getting his sea nymph epic to the screen.

As usual he's made interesting casting choices in Paul Giamatti and Bryce Dallas Howard (who was the best thing about his worst movie, The Village). Shyamalan's series of successful thrillers have consistently featured top notch talent but his scripts have been progressively less interesting. It's time to abandon the twists, hopefully he does here.

Another casting of note is Chinese actress Gong Li in a pair of American productions: she'll be a villain in Michael Mann's Miami Vice (exactly how is that movie going to turn out?) and a teacher to a young Hannibal Lecter in Peter Webber's Behind the Mask. Add in her already completed role in Memoirs of a Geisha and the acclaimed actress seems to be getting serious about going international for the first time since Wayne Wang's purportedly misguided Chinese Box.

And it's looking more and more likely that Clive Owen will play James Bond in Casino Royale. That's a good thing.

Network TV done right

Lost is back tonight for its first new episode in four weeks (hooray), but also of interest on the same network tonight is the premiere of new spy drama Eyes.

It's the only midseason show that is as strong as ABC's exceptional hour long offerings from the fall. And by scheduling the show Wednesdays at 10 (following Lost and Alias), the network has created TV's only solid three hour programming block.

The smart and witty show features a likeable ensemble cast led by Tim Daly, who proves he can really carry a show here. But each of the actors (including A.J. Langer, Laura Leighton, Eric Mabius and Rick Worthy) is actually given an intriguing character to play. What a concept.

The creator, John McNamara, is responsible for the short lived cult classic Profit and the flashy buddy cop show Fastlane. Hopefully, over time, Eyes will display more of the former's creative spark than the latter's uneven execution. For now it's off to a good start.

New additions

In my continued quest to make sure this blog lives up to its mission statement I've added two new sections to the sidebars on the right side of the screen.

Recent and Recommended lists current film releases that I'd recommend. I'll keep the list limited to ten titles at a time, in current release. I've started the list with 2005 titles only, so late 2004 releases like Million Dollar Baby, The Aviator and Sideways won't be there.

Below that is a similar list of recent DVD releases.

Back to work

NBC's Americanized take on the already classic Britcom The Office premieres tonight (following The Apprentice and opposite the premiere of Fox's weak-looking new comedy Life on a Stick).

Assuming what airs tonight is the same as the pilot I saw several months ago the first episode sticks to the script of the British pilot. It will be a weird viewing experience for obsessive fans (are there any other kind?) of the British series. It's a bit like watching a very good play with a cast that just isn't quite as good as the original Broadway troupe.

Steve Carell headlines the cast and he's an inspired choice. Although some of his mannerisms mimic Ricky Gervais too closely, Carell manages to put his own spin on the character which should only grow over time. Former Six Feet Under nutcase Rainn Wilson is also a good choice as the American version of Gareth. The actors stepping in for Martin Freeman's Tim and Lucy Davis' Dawn aren't known for much of anything, and have big shoes to fill. (So far John Krasinski as "Jim" suffers the most in comparison to his predecessor.)

Things will get more interesting next week when the American version starts to introduce original storylines (in its regular post-Scrubs Tuesday timeslot). The American TV landscape could use a smart workplace comedy these days and The Office might fit that need. But it's hard to imagine mass audiences embracing even a watered down version of such an absurd, bitter and offbeat show. And what NBC needs now more than anything is a big fat hit, especially a big fat hit comedy.

Luckily, the network is currently in such a complete state of desperation that it will likely have the patience to air all six episodes of the show, which will either develop into something really interesting or simply go down in TV history as an unfortunate oddity.

Here's an actress with a career that might be worth paying attention to.



Vera Farmiga had breakthrough roles in Dummy and Down to the Bone (which won her an acting prize at Sundance) but so far I've only seen her in Jonathan Demme's The Manchurian Candidate.

She's just signed on for two high profile projects. A "female lead" in Martin Scorsese's The Departed and a role in Anthony Minghella's contemporary drama Breaking and Entering (also starring Jude Law).

Both films are worth anticipating but The Departed, with a cast that includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Ray Winstone and Anthony Anderson, could be particularly good. It's a remake of Chinese crime drama Infernal Affairs, a strong genre film that, in the hands of Scorsese, can easily be transformed into an equally strong genre film or, hopefully, a true American crime epic.

Infernal Affairs had only marginal roles for its female characters so there's potential for the remake to strengthen (but not necessarily enlarge) those parts. Where I think the remake could truly make its mark though is in the casting of Nicholson and Winstone, whose performances in the mentor roles could prove to be powerful improvements over the original film.

Of course if all goes right The Departed will really be a showcase for DiCaprio and Damon, but there's less room for improvement there considering the already fine performances of Andy Lau and Tony Leung in the original film.

In any case this project appears to be shaping up as an excellent marriage of filmmaker, material and actors. Too bad it's not scheduled for release until 2006.

Night strikes again

M. Night Shyamalan, who has made his last four hit films for Disney, is moving over to Warner Bros. for his next project, "Lady in the Water."

According to The Hollywood Reporter: " 'Water' centers on the superintendent of an apartment building who finds a rare type of sea nymph swimming in the apartment pool."

As opposed to one of those garden variety sea nymphs.

I like it already.

Checking in with former child stars

So I know this is old news but a recent Salon article actually got me to visit the semi-famous blog of "former actor" Wil Wheaton. It's worth a look if you never have. (The Salon article is also amusing, the Wheaton-relevant bits are on the last page but don't skip over the Melanie Griffith analysis.)

Then, by some strange coincidence, I discovered that Punky Brewster has directed a documentary.

It's good to know the kids, and former co-stars, are doing alright.

And just because my sister said I keep all the good news to myself...



Yes, the first season of Doogie Howser, M.D. is now available on DVD.

Rejoice.

Voting irregularities

Some ridiculous screw-up has postponed the week's American Idol results for one day.

Apparently some people who thought they were voting for Mikalah, Anwar or Jessica might have actually voted for Anthony, Carrie or Scott instead (assuming they were stupid enough to believe that, say, Jessica's number would end in "03" even though she was the last performer).

This won't matter much because either Mikalah or Anthony are going home (assuming the votes are based on who sounded halfway decent as opposed to which contestants are interesting, in which case almost anyone could go home).

The show itself was better this week, with most people delivering competent or better performances. But very few people are showing genuine improvement, or personality. It's only the second week of official competition but it's the fifth week we've seen this same group of people perform. How much better are Vonzell, Nikko, Scott, Anwar, Mikalah or Anthony actually going to get? None of them are truly potential winners, or even potential second placers.

Bo and Nadia are worlds beyond anyone else and Carrie and Jessica are the only other ones worth paying attention to. Constantine is consistently the most appalling overall performer, but he's gonna last at least another month.

It's time to bring on a cheesy theme week to make things a little more interesting.

The Ring returns ... yawn

The Ring Two is an entirely disappointing follow up to one of the better horror films in recent years.

The high profile sequel, which is on track to make around $40 million this weekend, traps the talented Naomi Watts in standard PG-13 horror schlock. At least it'll give her another hit.

The first Ring had an effective mystery at its center and managed to sustain an ominous atmosphere and steadily develop real tension (leading up to a fantastic payoff). The sequel mimics some of the first film's structure but abandons the atmosphere and tension in favor of overwrought "scares" (loud noises, sudden surprises, lots and lots of shots of Watts slowly approaching buildings with dread on her face). The first film had aspirations toward art, the second settles for slumber party fodder.

In the long line of bad sequels to good horror films The Ring Two can at least claim to better than most (no big deal when your competition includes Nightmare on Elm Street 2, Final Destination 2, Carrie 2, Blair Witch Project 2, etc. etc.). However, its superiority over camp classic Exorcist 2 is too close to call. There is a bit of dream nonsense but unfortunately Watts doesn't try to join a Broadway show or discover the cursed videotape originated in Africa.

Interestingly Ring Two was directed by Hideo Nakata, who directed the original Japanese film Ringu (and its first sequel, which has no story similarities to this film). Time will tell if he has a Hollywood career ahead of him but based on this the future doesn't look bright.

Minor ideas from the margins of indie film

Palindromes, the latest film from director Todd Solondz, continues the offbeat career of a filmmaker who seems almost terrified of success.

After making one film that has been erased from his resume, Solondz made a proper debut with cult hit Welcome to the Dollhouse. He then took a big step forward with the complex ensemble dramedy Happiness. Just when he was on the brink of breaking out Solondz went in the other direction.

Instead of becoming more accessible, or stimulating, his films have become more specialized. There's nothing wrong with that but unfortunately the work isn't particularly distinguished. His next film, Storytelling, had amusing moments and some strong performances but didn't add up to much. Palindromes is an even thinner work, primarily interesting because of a casting gimmick.

The film's lead character, a young girl named Aviva, is played by eight different performers: four girls aged 13-14, a 12 year old boy (who speaks no dialogue in his brief scenes), a 6-year old girl and two grown women: one of which is Jennifer Jason Leigh, the other is an obese black character actress named Sharon Wilkins. The film is broken into nine chapters with each of the actors tackling one segment and all but Leigh returning for the final sequence.

Overall the film feels more episodic than cohesive and although, as the title suggests, the structure is circular the film lacks narrative thrust. It is, by far, Solondz's dullest work yet.

Palindromes will appeal primarily to Solondz cultists, and probably less than usual. Which means a very small audience indeed. No doubt some will give the film credit for its casting experiment and casual fascination with topics like abortion and pedophilia. There's also enough of a sentimental edge to appeal to those who like their "edgy" indies with a little bit of heart-tugging. And for those who prefer to see the film as philosophical, there's a "moral lesson" that is not very subtly articulated in a big speech near the end.

Solondz's directorial statement (yes, this is the kind of film that demands a directorial statement, so the filmmaker can get in a preemptive strike on negative viewer reaction) calls Aviva a "wholly sympathetic" character. I suppose that mission is accomplished but Solondz forgot to also make Aviva a relatable human being. It's easy enough to sympathize but near impossible to empathize. The rotating actors help to keep the film interesting despite a marginal storyline but the gimmick also prevents the development of Aviva as a fully formed character. However, it's worth noting that at least she's not a thoroughly tortured or victimized character.

The rest of the characters are marginal at best, adding to the film's overall shallow feeling.

Solondz is frequently charged with condescending to his characters. Palindromes has its share of cheap jokes (it's impossible to defend the disabled kids performing in a basement Christian pop band, part of the overlong segment which finds Aviva, in the uncomfortable physical form of Wilkins, taking up residence with a born again Christian family) but overall Solondz seems more interested in simply presenting these characters than he is in ridiculing them. He's more cynical about the world than he is about individual characters. (As much as I'd like to see Solondz work on a bigger canvas I'd hate to see him turn out something as crassly dumb as Napoleon Dynamite, though I doubt he really could.)

Palindromes is the type of film that will "divide" audiences but will enough people turn out to make for a worthwhile argument? I doubt it.

The competition begins ... and ends

So, Bo is going to win this season of American Idol.

It's pretty much as clear as Fantasia's ultimate victory was last year.

The first official competition show sucked with only Bo and Nadia delivering good performances. It didn't help that usually reliable people like Jessica and Anwar seemed uncomfortable with the shift to a bigger stage and bigger audience. And Carrie seems to get less comfortable every week. If only Mikalah knew how to use her voice, she'd be some competition. But she doesn't, so she isn't.

I don't care if he actually sounded halfway competent this week, Constantine still sucks. I hate him so much that I don't even mind Anthony anymore. But Anthony is clearly just a place holder, waiting patiently until he's eliminated just like Scott, Vonzell and Nikko.

And then there's Lindsey. Who will be eliminated. Now.

Some ideas are bad from the start

Bobby Darin died at the age of 37 and achieved most of his success before the age of 27. Kevin Spacey was 44 when he played Darin in Beyond the Sea. The physical resemblance is there but the casting comes 10 years too late.

Since Spacey also co-wrote and directed the film it's impossible to avoid the criminal charge of vanity project. And Beyond the Sea is guilty on all counts.

What could have been a tribute to youthful energy and success in both the music industry and old Hollywood is instead a creepy tribute to an Academy Award winning actor's lifelong dream of playing a teen idol. It's a memorable film, but not in the way Spacey would have liked.

Of all the biopics released in 2004 this is the only one that made me physically uncomfortable watching it.

As a film, Beyond the Sea manages to be both fast paced and dull. The screenplay rushes through important events in Darin's life bringing them to the screen in one flat scene after another. There's little emotional context or connection with any of the characters. Spacey already loves Darin, so the audience is supposed to as well. It doesn't work.

Nowhere is Spacey's age more apparent and unsettling than in the central romance with Sandra Dee (played by Kate Bosworth, who turned 21 during filming). At the time of their marriage in 1960 Darin was 24 and Dee was 18. In the film, their courtship has all the romantic impact of The Woodsman.

Yes Spacey can sing and as a director he stages a few complicated production numbers. But, thanks to the overall low energy level provided by Spacey the director, actor and writer, even the production numbers fail to pop the way they should. It's not until the very end, when relief is plainly in sight, that the movie has a true showstopper.

We'll forget for a moment that this movie was released around the same time as The Aviator (Leonardo DiCaprio was one of many actors once mentioned to play Bobby Darin). There's little reason Beyond the Sea couldn't have been at least as good as, say, Mark Rydell's James Dean TV movie with James Franco. In fact Beyond the Sea might have worked better on television, where standards are sometimes lower for this kind of material. Spacey could even be a serious Emmy contender.

But, unless there was a more appropriate actor in the lead role, I'd still find it creepy.

Change of pace

So I did go to a movie this weekend after all.

I'm a sucker for a director successfully taking on material different from anything they've done before and that's exactly what Danny Boyle pulls off with Millions. It's further proof that Boyle is one of the U.K.'s most exciting contemporary directors.

He started with a lot of British television, made a striking feature debut with the dark comedic thriller Shallow Grave and made a major breakthrough with Trainspotting (a film that remains both incredibly under- and overrated). Then he came to Hollywood and made a couple of big mistakes: A Life Less Ordinary and The Beach. He refocused himself with a pair of very low budget, little seen Brit indies (Vacuuming Completely Nude in Paradise and Strumpet, both unseen by me) and recently made a comeback with low budget horror hit 28 Days Later.

So far it's been an interesting career and Millions suggests he's capable of even more surprises. It's an extremely likeable, sweet but not saccharine, fable-like story about a young boy who finds a large bundle of British pounds mere weeks before the country will officially adopt the Euro. The boy, who is infatuated with Catholic saints and helping others, shares the discovery with his older brother. Together they work out a plan to keep the money secret and use it whichever way they deem best.

Unlike Boyle's previous films, which have all earned their R ratings, Millions is rated PG. It's truly a film for all ages, but not in the condescending Hollywood way that results in crap like The Pacifier. The filmmaking retains Boyle's trademark energy and also his fondness for surreal images, offbeat humor and a good suspense sequence. His fans won't be disappointed, he's likely to only make new ones. Some might even find this his most mature work yet.

As in many of Boyle's previous films Millions also introduces a couple of interesting new performers. In this case Alex Etel, who has the lead role and successfully pulls off a complicated role at a very young age, and Daisy Donovan, a British TV comedy vet who makes a strong impression in a secondary role.

It's also worth noting the original screenplay is by Frank Cottrell Boyce (also doing something of a departure from the norm considering his resume contains numerous films by the routinely somber Michael Winterbottom).

Millions is in limited release now, with more engagements coming soon.

You won't be missed

And the American Idol saga continues...

Mario is leaving the competition under mysterious "personal" circumstances and Nikko is back in. Nothing really changes, Nikko will be re-eliminated in two weeks, tops. Mario probably would've had more staying power than I would've liked but I can't imagine he would have won.

The real reason Mario left has yet to emerge but Internet gossip is on overload: he's gay, his girlfriend is pregnant, he signed a record contract already, he didn't want the fame, he thought the Idol contract was too restrictive, he had an affair with Michael Jackson, he really is Wilmer Valderrama after all.

At least he's finally entertaining people. All the speculation is far more interesting than anything he ever did on the show.

I'm sure she'll be paid well

Hilary Swank seems determined to not win another Oscar anytime soon.

Apparently she hasn't seen what happened to Halle Berry after Monster's Ball (and if you haven't seen it, don't).

Worth seeing?

Well this is good news. Some movies opening this weekend (at least in L.A.) that might be worth a look.

Robots is sure to be #1 (the only question is how much will it make, over $40 million?). I'm more interested in Danny Boyle's unexpectedly kid-friendly follow up to 28 Days Later: Millions. Also, two Joan Allen films that have been pushed around release schedules but are apparently worth seeing anyway: Off the Map and The Upside of Anger. And I'll have to catch up with Nobody Knows, which won a prize at Cannes for 12-year old lead actor Yuya Yagira.

Worth a Close-r look

The Shield is back for a fourth season this Tuesday and after seeing three episodes I'm happy to say: damn, it's as good as ever.

Fans of the show know how good it is. Those who have never seen it are advised to rent some DVDs and start from the beginning (this is the kind of show worth the time investment, its unique world grows deeper each season building on what has come before).

The big news on season four is the addition of Glenn Close. A bona fide Oscar nominee, Emmy winner and "acting legend" signing on as a TV series regular for the first time in her career. Close is no stranger to slumming but her career is also filled with risky offbeat choices and it's clear that TV is no compromise here. Not only is The Shield basic cable's finest drama ever (faint praise you say?) it's also the best ongoing drama anywhere outside of HBO.

Close is a casting coup that has already brought plenty of media (and hopefully Emmy) attention to the show. But more importantly she fits right in to an already perfect ensemble. Her presence is immediately, and strongly, felt. This is no "special appearance by" ratings gimmick, she's a full on co-lead with series star Michael Chiklis. But even though the new character is a dominant force she doesn't detract from the continuing standout performances by Chiklis, C.C.H. Pounder, Benito Martinez, Jay Karnes and Walton Goggins. There are new dynamics at work for nearly every character on the show and it makes the potential for the fourth season extremely exciting. (Also adding some fresh spark: Anthony Anderson as reformed, or is he?, gangbanger Antwon Mitchell.)

Although The Shield had its finest season yet last year (I've found each season to be a little better than the previous one) it also experienced some ratings erosion and bewilderlingly received zero Emmy nominations. Hopefully Close will reverse both of those things (the third episode alone makes her the lead contender for a best actress Emmy this year and would it be too optimistic to hope the show finally gets a deserved Drama Series nomination?).

But no matter what happens, it's good to know The Shield will continue to excel creatively. This is the only cop show around (with the possible, probable?, exception of HBO's The Wire) that is pushing the genre forward in fresh, provocative and intelligent directions.

It is decided...

Warning: Another American Idol post.

And so we have it, the final twelve. Aloha should be there instead of Lindsey but otherwise that's about right.

After this week's performances I wanted to see these four banished for good: atonal Usher-wannabe Travis, soul-free Amanda (River Deep, Mountain High, Amanda Bad), deer in headlights Janay and odious "rocker" Constantine.

At least I got three out of the four.

I knew Constantine was probably safe (even after massacring "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic," Randy calling his performance "in tune" was Monday's comic highlight). I thought Scott might be doomed instead but he managed to beat out the uneven, and rather dull, Nikko (who clearly would've been eliminated within two weeks anyway).

So now we'll finally get to see the guys go up against the girls, find out exactly how big Constantine's frightening fan base really is and see if Mario Vazquez can ever give a remotely interesting performance or if he really is just Justin Guarini minus some Muppet DNA. Hey, it could happen. Anthony surprised me with that shockingly competent uptempo Marc Anthony (his idol) performance. Anything's possible.

And Carrie better step it up, at this rate she's going to lose out last-white-girl-standing status to Jessica who has some serious Kimberley Locke-style underdog potential.

Barring any major disasters Lindsey will be first to go next week. I can already hear the judges now... "That just wasn't good enough. This is the real competition now."

Aloha.

Confessions of a former talk show host

Rosie O'Donnell has a blog. And it's one of the strangest things I've seen in some time.

Keep hope alive

These days, when it's depressing enough just to look at the box office top ten (must America continue to encourage Vin Diesel?) let alone go out and actually see a new release, I prefer looking ahead to some films that won't be in theaters for months to come.

Director Marc Forster is about to start work on quirky comedy Stranger Than Fiction. His involvement alone is enough to get my attention considering the range and skill he demonstrated with Everything Put Together, Monster's Ball and Finding Neverland. But Stranger Than Fiction also is assembling one of the most offbeat and interesting casts in some time: Will Ferrell, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson, Queen Latifah, Tom Hulce, Linda Hunt, Kristin Chenoweth and Tony Hale (Buster from Arrested Development) have all signed on. The script, by first timer Zach Helm, is already drawing comparisons to Charlie Kaufman's work. This one has a lot to live up to.

I'm equally excited by the talent lined up for Fur, director Steven Shainberg's follow up to Secretary. The Diane Arbus biopic was originally going to star Samantha Morton but Nicole Kidman is now attached with Robert Downey Jr. along for the ride. It's also written by Secretary's screenwriter Erin Cressida Wilson.

Something I'm a little more suspect of is Sofia Coppola's Marie-Antoinette. The historical comedy (? I think) is filming now with Kirsten Dunst in the title role (yes, Kirsten Dunst as a French queen). Coppola's cousin Jason Schwarztman co-stars as Louis XVI along with Molly Shannon (?!), Rip Torn (as Louis XV) and Asia Argento (as Torn's lover!!). Lost in Translation was marvelous but The Virgin Suicides was rather uneven, where will this one fall?

Then there's the talk of John Travolta and Billy Crystal as Edna and Wilbur Turnblad in a bigscreen version of Broadway musical Hairspray. But now we're back to that depressing stuff...

Exactly who wants to "collect" this?

Seriously.

I think she finally saw Rollerball

Yes, it's true I had a one-on-one interview with Katie Holmes in a hotel room and sure it was clear we had chemistry but I refuse to be pegged as the Angelina Jolie in this situation.

Better luck next time

I saw The Jacket, the latest disappointment from Warner Independent Pictures, a couple of weeks before I started this blog. Since it opens tomorrow I'll go ahead and post something about it.

The movie is an interesting study in applying indie film talent, in front of and behind the camera, to a Hollywood high concept story. A soldier returns from Iraq (the first war) only to be framed for murder and sent to a mental hospital where an evil doctor experiments with patients. A side effect of this experiment is time travel and in the future the soldier teams up with a young woman to find out what happened to him in the past.

Good enough, but the writing is no better than your average Hollywood action thriller. There's no excuse for this movie not to star Ben Affleck and whatever actress/model is in fashion when the cameras started rolling. Instead it stars Adrien Brody and Keira Knightley, with a supporting cast that includes Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kris Kristofferson and Daniel Craig. And it's directed by John Maybury, who has mostly obscure, arty, British indies to his credit.

The acting prowess and offbeat sensibility the players (especially Brody, Knightley and Leigh) bring to the material only highlights how conventional the plot really is. Ditto Maybury's overly stylized filmmaking. By the time the film reaches an illogical, but upbeat, conclusion there's little to do but marvel at the waste of talent and resources.

Not a good film, but an interesting one if you want to see good actors squandering their skills on a ridiculous story.

%&#$ing Idol

Aloha!? You had to vote out Aloha!?! Stupid America.

Voting out Celena, David and Joseph I understand, applaud even. But in what cruel world is it fair to keep no-talent Amanda and pitiful Janay in the competition instead of Aloha.

Cruel, cruel world.

Seriously, who is voting for Janay? People who LIKE it when singers are bad, off key, uncoordinated and appear generally confused and frightened when they perform?? I hope a truck runs her off the stage next time, to justify that stupid deer-in-headlights look in her eyes every time she gets up there.

But, I like the new half hour results show. It even seemed to motivate Ryan to ask intelligent questions for once. And he didn't say "Seacrest out."

Sad news

Oh boy, what did Charlie Sheen do now?

Idol eyes

Second week of American Idol semi-finals and my opinions are generally the same.

For me, this week's standouts were Bo and Mikalah (what a difference a week made with her). But the boys are still generally boring (despite best efforts by the producers to brainwash the audience into believing they're not) and the girls made a lot of bad song selections (it was a mistake for Vonzell and Aloha to take on recent hits by Alicia Keys and Carrie made an inane attempt at Janis Joplin).

I think Janay, Lindsey, David and Joseph will exit but I'm hopeful that Amanda, Celena, Anthony and Constantine all go home soon too. Of my favorites I think only Scott could be in trouble.

One good thing: the results show is cut down to a half hour starting this week which means less annoying filler from Seacrest (and presumably less exploitation of losing contestants).

Truth in advertising

On Monday night I saw D.E.B.S., a bright and cheerful teen comedy that premiered at last year's Sundance film festival (the same edition of Sundance that gave birth to monsters like Garden State and Napoleon Dynamite, but also fine work like Primer and beautiful work like Maria Full of Grace).

There's little that's notable about the movie. It's another one of those Sundance also-rans that doesn't quite live up to its potential. But, also like a lot of Sundance films, it does have its niche. Think Charlie's Angels (or Alias) set in a private girls high school. But here's the hook: there's romance blossoming between the school's best agent and a rival supervillian, both girls.

Not that you would know that from the film's lame-brained ad campaign, which is almost entirely avoiding the lesbian angle in an attempt to sell D.E.B.S. as a regular old teen comedy in the vein of Bring It On or Mean Girls. It's a ludicrous strategy that completely ignores the exact audience that is most likely to embrace the film. And I really don't believe marketing is going to fool many people into seeing D.E.B.S., given its obvious low profile and star-free cast.

Anyone who does see it based on the selling points of a teen girl spy comedy will be disappointed. Budget restrictions clearly limited any action potential, in most instances the "action" scenes are limited to the girls walking around holding guns. The feature has been expanded from a short of the same name and concept by the same director, Angela Robinson. I haven't seen the short but there's not much in the feature that signals a creative leap forward, much of D.E.B.S. the feature still feels like a student film.

However, there is a fair amount of visual and verbal wit and some solid performances. Jordana Brewster, as the sexy supervillian, has never been as lively or likeable on screen as she is here. Among the supporting cast, Jill Ritchie and Jimmi Simpson stand out with strong comic timing. I'm sure it's not a coincidence Robinson is putting both actors to work in her next film, Herbie: Fully Loaded (eek).

Even though it's not a great film it's easy to imagine D.E.B.S. gaining a loyal cult following, but inviting the wrong audience is only going to hinder its opportunity to do that.