Television’s most desperate network unveiled a wacky fall schedule that places most of its new offerings in 9 pm "tentpole" slots (full press release here). I’m not sure what the thinking behind letting unproven shows anchor each weeknight is, but NBC has to do something after placing fourth in the ratings for two seasons running.
Good move: Besides putting Fear Factor out of its misery (and finally giving up on Joey and holding off on the tired The Apprentice until midseason), I don’t see much to cheer in NBC’s announcement. One thing they have going for them next season is Sunday Night Football, which is likely to boost their ratings a bit and provide worry-free counter programming to two of TV’s biggest hits (Desperate Housewives and Grey’s Anatomy on ABC, assuming both shows stay put on the night).
Bad move: All these new shows at 9. Why? And putting the heavily hyped Studio 60 (Aaron Sorkin’s TV satire featuring Matthew Perry and Amanda Peet) up against CSI is a risky no-guts-no-glory decision, as is bumping the My Name is Earl/The Office hour to 8 to serve as Studio’s lead-in. Earl and Office are often heralded as NBC’s hottest "hits" (despite the fact they don’t even threaten to hit the top 10) and if momentum is supposed to be on their side moving them around can’t be good. It’s obvious NBC wants to build a two hour block of "buzz TV" on Thursday. I applaud the effort but I wish I could say the same for the execution.
I’m looking forward to…: Studio 60 will get a lot of media attention (but not necessarily viewer interest) for its ballsy swipes at network television—especially when it comes to NBC and Saturday Night Live—but I’ve seen it and I’m not optimistic about where it will go (either creatively or in the ratings).
Since both the high-concept Heroes and half-hour-SNL-satire 30 Rock (yes there are two SNL satires on the same network’s fall schedule…) sound intriguing but could just as easily be disastrous, I’m thinking Kidnapped (with a cast that includes Dana Delany, Jeremy Sisto and Delroy Lindo) could be NBC’s best chance at a fun, successful show. (One problem: there are a lot of conspiracy thrillers in the works for next season and NBC’s won’t be the only one to make it to air, so it better stick out.)
Also, midseason’s Andy Barker, P.I., with Andy Richter playing private detective, just might work.
…but not: Surprisingly, none of NBC’s new series sound unbearable but I’m not sure it’s necessary to bring another seemingly generic sit-com about young people looking for love into the world (unscheduled midseason possibility The Singles Table).
What they didn’t pick up: Not a lot. Several weak sounding comedies (including one starring Jay Mohr) and only one drama (an offbeat hour produced by Conan O’Brien, starring Cary Elwes as a reincarnated corrupt politician).
Say goodbye to: Aforementioned Fear Factor and Joey (you won’t be missed). DOA rookies The Apprentice: Martha Stewart, The Book of Daniel, Conviction, E-Ring, Four Kings, Heist, Inconceivable, Surface, Teachers and Three Wishes. Retiring vets The West Wing and Will & Grace.
Monday, May 15, 2006
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
S-u-c-c-e-s-s
It's always disappointing to see a good movie flounder at the box office, especially a movie that you just know audiences would really enjoy if they just knew about it. If they only knew they should see it. Akeelah and the Bee finished a disappointing 8th at the weekend box office, just barely cracking $6 million and posting by far the lowest per screen average of the four new wide releases.A movie this enjoyable is guaranteed to find an audience somewhere, but I recommend seeing it now, don't just wait for DVD. Get in on it early!
Akeelah's simple inspiring story of an 11 year-old inner city girl who sets her sights on competing in the National Spelling Bee isn't the most original tale ever told (although the spelling bee material does give the familiar underdog-sports-story a fresh spin) and the movie does have its share of cheese. But luckily the film can afford the occasional corny moment because it has so much else going for it, most notably the strong central performance of 12 year-old Keke Palmer.
Writer/director Doug Atchison's script may have a few false moments (Akeelah's siblings feel more like stock types—noble military man, gangbanger, single mom—than real people, and the competitive world of spelling bees feels awfully small once the film gets to the national level) but Palmer's performance never wavers. It would be an extraordinary acting achievement for anyone, let alone someone so young and relatively inexperienced.
Palmer is backed up by a very fine cast including Laurence Fishburne and Angela Bassett in their first screen pairing since their Oscar-nominated turns in What's Love Got To Do With It (and even if Bassett seems a tad too buff for an inner city mother, her work is still a strong reminder that this actress deserves better, more frequent, work than she gets). There are also several other winning performances from younger actors including Sahara Garey as Akeelah's best friend, Sean Michael as her spelling rival and, most of all, J.R. Villarreal as her...love interest. Villarreal is more of a typical child actor than the effortlessly natural Palmer but fortunately that suits the role, and the two young actors create the kind of genuine chemistry that actors three times their age often struggle to achieve.
The writing and direction are solid, the performances elevate it to another level and Akeelah is ultimately the kind of movie I'd recommend to anyone. That doesn't necessarily make it great but it does mean it's too good to miss.
That's all folks
So I'm finished with Idol for the season. At least when it comes to writing about it here. I may be finished with watching it too, although I probably will at least sample the performances over the next three weeks. It's not like I didn't expect Paris to be booted this week but now that it actually happened I'm left without a compelling reason to watch. The show usually sucks me in week after week because I'm curious to see what songs will be selected, who will be good, who will be bad and who ends up going home. But I've also always had a rooting interest in at least one (usually more than one) contestant. (Potentially embarrassing confession: I've voted for all four winners from previous seasons.)
I expect (and frankly hope for) Chris to win. I kinda think Taylor will be with him at the end, but it may be Katharine and either way I don't care. The "best" contestant left, in my opinion, is Elliott but he just doesn't have the all around package that makes for a deserving winner.
The good news is I really expect all of the top five to release albums. I think they're all serious enough, they all have enough fans, and the series-best ratings will help them. Of course if that does happen I only have plans to buy one of them.
It's just too bad that Idol's most watched season has been powered by its least interesting talent yet.
Friday, April 28, 2006
Summer picks
Since we’re a week away from the official start of summer movie season I’ve thrown together a quick top ten list of the movies I’m most looking forward to. I did the same thing last year, and looking back at that now I’m pretty sure I was a lot more excited about last year’s offerings.
The truth is most of this summer’s "biggest" movies leave me shrugging my shoulders. I’ll probably end up seeing expected blockbusters like Superman Returns, The Da Vinci Code, Pirates of the Caribbean 2, Poseidon and The Break-Up but if any of them got stuck in movie limbo and were never released I wouldn’t really care. This year’s slate is also heavy on lackluster looking animated fare (from DreamWorks, Fox, Warner Bros. and even one for film snobs: Richard Linklater’s trippy A Scanner Darkly) and high-concept mainstream comedies (Jack Black as a Mexican wrestler, Owen Wilson as an annoying houseguest, Adam Sandler finding a magical remote control and the aforementioned Vaughaniston extravaganza). Maybe one, or some, of these will surprise me, but I’m not counting on it.
Even two major movies from prestige directors—Robert Altman’s A Prairie Home Companion and Michael Mann’s Miami Vice—aren’t sparking my interest (Altman’s because of mixed early reviews and Mann’s for all sorts of reasons, including the fact he’s one of my least favorite Important directors).
I have, at least, already seen one great movie due for release this summer: a documentary about a crossword puzzle tournament (just screams "grab the popcorn!" doesn’t it?). Wordplay (June 16) is a fun crowd-pleaser in the vein of spelling bee doc Spellbound and should be an arthouse sleeper.
Looking over last year’s list some of my selections turned out to be disappointing (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory), bad (Bad News Bears) or excruciating (Wedding Crashers) but there were some surprises (The 40 Year-Old Virgin and Land of the Dead were far better than expected and my favorite summer release, Junebug, was impossible to predict). One movie (Romance & Cigarettes) was never even released and I still haven’t gotten around to another (The Brothers Grimm) which was released, but to terrible reviews.
In other words, who knows how any of these will turn out, but on paper [Pickler sez "huh?"] I’m looking forward to:
10. Cars (June 9)
Ok, frankly I’m not really excited about this one either but of all the animated summer offerings it’s the one I’m most likely to see. And considering I had a similar lack of pre-release enthusiasm for Toy Story and Finding Nemo I’ve learned you write off Pixar at your own peril.
9. Snakes on a Plane (August 18)
I’m not expecting greatness from this, I’m expecting, well, snakes on a plane. Although the Internet hysteria over the movie’s concept has already made it dangerously overhyped it still seems like the perfect late summer movie, and, sadly, one of the season’s most "original" concepts.
8. Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (July 14)
I would dismiss this as quickly as the rest of the big dumb-looking summer comedies but this dumb-looking NASCAR spoof reunites Anchorman’s director Adam McKay and leading man Will Ferrell. And even though Anchorman is an incredibly dumb movie it’s also a ridiculously funny one. It also helps that McKay and Ferrell have enlisted a cast that includes John C. Reilly, Sacha Baron Cohen, Gary Cole, David Koechner, Amy Adams, Leslie Bibb, Greg Germann and Jane Lynch.
7. Idlewild (August 25)
The Outkast guys have made a musical. There’s no shortage of potential pitfalls here but it’s interesting for the curiosity factor alone. It helps that there’s a solid supporting cast and it comes from HBO Films. At the very least we’re guaranteed the summer’s best soundtrack.
6. Lady in the Water (July 21)
The pretentious tagline "A Bedtime Story" and the rapidly declining quality of M. Night Shyamalan’s movies don’t do much to inspire confidence but casting Paul Giamatti and Bryce Dallas Howard in the lead roles (and Jeffrey Wright in key support) makes it instantly intriguing. Plus this is likely to be either Shyamalan’s redemption or his downfall, place your bets now.
5. World Trade Center (August 9)
United 93 is already a critical smash and another 9/11 movie a few months later might be just too much. But this is a different kind of story, Oliver Stone is a master filmmaker (or used to be at least) and Nicolas Cage, Michael Pena, Maria Bello and Maggie Gyllenhaal make for a great core cast.
4. Little Miss Sunshine (July 28)/Half Nelson (August 11)
Two movies that built their buzz at Sundance. Sunshine became a big deal when it sold for the most money—partly because its cast includes Greg Kinnear, Toni Collette and, most importantly, Steve Carell—while Nelson caused a smaller stir but puts Ryan Gosling back in cinemas, where he belongs (and throws in promising actor Anthony Mackie as a bonus). It’s a good bet these will best most summer offerings, quality-wise.
3. X-Men: The Last Stand (May 26)
After two movies X-Men is the best comicbook franchise going and even though hacky Brett Ratner is at the helm this time I’m still excited to see what goes down in the third installment.
2. The Science of Sleep (August 18)
This might’ve topped the list if it wasn’t for a few troubling observations in some early reviews. There’s a fine line between quirky-enjoyable and quirky- appalling and director Michel Gondry has been on both sides before (the right side with Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and the wrong side with Human Nature). Now he’s made a movie without screenwriter Charlie Kaufman but with Gael Garcia Bernal, one of the best international leading men in the business. This is sure to be one of summer’s biggest small movies and I hope it’s one of the best.
1. Mission: Impossible III (May 5)
Yeah I know, Tom Cruise is crazy and I’m not supposed to be excited about this but as far as pure summer popcorn movies go this is the big one for me. I really like both previous Mission films (you’re forgiven if you don’t) and I’m excited to see what JJ Abrams does with his first movie (and whether it can match some of his excellent television work on Lost and Alias). There’s also the best cast ever assembled for a Mission outing. It opens next Friday so we’ll find out fast. Then it’s four long months till fall…
The truth is most of this summer’s "biggest" movies leave me shrugging my shoulders. I’ll probably end up seeing expected blockbusters like Superman Returns, The Da Vinci Code, Pirates of the Caribbean 2, Poseidon and The Break-Up but if any of them got stuck in movie limbo and were never released I wouldn’t really care. This year’s slate is also heavy on lackluster looking animated fare (from DreamWorks, Fox, Warner Bros. and even one for film snobs: Richard Linklater’s trippy A Scanner Darkly) and high-concept mainstream comedies (Jack Black as a Mexican wrestler, Owen Wilson as an annoying houseguest, Adam Sandler finding a magical remote control and the aforementioned Vaughaniston extravaganza). Maybe one, or some, of these will surprise me, but I’m not counting on it.
Even two major movies from prestige directors—Robert Altman’s A Prairie Home Companion and Michael Mann’s Miami Vice—aren’t sparking my interest (Altman’s because of mixed early reviews and Mann’s for all sorts of reasons, including the fact he’s one of my least favorite Important directors).
I have, at least, already seen one great movie due for release this summer: a documentary about a crossword puzzle tournament (just screams "grab the popcorn!" doesn’t it?). Wordplay (June 16) is a fun crowd-pleaser in the vein of spelling bee doc Spellbound and should be an arthouse sleeper.
Looking over last year’s list some of my selections turned out to be disappointing (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory), bad (Bad News Bears) or excruciating (Wedding Crashers) but there were some surprises (The 40 Year-Old Virgin and Land of the Dead were far better than expected and my favorite summer release, Junebug, was impossible to predict). One movie (Romance & Cigarettes) was never even released and I still haven’t gotten around to another (The Brothers Grimm) which was released, but to terrible reviews.
In other words, who knows how any of these will turn out, but on paper [Pickler sez "huh?"] I’m looking forward to:
10. Cars (June 9)
Ok, frankly I’m not really excited about this one either but of all the animated summer offerings it’s the one I’m most likely to see. And considering I had a similar lack of pre-release enthusiasm for Toy Story and Finding Nemo I’ve learned you write off Pixar at your own peril.
9. Snakes on a Plane (August 18)
I’m not expecting greatness from this, I’m expecting, well, snakes on a plane. Although the Internet hysteria over the movie’s concept has already made it dangerously overhyped it still seems like the perfect late summer movie, and, sadly, one of the season’s most "original" concepts.
8. Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (July 14)
I would dismiss this as quickly as the rest of the big dumb-looking summer comedies but this dumb-looking NASCAR spoof reunites Anchorman’s director Adam McKay and leading man Will Ferrell. And even though Anchorman is an incredibly dumb movie it’s also a ridiculously funny one. It also helps that McKay and Ferrell have enlisted a cast that includes John C. Reilly, Sacha Baron Cohen, Gary Cole, David Koechner, Amy Adams, Leslie Bibb, Greg Germann and Jane Lynch.
7. Idlewild (August 25)
The Outkast guys have made a musical. There’s no shortage of potential pitfalls here but it’s interesting for the curiosity factor alone. It helps that there’s a solid supporting cast and it comes from HBO Films. At the very least we’re guaranteed the summer’s best soundtrack.
6. Lady in the Water (July 21)
The pretentious tagline "A Bedtime Story" and the rapidly declining quality of M. Night Shyamalan’s movies don’t do much to inspire confidence but casting Paul Giamatti and Bryce Dallas Howard in the lead roles (and Jeffrey Wright in key support) makes it instantly intriguing. Plus this is likely to be either Shyamalan’s redemption or his downfall, place your bets now.
5. World Trade Center (August 9)
United 93 is already a critical smash and another 9/11 movie a few months later might be just too much. But this is a different kind of story, Oliver Stone is a master filmmaker (or used to be at least) and Nicolas Cage, Michael Pena, Maria Bello and Maggie Gyllenhaal make for a great core cast.
4. Little Miss Sunshine (July 28)/Half Nelson (August 11)
Two movies that built their buzz at Sundance. Sunshine became a big deal when it sold for the most money—partly because its cast includes Greg Kinnear, Toni Collette and, most importantly, Steve Carell—while Nelson caused a smaller stir but puts Ryan Gosling back in cinemas, where he belongs (and throws in promising actor Anthony Mackie as a bonus). It’s a good bet these will best most summer offerings, quality-wise.
3. X-Men: The Last Stand (May 26)
After two movies X-Men is the best comicbook franchise going and even though hacky Brett Ratner is at the helm this time I’m still excited to see what goes down in the third installment.
2. The Science of Sleep (August 18)
This might’ve topped the list if it wasn’t for a few troubling observations in some early reviews. There’s a fine line between quirky-enjoyable and quirky- appalling and director Michel Gondry has been on both sides before (the right side with Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and the wrong side with Human Nature). Now he’s made a movie without screenwriter Charlie Kaufman but with Gael Garcia Bernal, one of the best international leading men in the business. This is sure to be one of summer’s biggest small movies and I hope it’s one of the best.
1. Mission: Impossible III (May 5)
Yeah I know, Tom Cruise is crazy and I’m not supposed to be excited about this but as far as pure summer popcorn movies go this is the big one for me. I really like both previous Mission films (you’re forgiven if you don’t) and I’m excited to see what JJ Abrams does with his first movie (and whether it can match some of his excellent television work on Lost and Alias). There’s also the best cast ever assembled for a Mission outing. It opens next Friday so we’ll find out fast. Then it’s four long months till fall…
Goodbye Kellie Mae
I suppose I shouldn’t let the events of this week’s Idol go by without mention. After Tuesday night’s so-so "Great Love Songs" performance show I would’ve demanded two things:
1) That Paris place in the top three after delivering another flawless performance and
2) That Kellie Pickler finally hit the bottom three, especially after back-to-back weeks of outright sucking (which she readily admitted).
So I got half of what I wanted, and it was the more important half. I thought Kellie might get the boot but I didn’t want to be optimistic enough to really believe it. In my mind Elliott was doomed, not because he gave a bad performance (he didn’t, it was clearly one of the three best) but because his song was dull, and he performed too early in the show.
But maybe America was as "moved" by Elliott as Paula was and instead Kellie departed the show in the Carmen Rasmusen/John Stevens/Constantine Maroulis memorial slot of sixth place. Kind of fitting isn’t it? I’ll admit, now that she’s gone, that she was sort of entertaining for her stupid remarks ("I’m a mink!?" "On paper? What’s that?") and if she does have some sort of future in the entertainment business I won’t be too opposed, as long as singing isn’t a major part of it. (The great joke of both of this season’s country contestants is that if they had auditioned for the generally superior Nashville Star I’m positive they would’ve been rejected.)
As for Paris’ placement in the week’s bottom two, there’s nothing much to say other than the obvious: she deserves better. Hopefully she’ll hang on for a couple more weeks and maybe viewers will start to realize that Taylor, kinda like Kellie, isn’t worth keeping around.
But I doubt it.
1) That Paris place in the top three after delivering another flawless performance and
2) That Kellie Pickler finally hit the bottom three, especially after back-to-back weeks of outright sucking (which she readily admitted).
So I got half of what I wanted, and it was the more important half. I thought Kellie might get the boot but I didn’t want to be optimistic enough to really believe it. In my mind Elliott was doomed, not because he gave a bad performance (he didn’t, it was clearly one of the three best) but because his song was dull, and he performed too early in the show.
But maybe America was as "moved" by Elliott as Paula was and instead Kellie departed the show in the Carmen Rasmusen/John Stevens/Constantine Maroulis memorial slot of sixth place. Kind of fitting isn’t it? I’ll admit, now that she’s gone, that she was sort of entertaining for her stupid remarks ("I’m a mink!?" "On paper? What’s that?") and if she does have some sort of future in the entertainment business I won’t be too opposed, as long as singing isn’t a major part of it. (The great joke of both of this season’s country contestants is that if they had auditioned for the generally superior Nashville Star I’m positive they would’ve been rejected.)
As for Paris’ placement in the week’s bottom two, there’s nothing much to say other than the obvious: she deserves better. Hopefully she’ll hang on for a couple more weeks and maybe viewers will start to realize that Taylor, kinda like Kellie, isn’t worth keeping around.
But I doubt it.
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Who's running the show?
Big news from two (or maybe two and a half) TV geniuses last week that directly, and indirectly, affect a couple of my TiVo season pass veterans:
The news: Gilmore Girls creator/mastermind Amy Sherman-Palladino won’t be returning to the show next season, and neither will her husband/cohort Daniel Palladino. They walked away from a reported $5 million one-season deal partly because they wanted a two-season deal instead. That was a problem for producer Warner Bros. Television because the cast (including Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel) only have deals in place for one more season. And many people believe that season will be the last.
Why this is bad: Over the past six seasons the Palladinos wrote about 90 of Gilmore’s 131 episodes, and also directed a significant number. There’s no question Amy is the driving force behind the show, and its most celebrated and unique qualities—the rapid-fire, impressively witty dialogue; the complex family relationships; the finely tuned mix of comedy and drama—came directly from her. If Gilmore really is entering its final season (which is a huge if, especially considering it’s sure to be a major player in the launch of the CW next year and the new network will obviously be eager to keep its "hits") it will be downright wrong to not have Amy there to end the show on her terms. Whether we should blame the Palladinos or Warner Bros. for all of this is debatable, but you can read the couple’s side of the story in this lengthy TV Guide interview (warning: there’s a big fat season finale spoiler in the middle of the interview). Also, the newly appointed showrunner, David Rosenthal, is generating some, um, controversy of his own.
Why this is good: The current season hasn’t exactly been one of the Girls’ strongest. Lukewarm (yeah, pun intended) chemistry between the central couples, audience-punishing story developments (Lorelai and Rory’s prolonged estrangement, Luke’s annoying daughter, Logan’s stubborn refusal to die) and a lack of interesting new characters have made the show feel a bit stale when just a year ago it was at a creative zenith. So maybe a fresh perspective will actually help (maybe one that isn’t so intent on torturing key characters with forced obstacles). And while creating something on the level of Gilmore can be difficult to duplicate I wouldn’t put it past the Palladinos to come up with a brilliant new show sometime over the next few seasons (how about a sharp romantic comedy with a well-written ensemble of quirky characters, a la Cheers?).
Bottom line: Enjoy the Palladino-run Gilmore while it lasts (three more episodes, starting tonight). While I think it’s very possible the show will be around for longer than just one more season (depending heavily on how Lauren and Alexis adapt to life without the Palladinos, and how much money they’re offered for season 8) it’s unlikely Gilmore will ever be truly great again—even if Graham has pledged to do her part for quality control. Let's just hope for really good.
Meanwhile...
The news: The man behind Alias, Felicity and Lost—J.J. Abrams—has set the follow up project to his upcoming feature debut, Mission: Impossible III, and the choice is another big franchise project: the 11th film in the Star Trek series. Reportedly it will focus on the early days of characters like Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock, detailing how they met and what happened on their first mission.
Why this is good: Following disasterous box office for the tenth film and ratings so miserable they forced Star Trek: Enterprise off the air after four seasons (rather than seven, like all previous Trek spin-offs), it looked like Trek was dead. But [insert warp speed joke here] this deal means the franchise is back in a big way. And a fresh way. Abrams will write the script with Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman, who also wrote MI:3 and many episodes of Alias (from seasons one through three). In recent years Trek has been overshadowed in the sci-fi world by the empty hype surrounding Star Wars and the astonishing quality of the Battlestar Galactica revival. But the concept remains a good one and Abrams seems like just the guy to oversee a compelling reinvention.
Why this is bad: Well let’s forget for a moment that Orci & Kurtzman have several questionable writing credits (including The Island, ew!) and focus on Abrams. I’m saying all of this before seeing MI:3 but two things come to mind. First it’s inevitable but still kind of sad that with his bigscreen career heating up there will be less time for him to focus on small screen output. Maybe it’s just perception but J.J.’s shows tend to be better with him around. And as for his feature career I find it a little disappointing that he’s moving from one franchise to another. Maybe it’s smart to build up a track record (and work on mass appeal properties, unlike the cult appeal mistake Joss Whedon made) but it’s still a bit hard to truly make your mark, quality-wise, with the third or eleventh film in a franchise property. Of course it can be done.
Bottom line: We have to face the fact that J.J. has pretty much left TV behind for the time being, and hopefully his output in the film world will turn out to be equally rewarding.
The news: Gilmore Girls creator/mastermind Amy Sherman-Palladino won’t be returning to the show next season, and neither will her husband/cohort Daniel Palladino. They walked away from a reported $5 million one-season deal partly because they wanted a two-season deal instead. That was a problem for producer Warner Bros. Television because the cast (including Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel) only have deals in place for one more season. And many people believe that season will be the last.
Why this is bad: Over the past six seasons the Palladinos wrote about 90 of Gilmore’s 131 episodes, and also directed a significant number. There’s no question Amy is the driving force behind the show, and its most celebrated and unique qualities—the rapid-fire, impressively witty dialogue; the complex family relationships; the finely tuned mix of comedy and drama—came directly from her. If Gilmore really is entering its final season (which is a huge if, especially considering it’s sure to be a major player in the launch of the CW next year and the new network will obviously be eager to keep its "hits") it will be downright wrong to not have Amy there to end the show on her terms. Whether we should blame the Palladinos or Warner Bros. for all of this is debatable, but you can read the couple’s side of the story in this lengthy TV Guide interview (warning: there’s a big fat season finale spoiler in the middle of the interview). Also, the newly appointed showrunner, David Rosenthal, is generating some, um, controversy of his own.
Why this is good: The current season hasn’t exactly been one of the Girls’ strongest. Lukewarm (yeah, pun intended) chemistry between the central couples, audience-punishing story developments (Lorelai and Rory’s prolonged estrangement, Luke’s annoying daughter, Logan’s stubborn refusal to die) and a lack of interesting new characters have made the show feel a bit stale when just a year ago it was at a creative zenith. So maybe a fresh perspective will actually help (maybe one that isn’t so intent on torturing key characters with forced obstacles). And while creating something on the level of Gilmore can be difficult to duplicate I wouldn’t put it past the Palladinos to come up with a brilliant new show sometime over the next few seasons (how about a sharp romantic comedy with a well-written ensemble of quirky characters, a la Cheers?).
Bottom line: Enjoy the Palladino-run Gilmore while it lasts (three more episodes, starting tonight). While I think it’s very possible the show will be around for longer than just one more season (depending heavily on how Lauren and Alexis adapt to life without the Palladinos, and how much money they’re offered for season 8) it’s unlikely Gilmore will ever be truly great again—even if Graham has pledged to do her part for quality control. Let's just hope for really good.
Meanwhile...
The news: The man behind Alias, Felicity and Lost—J.J. Abrams—has set the follow up project to his upcoming feature debut, Mission: Impossible III, and the choice is another big franchise project: the 11th film in the Star Trek series. Reportedly it will focus on the early days of characters like Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock, detailing how they met and what happened on their first mission.
Why this is good: Following disasterous box office for the tenth film and ratings so miserable they forced Star Trek: Enterprise off the air after four seasons (rather than seven, like all previous Trek spin-offs), it looked like Trek was dead. But [insert warp speed joke here] this deal means the franchise is back in a big way. And a fresh way. Abrams will write the script with Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman, who also wrote MI:3 and many episodes of Alias (from seasons one through three). In recent years Trek has been overshadowed in the sci-fi world by the empty hype surrounding Star Wars and the astonishing quality of the Battlestar Galactica revival. But the concept remains a good one and Abrams seems like just the guy to oversee a compelling reinvention.
Why this is bad: Well let’s forget for a moment that Orci & Kurtzman have several questionable writing credits (including The Island, ew!) and focus on Abrams. I’m saying all of this before seeing MI:3 but two things come to mind. First it’s inevitable but still kind of sad that with his bigscreen career heating up there will be less time for him to focus on small screen output. Maybe it’s just perception but J.J.’s shows tend to be better with him around. And as for his feature career I find it a little disappointing that he’s moving from one franchise to another. Maybe it’s smart to build up a track record (and work on mass appeal properties, unlike the cult appeal mistake Joss Whedon made) but it’s still a bit hard to truly make your mark, quality-wise, with the third or eleventh film in a franchise property. Of course it can be done.
Bottom line: We have to face the fact that J.J. has pretty much left TV behind for the time being, and hopefully his output in the film world will turn out to be equally rewarding.
Thursday, April 20, 2006
A major TV loss
Scott Brazil died on Monday at the age of 50 from complications relating to Lou Gehrig's disease and lyme disease. I didn't know him (never even met him), so I can only speak about his loss from a creative standpoint, which is significant. Scott Brazil wasn't a huge name, but he was a driving force behind one of television's best shows, The Shield.
Although The Shield is known as the brainchild of Shawn Ryan—who is primarily responsible for the complex story arcs and emphasis on deep characters—Brazil was the one who kept it all moving over the past five seasons as executive producer and showrunner. He directed 11 episodes, including brilliant season finales "Circles," "Dominoes Falling" and "On Tilt," and played an invaluable role in shaping the look and feel that continues to make the show so distinctive. He was spoke of with great esteem and affection by both Ryan and Michael Chiklis when I was fortunate enough to interview each of them (and please check out this fine memorial by TV writer Alan Sepinwall which includes a remembrance from Ryan and a very eloquent response to the post).
It's painful to know that Brazil won't be there for the inevitably incredible ending to a rare show that keeps getting better with age. But his artistic legacy lives on.
Although The Shield is known as the brainchild of Shawn Ryan—who is primarily responsible for the complex story arcs and emphasis on deep characters—Brazil was the one who kept it all moving over the past five seasons as executive producer and showrunner. He directed 11 episodes, including brilliant season finales "Circles," "Dominoes Falling" and "On Tilt," and played an invaluable role in shaping the look and feel that continues to make the show so distinctive. He was spoke of with great esteem and affection by both Ryan and Michael Chiklis when I was fortunate enough to interview each of them (and please check out this fine memorial by TV writer Alan Sepinwall which includes a remembrance from Ryan and a very eloquent response to the post).
It's painful to know that Brazil won't be there for the inevitably incredible ending to a rare show that keeps getting better with age. But his artistic legacy lives on.
We won't always have Paris
Congratulations Paris! You give one of your best Idol performances yet (second only to, or maybe even tied with, "Midnight Train to Georgia" from the semifinals) and you're rewarded with... the bottom three!
It was no surprise to see Ace leave. He wasn't a total disaster like he was in Queen week and (almost) everyone else was at least decent, so what reason was there to vote for him?
It was also no surprise to see Chris in the bottom three. The change of pace may have made Simon proud but it didn't suit him. He sounded fine but for the first time ever he was completely generic. I don't like Chris but he's usually good at what he does. And sappy is not what he does. (I think it also hurt that he went first and everyone else was consistent, being at the top of the bill may have hurt Paris too.)
And it was no surprise that even though she gave the worst performance BY FAR that embarrassment to humanity Kellie was not in the bottom three. She may be dumb as a brick (do you think she even knows what a brick is?) but she somehow figured out that yes, her performance sucked. And she apologized. And her "fans" (whoever they are, these people scare me) probably thought she was cute as ever.
But HOW does Paris make the bottom three after NAILING Ella Fitzgerald's "These Foolish Things"??? ARE PEOPLE STUPID???
Oh wait, of course they are. Kellie and Taylor are now the only contestants to never make the bottom three. Obviously it's not talent that helps you succeed, it's having a big, slightly annoying, personality and never hiding it. (But, on the bright side, before we just assume these fools will be the final two remember that Smeagol/Constantine never made the bottom three until he was eliminated...)
The fact is it gets really interesting from here out. Logic would say Elliott goes next. All of the other remaining contestants have frequently, legitimately been called possible winners. But he and Paris have both been in the bottom three two times now. And even if they both are bottom three again next week they're going to have to be joined by a "fan favorite." And let's remember it was the round of six that did in Smeagol last season...
It's nice that the season is unpredictable, but it's too bad that's not because there's a lot of worthy performers.
It was no surprise to see Ace leave. He wasn't a total disaster like he was in Queen week and (almost) everyone else was at least decent, so what reason was there to vote for him?
It was also no surprise to see Chris in the bottom three. The change of pace may have made Simon proud but it didn't suit him. He sounded fine but for the first time ever he was completely generic. I don't like Chris but he's usually good at what he does. And sappy is not what he does. (I think it also hurt that he went first and everyone else was consistent, being at the top of the bill may have hurt Paris too.)
And it was no surprise that even though she gave the worst performance BY FAR that embarrassment to humanity Kellie was not in the bottom three. She may be dumb as a brick (do you think she even knows what a brick is?) but she somehow figured out that yes, her performance sucked. And she apologized. And her "fans" (whoever they are, these people scare me) probably thought she was cute as ever.
But HOW does Paris make the bottom three after NAILING Ella Fitzgerald's "These Foolish Things"??? ARE PEOPLE STUPID???
Oh wait, of course they are. Kellie and Taylor are now the only contestants to never make the bottom three. Obviously it's not talent that helps you succeed, it's having a big, slightly annoying, personality and never hiding it. (But, on the bright side, before we just assume these fools will be the final two remember that Smeagol/Constantine never made the bottom three until he was eliminated...)
The fact is it gets really interesting from here out. Logic would say Elliott goes next. All of the other remaining contestants have frequently, legitimately been called possible winners. But he and Paris have both been in the bottom three two times now. And even if they both are bottom three again next week they're going to have to be joined by a "fan favorite." And let's remember it was the round of six that did in Smeagol last season...
It's nice that the season is unpredictable, but it's too bad that's not because there's a lot of worthy performers.
Friday, April 14, 2006
Making the arthouse fun again
Last week I was going to make a joke about how I like the thinking behind the David Spade/Rob Schneider/Jon Heder vehicle The Benchwarmers because it allows me to avoid one movie instead of three. But then the appalling-looking thing opened almost $20 million. Ew. Enough on that.
Especially because there are some good movies out there. Even though Hollywood hasn't tempted me with much so far this year (I'll make it to Inside Man soon) the festival circuit has provided some interesting, and unusually entertaining, options.
Friends with Money (which premiered at Sundance) is like the opposite of the aforementioned Big Dumb Hollywood Comedy. You could split this one four ways and I'd be just as happy. That's because we get Jennifer Aniston, Joan Cusack, Catherine Keener and Frances McDormand as the quartet of principal characters for writer/director Nicole Holofcener, who previously made smart, talky, small indies Walking and Talking and Lovely & Amazing. Other than deciding not to title it "Friends and Money" Holofcener hasn't altered her style much: this is smart, talky and very small.
So small it risks being called slight. And it is. But it's also so well acted and written, with genuinely witty dialogue, that it's silly to dismiss (or miss). All four of the leading ladies are great: Aniston is clearly most comfortable in indie films, Cusack is less wacky than usual (to good effect), Keener is a Holofcener-vet for good reason and McDormand pretty much steals the show. There are some guys in the movie too, providing solid support for the women, most notably: Simon McBurney, Jason Isaacs, Greg Germann, Bob Stephenson and Ty Burrell (and, a little less notably, Scott Caan). But you can tell by the lack of marquee names in that group where the focus is.
Yeah Friends with Money is primarily about four female friends. And relationships. And sex. And money. But, although Holofcener directed some episodes, this isn't really Sex and the City. It's an indie film. If you need to, think of it less as a girly movie and more as a funny movie. That's its strength and that's enough.
Also small, indie and directed by a woman (which is still rare enough to be worth pointing out) is The Notorious Bettie Page from HBO Films and director Mary Harron. Some viewers will be frustrated that this biopic about a 1950s pin-up queen, known for both colorful nude shots and naughty underground light bondage photos, doesn't go further in exploring its subject. But I think it's a refreshing change from standard serious bios.
Bettie Page is simply fun and a big part of that is due to its star, Gretchen Mol. Mol was always easy enough to write off as an actress but she delivers a truly exceptional performance here, she's so endearing it's actually impossible to imagine the movie without her. Utilizing a slight Southern accent and a perfect mix of innocence and self-assurance, Mol is in Reese Witherspoon territory. There's not a false moment. It's the breakthrough performance she's been working towards her whole rocky career. Who knew?
I love it when actors defy preconceived notions, but that's not the only pleasure of Bettie Page. As a filmmaker Harron has a lot of fun with both style and subject matter, creating a love letter to movies of the period. The bulk of the film is in black and white but there are some gorgeous "Technicolor" interludes later on and visual tribute is paid to everything from high school dramas to "instructional" shorts to lush melodramas to film noir.
And even though the film doesn't probe very deeply into the real Bettie Page there's something wonderful about a movie that centers around a lead character who poses nude and is deeply Christian, and she isn't judged for either one.
It's also worth mentioning some of the very entertaining supporting performances, especially from Chris Bauer, Lili Taylor and Jared Harris as a close-knit "family" of pornographers (1950s-style). Above all this movie is a portrait of a bygone era when it was truly possible to be naughty and nice at the same time. In other words, it's the sweetest movie involving light bondage ever made.
Especially because there are some good movies out there. Even though Hollywood hasn't tempted me with much so far this year (I'll make it to Inside Man soon) the festival circuit has provided some interesting, and unusually entertaining, options.
Friends with Money (which premiered at Sundance) is like the opposite of the aforementioned Big Dumb Hollywood Comedy. You could split this one four ways and I'd be just as happy. That's because we get Jennifer Aniston, Joan Cusack, Catherine Keener and Frances McDormand as the quartet of principal characters for writer/director Nicole Holofcener, who previously made smart, talky, small indies Walking and Talking and Lovely & Amazing. Other than deciding not to title it "Friends and Money" Holofcener hasn't altered her style much: this is smart, talky and very small.So small it risks being called slight. And it is. But it's also so well acted and written, with genuinely witty dialogue, that it's silly to dismiss (or miss). All four of the leading ladies are great: Aniston is clearly most comfortable in indie films, Cusack is less wacky than usual (to good effect), Keener is a Holofcener-vet for good reason and McDormand pretty much steals the show. There are some guys in the movie too, providing solid support for the women, most notably: Simon McBurney, Jason Isaacs, Greg Germann, Bob Stephenson and Ty Burrell (and, a little less notably, Scott Caan). But you can tell by the lack of marquee names in that group where the focus is.
Yeah Friends with Money is primarily about four female friends. And relationships. And sex. And money. But, although Holofcener directed some episodes, this isn't really Sex and the City. It's an indie film. If you need to, think of it less as a girly movie and more as a funny movie. That's its strength and that's enough.
Also small, indie and directed by a woman (which is still rare enough to be worth pointing out) is The Notorious Bettie Page from HBO Films and director Mary Harron. Some viewers will be frustrated that this biopic about a 1950s pin-up queen, known for both colorful nude shots and naughty underground light bondage photos, doesn't go further in exploring its subject. But I think it's a refreshing change from standard serious bios.Bettie Page is simply fun and a big part of that is due to its star, Gretchen Mol. Mol was always easy enough to write off as an actress but she delivers a truly exceptional performance here, she's so endearing it's actually impossible to imagine the movie without her. Utilizing a slight Southern accent and a perfect mix of innocence and self-assurance, Mol is in Reese Witherspoon territory. There's not a false moment. It's the breakthrough performance she's been working towards her whole rocky career. Who knew?
I love it when actors defy preconceived notions, but that's not the only pleasure of Bettie Page. As a filmmaker Harron has a lot of fun with both style and subject matter, creating a love letter to movies of the period. The bulk of the film is in black and white but there are some gorgeous "Technicolor" interludes later on and visual tribute is paid to everything from high school dramas to "instructional" shorts to lush melodramas to film noir.
And even though the film doesn't probe very deeply into the real Bettie Page there's something wonderful about a movie that centers around a lead character who poses nude and is deeply Christian, and she isn't judged for either one.
It's also worth mentioning some of the very entertaining supporting performances, especially from Chris Bauer, Lili Taylor and Jared Harris as a close-knit "family" of pornographers (1950s-style). Above all this movie is a portrait of a bygone era when it was truly possible to be naughty and nice at the same time. In other words, it's the sweetest movie involving light bondage ever made.
Another One Bites the Dust
So Queen's Idol victim was fat-bottom-lovin' Bucky instead of We-Won't-Rock-You Ace. Even when a mediocre contestant goes home there's still something wrong with the choice. But I'm glad we don't have the performance-inept cowboy to kick around anymore, so I'll leave it at that.
It was certainly a better choice than what we had the last couple weeks. During my absence we lost someone who deserved it (Chicken Little), someone whose elimination was unfortunately inevitable (Lisa) and someone whose elimination still makes no sense at all (I was never a huge Mandisa fan but she was growing on me... and it's completely unfair that country caused her downfall while thoroughly terrible Kellie keeps flying high week after week without even hitting the bottom three; her dumbfounded reaction to Simon's "on paper" comment this week was the absolute end of the line, stupid isn't cute, it's stupid).
Right now there's only one person who I really look forward to each week. Paris really is a little dynamo, her performances since hitting the top 12 have been consistently engaging and entertaining. Her vocals aren't flawless but the roughness only adds to her appeal for me. And unlike the show's most consistent performer (Chris, blah) she never ceases to surprise. When she practically morphed into Tina Turner to rock out to Queen I was truly amazed. And this after a funky fresh "Work It Out" (most entertaining top 12 performance by anyone so far) and a soulful "How Do I Live" (in which she managed to find depth in a shallow song). No one else is worthy of such praise this year but I am very concerned about just how far she'll be able to go.
My other former co-favorites Elliott Yamin and Katharine McPhee are two different stories. Elliott is still solid, but he never makes a strong enough impression. Are his performances too simple? Are his arrangements too predictable? Is he just a little lacking in star charisma? I'm not sure what it is. I'd definitely rank him second only to Paris in terms of personal appeal but I can't exactly call myself a fan. Still I hope he stays around for several weeks to come.
Katharine, on the other hand, needs to do something great fast. She's always been inconsistent but right now I'm just bored with her. She's the most beautiful girl out there but that's the only thing separating her from the rest of the bland pack. And it's not enough.
It was certainly a better choice than what we had the last couple weeks. During my absence we lost someone who deserved it (Chicken Little), someone whose elimination was unfortunately inevitable (Lisa) and someone whose elimination still makes no sense at all (I was never a huge Mandisa fan but she was growing on me... and it's completely unfair that country caused her downfall while thoroughly terrible Kellie keeps flying high week after week without even hitting the bottom three; her dumbfounded reaction to Simon's "on paper" comment this week was the absolute end of the line, stupid isn't cute, it's stupid).
Right now there's only one person who I really look forward to each week. Paris really is a little dynamo, her performances since hitting the top 12 have been consistently engaging and entertaining. Her vocals aren't flawless but the roughness only adds to her appeal for me. And unlike the show's most consistent performer (Chris, blah) she never ceases to surprise. When she practically morphed into Tina Turner to rock out to Queen I was truly amazed. And this after a funky fresh "Work It Out" (most entertaining top 12 performance by anyone so far) and a soulful "How Do I Live" (in which she managed to find depth in a shallow song). No one else is worthy of such praise this year but I am very concerned about just how far she'll be able to go.
My other former co-favorites Elliott Yamin and Katharine McPhee are two different stories. Elliott is still solid, but he never makes a strong enough impression. Are his performances too simple? Are his arrangements too predictable? Is he just a little lacking in star charisma? I'm not sure what it is. I'd definitely rank him second only to Paris in terms of personal appeal but I can't exactly call myself a fan. Still I hope he stays around for several weeks to come.
Katharine, on the other hand, needs to do something great fast. She's always been inconsistent but right now I'm just bored with her. She's the most beautiful girl out there but that's the only thing separating her from the rest of the bland pack. And it's not enough.
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
I mean, come on!
I'll try to make up for my prolonged absence shortly but I just want to ask, Ace is going home on Idol tonight, right?
[Joining him in the bottom three: Bucky and... Katharine (or Elliott?), although Taylor deserves it. I really hope Paris isn't there two weeks in a row, but if she is after last night I don't know what she could possibly do to survive.]
[Joining him in the bottom three: Bucky and... Katharine (or Elliott?), although Taylor deserves it. I really hope Paris isn't there two weeks in a row, but if she is after last night I don't know what she could possibly do to survive.]
Friday, March 17, 2006
Fun links for Friday
Two links to good, short, easy-reading pieces that are worth checking out:
First, Dave White names ten actors worth knowing for MSNBC. It's a great list, but as with all lists there are a few things worth quibbling with (Rainn Wilson? I'm not doubting his talent but shouldn't he like prove himself in at least a movie first? Sahara didn't really do it for me).
In a happy development one of the names on the list, Lauren Graham, was just cast opposite Steve Carell in the Carell-centric Bruce Almighty sequel Evan Almighty. Possibly the first sequel ever made that I'm really looking forward to even though I never saw the original (and don't much care if I ever do).
Even shorter and more fun is this LA Times piece (free registration required...sorry) about just how old certain actors were when they played teens. But, even though she mentions Olivia Newton-John, the author somehow overlooks the fact that Stockard Channing was 33 (33!) when she played a teen in Grease.
First, Dave White names ten actors worth knowing for MSNBC. It's a great list, but as with all lists there are a few things worth quibbling with (Rainn Wilson? I'm not doubting his talent but shouldn't he like prove himself in at least a movie first? Sahara didn't really do it for me).
In a happy development one of the names on the list, Lauren Graham, was just cast opposite Steve Carell in the Carell-centric Bruce Almighty sequel Evan Almighty. Possibly the first sequel ever made that I'm really looking forward to even though I never saw the original (and don't much care if I ever do).
Even shorter and more fun is this LA Times piece (free registration required...sorry) about just how old certain actors were when they played teens. But, even though she mentions Olivia Newton-John, the author somehow overlooks the fact that Stockard Channing was 33 (33!) when she played a teen in Grease.
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Some movies get bumped for a good reason
V for Vendetta opens today and there was some early hype that suggested this could be the year's first great movie. But unless you're desperate for political commentary in any form the movie fails to live up to that buzz.
The reviews are generally positive (although a lot of the "better" critics around didn't care for it much), but I found the movie to be a well intentioned bore. It's interesting to see a film that aims to make a statement but the messages here are muddled and so far removed from reality that I'd seriously question anyone eager to draw parallels between the movie's post-WWIII Totalitarian London and our present day existence. That's partly because the filmmakers do such a poor job of showing what it's actually like to live in Vendetta's fictional world—all we really learn is that it's not wise to go out alone at night, it's still tough to be gay and TV has gotten really really bad.
The hero is a generic comicbook creation who happens to be a political terrorist, but that's not enough to make him interesting. Natalie Portman is actually very good as the female lead (and the movie's "name"—good luck drawing crowds on that) but her character is so limited that it doesn't much matter. There's really no visual style to speak of, which is fairly surprising considering how involved the Wachowski Brothers were with this, and despite the action-heavy trailers the film's explosions and fight scenes are kept to a bare minimum. Marketing this movie to teenage boys is a serious mistake (even if the opening is big the second weekend will be brutal), but I'm not even sure what other audience they could possibly go for.
I'm not very well schooled in Alan Moore's graphic novels (I've only read the excellent The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen) but just as with From Hell, also adapted from one of Moore's works, I have little doubt that the film doesn't do the source material justice.
V for Vendetta isn't a terrible movie but it's not really worth your moviegoing time either. Honestly if you want truly provocative, and relevant, political commentary wrapped up in a fancy genre package I've got some DVDs for you to check out.
The reviews are generally positive (although a lot of the "better" critics around didn't care for it much), but I found the movie to be a well intentioned bore. It's interesting to see a film that aims to make a statement but the messages here are muddled and so far removed from reality that I'd seriously question anyone eager to draw parallels between the movie's post-WWIII Totalitarian London and our present day existence. That's partly because the filmmakers do such a poor job of showing what it's actually like to live in Vendetta's fictional world—all we really learn is that it's not wise to go out alone at night, it's still tough to be gay and TV has gotten really really bad.
The hero is a generic comicbook creation who happens to be a political terrorist, but that's not enough to make him interesting. Natalie Portman is actually very good as the female lead (and the movie's "name"—good luck drawing crowds on that) but her character is so limited that it doesn't much matter. There's really no visual style to speak of, which is fairly surprising considering how involved the Wachowski Brothers were with this, and despite the action-heavy trailers the film's explosions and fight scenes are kept to a bare minimum. Marketing this movie to teenage boys is a serious mistake (even if the opening is big the second weekend will be brutal), but I'm not even sure what other audience they could possibly go for.
I'm not very well schooled in Alan Moore's graphic novels (I've only read the excellent The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen) but just as with From Hell, also adapted from one of Moore's works, I have little doubt that the film doesn't do the source material justice.
V for Vendetta isn't a terrible movie but it's not really worth your moviegoing time either. Honestly if you want truly provocative, and relevant, political commentary wrapped up in a fancy genre package I've got some DVDs for you to check out.
American Idiots
It was no surprise that Melissa left last night on Idol, she's seen this coming since the first performance week when she wisely called out the producers for her lack of screen time during the important audience-relationship-building audition episodes. She didn't deserve to go so soon but she didn't deserve to be around forever either, so at least she can be happy the judges praised her final performance on the show (Simon called it her best yet) and she's now the best singer ever to be eliminated first in the Idol finals.
What was shocking, of course, was who was in the bottom three with her. I couldn't even properly enjoy Ace's bottom three standing because I knew he was in no way worse than Kevin and Kellie, who both miraculously (or deviously?) escaped the bottom three.
And standing next to Ace and Melissa was Lisa, one of the best singers in the top 12. She tried to change up her style, going for a faster song, and she did well but maybe now she'll run back to the ballads.
It's possible that Lisa doesn't stand out enough, or that her fans are also likely to be fans of Mandisa or Paris or Katharine and were busy voting for one or all of those three instead. It's just too bad that some of the contestants who do stand out more than Lisa, do so because they're weak singers with big personalities, or just plain bad.
Maybe it's worth remembering that Kinnik and Gedeon were both much better than some of the top 12, but I guess America needs its "variety"...
What was shocking, of course, was who was in the bottom three with her. I couldn't even properly enjoy Ace's bottom three standing because I knew he was in no way worse than Kevin and Kellie, who both miraculously (or deviously?) escaped the bottom three.
And standing next to Ace and Melissa was Lisa, one of the best singers in the top 12. She tried to change up her style, going for a faster song, and she did well but maybe now she'll run back to the ballads.
It's possible that Lisa doesn't stand out enough, or that her fans are also likely to be fans of Mandisa or Paris or Katharine and were busy voting for one or all of those three instead. It's just too bad that some of the contestants who do stand out more than Lisa, do so because they're weak singers with big personalities, or just plain bad.
Maybe it's worth remembering that Kinnik and Gedeon were both much better than some of the top 12, but I guess America needs its "variety"...
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Pecking order
American Idol's top 12 took the stage last night and although it's still shocking to me that freaky Gedeon was not among the finalists last night did very little to change my opinions on anyone.
So before they start getting eliminated for real, here's how I would kick them out, one-by-one, if I was the only person who got to vote...
Week One
Kevin Covais, dubbed "Chicken Little" by the sadistic producers and his masochistic "fans," is so clearly out of his depth that it's actually insulting he's even in the top 12. The way he's taken to playing up his I'm-a-geek-but-now-it's-ironic-because-I'm-on-TV persona does him no favors. Would anyone seriously buy an album by this kid as anything but a gag gift? I'm not convinced he'll go tonight but there's no one who deserves it more.
Week Two
Ace Young is supposed to be the "good looking one" but is it weird that I find him more than a little creepy? He's not slimy like Constantine or a living Muppet like Guarini but it's no surprise that those are the two past Idols he's most compared to. Let's face it, it's never gonna get better than that George Michael song he did a month ago... I say cut him off as early as possible.
Week Three
Kellie Pickler is coasting purely on her Beverly Hillbilly personality (golly, you big city folks and your fancy indoor plumbing!!). Maybe more people will realize this after her completely disasterous performance last night. I would allow her to torture the viewing public for three weeks, but if I was really in charge she never would've made top 12.
Week Four
Bucky Covington seems more genuine to me than Kellie and he's never really awful, but he's never really good either. Simon's comments about finding guys like Bucky in bars all over America are pretty spot-on. (He's a prime contender to leave tonight.)
Week Five
Melissa McGhee is an underdog and I kind of like her. But she's no star and no great singer. Someone's gotta go every week... (back in the real world, she could even go tonight.)
Week Six
By this point I'm a little sick of Taylor Hicks' spastic dance moves and boring song choices. The audience starts to turn against me...
Week Seven
In the first flat-out shocker Chris Daughtry, who represents everything bland and bad about modern rock radio (not even music, radio), exits the competition. He cries a lot. I smile.
Week Eight
Mandisa is eliminated. America is outraged. I explain that although she is talented and likable there's still something missing. Don't ask me what it is, I still don't know.
And now I cheat. The four remaning contestants—Paris Bennett, Katharine McPhee, Lisa Tucker and Elliott Yamin—are my favorites, and I still can't decide which of them I like best. They've all had good weeks and bad, all have endearing personalities and none seem likely to actually win (but they're the only four I could see myself voting for). Alphabetical order is as good as any (and frankly represents where I'm actually leaning as of last night) but I'd want to see how each of them does or doesn't grow through the competition.
But I know that back in the real world I won't get that chance... damn you Chris!!
So before they start getting eliminated for real, here's how I would kick them out, one-by-one, if I was the only person who got to vote...
Week One
Kevin Covais, dubbed "Chicken Little" by the sadistic producers and his masochistic "fans," is so clearly out of his depth that it's actually insulting he's even in the top 12. The way he's taken to playing up his I'm-a-geek-but-now-it's-ironic-because-I'm-on-TV persona does him no favors. Would anyone seriously buy an album by this kid as anything but a gag gift? I'm not convinced he'll go tonight but there's no one who deserves it more.
Week Two
Ace Young is supposed to be the "good looking one" but is it weird that I find him more than a little creepy? He's not slimy like Constantine or a living Muppet like Guarini but it's no surprise that those are the two past Idols he's most compared to. Let's face it, it's never gonna get better than that George Michael song he did a month ago... I say cut him off as early as possible.
Week Three
Kellie Pickler is coasting purely on her Beverly Hillbilly personality (golly, you big city folks and your fancy indoor plumbing!!). Maybe more people will realize this after her completely disasterous performance last night. I would allow her to torture the viewing public for three weeks, but if I was really in charge she never would've made top 12.
Week Four
Bucky Covington seems more genuine to me than Kellie and he's never really awful, but he's never really good either. Simon's comments about finding guys like Bucky in bars all over America are pretty spot-on. (He's a prime contender to leave tonight.)
Week Five
Melissa McGhee is an underdog and I kind of like her. But she's no star and no great singer. Someone's gotta go every week... (back in the real world, she could even go tonight.)
Week Six
By this point I'm a little sick of Taylor Hicks' spastic dance moves and boring song choices. The audience starts to turn against me...
Week Seven
In the first flat-out shocker Chris Daughtry, who represents everything bland and bad about modern rock radio (not even music, radio), exits the competition. He cries a lot. I smile.
Week Eight
Mandisa is eliminated. America is outraged. I explain that although she is talented and likable there's still something missing. Don't ask me what it is, I still don't know.
And now I cheat. The four remaning contestants—Paris Bennett, Katharine McPhee, Lisa Tucker and Elliott Yamin—are my favorites, and I still can't decide which of them I like best. They've all had good weeks and bad, all have endearing personalities and none seem likely to actually win (but they're the only four I could see myself voting for). Alphabetical order is as good as any (and frankly represents where I'm actually leaning as of last night) but I'd want to see how each of them does or doesn't grow through the competition.
But I know that back in the real world I won't get that chance... damn you Chris!!
Saturday, March 11, 2006
Darkness and Light
My plan yesterday was to post about how The Hills Have Eyes is the first wide release movie of 2006 that I've seen and enjoyed. If "enjoyed" is the right word for the story of a family stranded in the desert who become prey for a band of mutant cannibals. This is brutal stuff, and not for anyone who doesn't have a taste for those kinds of things, but it's also very good for what it is: tense, gritty, psychologically disturbing and even a little bit smart. This is horror that hits you where it hurts (the version I saw was an early "NC-17" cut, although from what I've read the theatrical "R-rated" version is shocking enough).
The ensemble cast is quite good: stalwarts Ted Levine and Kathleen Quinlan are the parents, Eyes Wide Shut's Vinessa Shaw and Lost's Emilie de Ravin are the pretty blonde daughters and cast standouts Aaron Stanford and Dan Byrd are the young men of the family. The film is also a big step up for director Alexandre Aja, who showed a lot of style, but not much smarts, with last year's High Tension. Yet I understand how watching a nice Middle American family get torn limb from limb before the survivors take their grisly revenge is not everyone's idea of an enjoyable night at the movies.
So I'm glad that last night I caught Dave Chappelle's Block Party (good call Justin!), the best film I've seen of this young year and something I can recommend to just about anyone. I know it's something I'll remember at year's end.
I wouldn't have expected much from this (possibly because I'm one of the country's only twentysomethings who has never seen an episode of Chappelle's insanely popular Comedy Central show) but in retrospect I have no idea why. I know Chappelle is funny, I love (or really like) many of the musical artists who perform and the director is Michel Gondry (of 2004's best movie: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind). Block Party is pure joy, a documentary/comedy/concert film hybrid that is so unrelentingly positive I have a hard time believing anyone could walk away from this movie unimpressed.
About a year and a half ago Chappelle decided to throw a giant block party in Brooklyn. He invited some of the best hip-hop/neo-soul acts around (Kanye West, The Roots, Mos Def, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu and even a reunited Fugees) and bused in residents of his Dayton, Ohio community to mix with New Yorkers. The result is truly something to behold.
The music is electrifying: whether it's West tearing into "Jesus Walks" with a high school marching band from Ohio or the awe-inspiring Scott joining Badu and The Roots on "You Got Me" or Def mixing it up with Common and Talib Kweli for several tracks, the result is a powerful sensation of unfiltered bliss. (There's so much more to hip-hop than a film like Hustle & Flow allows for.)
I wanted a little more from some of those performances (some songs are cut off too soon or interrupted) but all of the material is so good—Chappelle's comedy, the "real people" interviews and the music—that it really doesn't matter where the film strays. And I have a feeling we'll be able to see more of everything on the DVD, a format where I think this movie will transform from pretty great to simply classic.
The ensemble cast is quite good: stalwarts Ted Levine and Kathleen Quinlan are the parents, Eyes Wide Shut's Vinessa Shaw and Lost's Emilie de Ravin are the pretty blonde daughters and cast standouts Aaron Stanford and Dan Byrd are the young men of the family. The film is also a big step up for director Alexandre Aja, who showed a lot of style, but not much smarts, with last year's High Tension. Yet I understand how watching a nice Middle American family get torn limb from limb before the survivors take their grisly revenge is not everyone's idea of an enjoyable night at the movies.
So I'm glad that last night I caught Dave Chappelle's Block Party (good call Justin!), the best film I've seen of this young year and something I can recommend to just about anyone. I know it's something I'll remember at year's end.
I wouldn't have expected much from this (possibly because I'm one of the country's only twentysomethings who has never seen an episode of Chappelle's insanely popular Comedy Central show) but in retrospect I have no idea why. I know Chappelle is funny, I love (or really like) many of the musical artists who perform and the director is Michel Gondry (of 2004's best movie: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind). Block Party is pure joy, a documentary/comedy/concert film hybrid that is so unrelentingly positive I have a hard time believing anyone could walk away from this movie unimpressed.
About a year and a half ago Chappelle decided to throw a giant block party in Brooklyn. He invited some of the best hip-hop/neo-soul acts around (Kanye West, The Roots, Mos Def, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu and even a reunited Fugees) and bused in residents of his Dayton, Ohio community to mix with New Yorkers. The result is truly something to behold.
The music is electrifying: whether it's West tearing into "Jesus Walks" with a high school marching band from Ohio or the awe-inspiring Scott joining Badu and The Roots on "You Got Me" or Def mixing it up with Common and Talib Kweli for several tracks, the result is a powerful sensation of unfiltered bliss. (There's so much more to hip-hop than a film like Hustle & Flow allows for.)
I wanted a little more from some of those performances (some songs are cut off too soon or interrupted) but all of the material is so good—Chappelle's comedy, the "real people" interviews and the music—that it really doesn't matter where the film strays. And I have a feeling we'll be able to see more of everything on the DVD, a format where I think this movie will transform from pretty great to simply classic.
Thursday, March 09, 2006
Aftermath
The reactions to Oscar's folly keep pouring in.
Be sure to check out this amazing commentary by Steve Lopez from the LA Times, which directly challenges the Worst Best Picture Ever from a Los Angeles perspective and Dateline Hollywood's very amusing explanation of why this happened (third graph from the end is comedy gold, and Haggis was asking for it on the Brecht reference in his speech).
Then, if you must, check out the commentary of a pompous jackass in the Chicago Sun Times.
Roger Ebert has been extremely annoying this entire award season but he reached a new low with this, and I had to respond. So posted below is the e-mail I sent him in response to his column:
Be sure to check out this amazing commentary by Steve Lopez from the LA Times, which directly challenges the Worst Best Picture Ever from a Los Angeles perspective and Dateline Hollywood's very amusing explanation of why this happened (third graph from the end is comedy gold, and Haggis was asking for it on the Brecht reference in his speech).
Then, if you must, check out the commentary of a pompous jackass in the Chicago Sun Times.
Roger Ebert has been extremely annoying this entire award season but he reached a new low with this, and I had to respond. So posted below is the e-mail I sent him in response to his column:
Re: The Fury of the 'Crash'-lash
Roger,
Your insistence on spinning information in order to justify the Oscar debacle is as shameful as it is embarrassing.
In your article, which primarily attacks Kenneth Turan and Nikki Finke, you state that "What is intriguing about these writers is that they never mention the other three best picture nominees: "Capote," "Good Night, and Good Luck" and "Munich.""
Did you even read Turan's article? If so you must have missed this:
" "Brokeback," it is worth noting, was in some ways the tamest of the discomforting films available to Oscar voters in various categories. Steven Spielberg's "Munich"; the Palestinian Territories' "Paradise Now," one of the best foreign language nominees; and the documentary nominee "Darwin's Nightmare" offered scenarios that truly shook up people's normal ways of seeing the world. None of them won a thing."
And Finke's article, which was published before the Oscar travesty and seems especially prescient now, includes this passage:
"It’s not that Crash isn’t Oscar-worthy and Brokeback is. Both are good, if flawed, movies."
Acknowledging Finke's personal opinion would have given your readers a better idea of where she was actually coming from in this debate, but unfortunately it doesn't support your viewpoint that critics and entertainment media just won't leave poor Crash alone. Or recognize it for the genius, Dickensian work that it apparently is.
As a critic you are, of course, entitled to your opinion and the general public is entitled to agree or disagree. But if you're really trying to figure out why so many Brokeback Mountain fans are so upset with the Crash victory maybe you should consider, and maybe even inform your readers, of the amount of "Best Picture" awards that Brokeback Mountain won prior to Oscar night:
BAFTA
Golden Globes
Independent Spirit Awards
Venice Film Festival
Los Angeles Film Critics Association
New York Film Critics Circle
Broadcast Film Critics Association
Golden Satellite
Critics groups from: Boston, Dallas-Fort Worth, Florida, Iowa, Las Vegas, London, St. Louis, San Francisco, Southeastern U.S., Utah and Vancouver
Brokeback also won "Best Picture" equivalents from the Directors Guild and Producers Guild and won Best Adapted Screenplay from the Writers Guild. It also received the highest ranking of any Best Picture nominees on both the Village Voice and Film Comment critics polls AND made more money at the U.S. box office than any other nominee.
In comparison Crash won top awards from the Actors and Editors Guilds. It won the original screenplay prize from the Writers Guild. It was voted Best Picture by the Chicago Film Critics and won the NAACP Image Award. Not a bad showing but not even in the same universe as Brokeback when it comes to awards and acclaim.
Crash also failed to receive a Golden Globe nomination as Best Drama (nominations went to far more artistically successful films like A History of Violence and The Constant Gardener) and it was nominated as "Best First Feature," rather than "Best Feature," by the Independent Spirit Awards (even though Tommy Lee Jones' debut film, The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, was nominated as "Best Feature").
I admire you for standing up for the minority opinion on this sad and shocking moment in Oscar history but I wish you wouldn't pretend to be so clueless about why so many people are outraged.
You're smarter than that.
Best,
Geoff Berkshire
Los Angeles, California
Lackluster
This is starting to look like the worst season yet for American Idol, at least for me. My favorites are turning out to be highly uneven and the other presumptive frontrunners either don't interest me or fail to impress.
This week was marked by another disappointing performance from Paris (the "Conga" song selection was embarrassing, and although I still like her this worries me more than her attempt to "stretch" with a poorly chosen ballad last week) and the first disappointing performance by Elliott (the only guy I truly like). At least the judges loved him, I'm worried he may not even make the top 12.
Katharine was probably the highlight of the women this week, she confirmed her Kelly Clarkson-esque aspirations by daring to take on an Aretha standard (although by doing so she proved she's good, but not Kelly good). And for the first time since her audition I really loved Lisa's performance, even if the judges were thoroughly unimpressed. The way that Kellie continually gets a pass from the judges is starting to drive me crazy ("cute" does not overcome mediocre singing) and I have yet to be "wow"-ed by Mandisa, but I guess I'm almost alone in that.
On the guys' side only Gedeon was worth watching, but he's a little too bizarre offstage (what exactly was that clip package about? a painting involving the world and a record?? and he was so serious about it...creepy).
I've pretty much resigned myself to Chris winning this whole thing. He's the only one with clear "talent" who is consistent every week. Mandisa may put up a good fight, and if it actually comes down to the two of them I suppose she could win. But either way I wouldn't care much.
It's hard to predict exactly who will leave tonight but I'm guessing Melissa (who doesn't deserve it) and Ayla (who does) from the ladies and Kevin and Will (both deserving) from the guys (I would celebrate the elimination of either Bucky or Ace, but I expect them both to be safe for now).
I think Kinnik saved herself by showing some personality and picking a very safe Alicia Keys song (the same song that saved Vonzell when she needed it early on), but I'd expect her to be in the bottom three. Though the underwhelmed reactions that Paris and Lisa received from the judges could be dangerous.
Anyway after tonight we'll have a top 12 and I'll weigh in further next week.
This week was marked by another disappointing performance from Paris (the "Conga" song selection was embarrassing, and although I still like her this worries me more than her attempt to "stretch" with a poorly chosen ballad last week) and the first disappointing performance by Elliott (the only guy I truly like). At least the judges loved him, I'm worried he may not even make the top 12.
Katharine was probably the highlight of the women this week, she confirmed her Kelly Clarkson-esque aspirations by daring to take on an Aretha standard (although by doing so she proved she's good, but not Kelly good). And for the first time since her audition I really loved Lisa's performance, even if the judges were thoroughly unimpressed. The way that Kellie continually gets a pass from the judges is starting to drive me crazy ("cute" does not overcome mediocre singing) and I have yet to be "wow"-ed by Mandisa, but I guess I'm almost alone in that.
On the guys' side only Gedeon was worth watching, but he's a little too bizarre offstage (what exactly was that clip package about? a painting involving the world and a record?? and he was so serious about it...creepy).
I've pretty much resigned myself to Chris winning this whole thing. He's the only one with clear "talent" who is consistent every week. Mandisa may put up a good fight, and if it actually comes down to the two of them I suppose she could win. But either way I wouldn't care much.
It's hard to predict exactly who will leave tonight but I'm guessing Melissa (who doesn't deserve it) and Ayla (who does) from the ladies and Kevin and Will (both deserving) from the guys (I would celebrate the elimination of either Bucky or Ace, but I expect them both to be safe for now).
I think Kinnik saved herself by showing some personality and picking a very safe Alicia Keys song (the same song that saved Vonzell when she needed it early on), but I'd expect her to be in the bottom three. Though the underwhelmed reactions that Paris and Lisa received from the judges could be dangerous.
Anyway after tonight we'll have a top 12 and I'll weigh in further next week.
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
No spoilers, but...
I just have to say: 24 is fearless.
For a TV show, a network TV show no less, to be this good in its fifth season is insane.
For a TV show, a network TV show no less, to be this good in its fifth season is insane.
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
The Season's Best (Network) TV Pilot Finally Arrives
If Arrested Development and Curb Your Enthusiasm had a baby it would be Sons & Daughters, which premieres on ABC tonight at 9 with back-to-back episodes (fits great into the post-Idol, pre-Race viewing schedule, right?).
This nutty, complex half-hour comedy blends the sharp improv style of Curb with the dysfunctional family appeal and smart running gags of Arrested. This wasn't a great season for new shows on network television but this first episode would be among the best in any season.
Whether the show stays good after the first episode I can't say, but I'm optimistic. I'm not as optimistic about its chances of survival. This is hardly broad comedy for the masses and the large amount of characters, lack of recognizable stars (lead Fred Goss was also on Bravo's acclaimed but short lived Significant Others, and yes that's Dee Wallace, the mom from E.T., as the matriarch of the extended family, but no one here is a known commodity) and ABC's uneven marketing campaign won't help.
If Arrested Development couldn't make it despite Fox's patience it's hard to imagine this show doing any better on a "bigger" network. But I'm glad ABC is giving it a shot, and given the network's embarrassing line-up of comedies right now (their highest rated comedy of the season was the offbeat, but never good enough, Crumbs, which isn't even on the schedule anymore) maybe something good will come of this odd little experiment.
I hope to enjoy it while it lasts.
This nutty, complex half-hour comedy blends the sharp improv style of Curb with the dysfunctional family appeal and smart running gags of Arrested. This wasn't a great season for new shows on network television but this first episode would be among the best in any season.
Whether the show stays good after the first episode I can't say, but I'm optimistic. I'm not as optimistic about its chances of survival. This is hardly broad comedy for the masses and the large amount of characters, lack of recognizable stars (lead Fred Goss was also on Bravo's acclaimed but short lived Significant Others, and yes that's Dee Wallace, the mom from E.T., as the matriarch of the extended family, but no one here is a known commodity) and ABC's uneven marketing campaign won't help.
If Arrested Development couldn't make it despite Fox's patience it's hard to imagine this show doing any better on a "bigger" network. But I'm glad ABC is giving it a shot, and given the network's embarrassing line-up of comedies right now (their highest rated comedy of the season was the offbeat, but never good enough, Crumbs, which isn't even on the schedule anymore) maybe something good will come of this odd little experiment.
I hope to enjoy it while it lasts.
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