Most people have a good idea of what they plan on calling their kids. Never have I desired to name my kid Chuck. There's so many things wrong with the name. Imagine your kid being taunted with "up Chuck" or having to be reminded constantly of the horrible doll Chucky. But for some bizarre reason, the name's taken a firm grip on the entertainment industry.
Kelsey Grammer comes back to primetime after 11 years on "Frasier" to play a reputable co-anchor on "Back to you" called Chuck Darling. The teen novel "Gossip Girl" finally gets adapted for our viewing pleasure and the male villain, some obnoxious rich kid, is called Chuck. Jessica Alba does her first romantic comedy and it's called Good Luck Chuck. Adam Sandler pretends to be gay for I believe the first time in I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry. In the new show "Life," the wrongfully imprisoned cop is called Charles, which is where the nickname Chuck comes from. And last but not least, there's even a show about a geek with government secrets named "Chuck."
So basically what I'm asking here is...Is there no other name that writers can think of or did Hollywood unanimously decide that Chuck was the It-name of the year?
"Heroes" 1. Takezo Kensei, the great Japanese warrior, is actually British. LMAO. 2. What the hell was that scarred face doing in Nathan's reflection? 3. Claire just can't be normal for five seconds. She had to attract the one kid in school that can fly. 4. It's sooooo not a good time for Peter to forget who he is.
"Bones" 1. I love the intricate wedding story that Angela can barely remember. 2. Boreanaz's eagerness to be Brennan's BFF is really adorable. 3. I love Zack's new buzz cut.
Grey's Anatomy: 1. I can't believe Alex didn’t go see Rebecca. He just drove in her direction. How can someone who can be so mean to his new interns be that deeply in love? 2. I love that Christina went on her honeymoon with Meredith. 3. It's hilarious that Christina gave her interns numbers instead of memorizing their names. 4. What does "I love you too" mean George? I love you as a friend or I love you as a future wife? 5. Lexie is insane if she thought telling Meredith who she was in the middle of an emergency was a good idea. 6. It was funny when Mark went all homoreotic and said: “I came to Seattle to get you back” to Derek. 7. It's cute that the interns were fighting to be the new Nazi. 8. It's interesting that Derek evolved into a McDreamy that actually understands Meredith and has patience for her. 9. They wasted no time mentioning that both Lexie and Meredith are “the girl from the bar,” pegging them against each other. 10. All I know is that if Christina puts on classical music that reminds her of Burke I will break down and cry till me eyes drown.
"Ugly Betty" 1. Favorite line: Delivered by Marc to Amanda, "You’re starting to look like two fat girls hugging.” 2. I'm glad that they finally gave Justin the chance to be a fashionista. 3. I feel really bad for Hilda. But her dream of spending all day and all night with Santos, and showing him her wedding dress and hearing his vows was so freaking romantic. Whoever tries to date her better be a God.
Back to You: This second episode was really, really funny. No one does slapstick better than a tightly wound fat kid. The best line of the whole episode, surrounding an unsuccessful ploy for Chuck to prove he's responsible enough to be in his daughter's life by taking care of a fish, was: "The fish all know me now. When they see me coming, they hide in their little castles." Seriously, the aquarium was empty by the end of the episode. However, next week I'll be seeing Pushing Daisies to see what it has to offer.
K-Ville: In this episode of the secrets of Katrina, we learn that prison labor is essential to cleaning up New Orleans. Meanwhile, we're introduced to the demons of Officer Cobb. He starts having flashbacks of killing his best friend and escaping from the prison. So when met with a case involving three escaped convicts who are being hunted down by the murderous warden, he let's one get away to make up for killing his best friend. On second viewing of the murder, it seems like he panicked and it wasn't malicious like I thought before. But knowing that his cellmate's girl survived Katrina, makes me wonder if one day he'll have to face her and tell her the truth. I've got to say that the show's got me hooked.
Gossip Girl: It wasn't half bad. I laughed a lot more this time, mainly because of Penn Badgley's frequent quips. There are also funny moments that I can relate to, like when his sister needed to remind him to take a shower--something all young sisters have to do eventually. Before I thought it was lame that his only friend was his sister and that Serena used her suicidal little brother as her personal diary, but now it’s kind of endearing that both of them confide in their siblings. I also thought Chuck was an asshole, which I still do. But I have to argue that he's the coolest best friend anyone has ever had. After having sex with two servants, he offers his bud Nate a go at whichever one he wants. Hmmm, sloppy seconds. *gag* Then he convinces Blair to sleep with Nate. Where can I get a best friend like this? Seriously, always looking out for me, providing me with a steady harem. What more can you ask for?
Poor Chuck. He thinks a scarf is a signature. Kanye West'sStronger sunglasses are his signature. Your scarves are just gay. Then there's the fact that Serena's mom is dating his dad...which is supposed to be scandalous. Who cares? It's hilarious that Chuck's dad is trying to introduce him to people and get him to make friends. What kind of child does he think he's raised? I personally found Chuck only bearable when Dan makes fun of him. He had the balls to act all bad ass while wearing a cardigan. I'm trembling. But I prefer Dan's comeback to Chuck's threats: “Any time man, that one black eye looks a little lonely.” I get why Serena says Dan is smart, funny, and nice. But boy is that a generic description of what kind of guy every girl wants. It's also kind of pathetic that Serena's never met anyone like that before. Even though Dan's a great brother, he needs to keep a tighter leash on his sister. She's vying to be Blair's lap dog and I don't like where that's going...except if it ends in Jenny screwing both Blair and Chuck over. My only real problem with this week's episode is the fact that Serena threw away her phone. That made no sense whatsoever.
Even though this fall television season is chocked full of geeks, super powers, and the supernatural, the one topic it's barely covering just so happens to have been the most popular amongst teenagers just a few years ago: Vampires. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel" were cult favorites in the late 90s, and they went on for as long as they could. Now that CW has given up the genre for less specific mystical fare, like "Supernatural" and "The Reaper," it seems CBS wants to pick up the slack. It already has "The Ghost Whisperer" and now it's adding on to its spook factory the vaguely familiar "Moonlight."
You do remember that David Boreanaz played the hottest vampire P.I. of television history, right? Well, this is Mick St. John (Alex O'Loughlin from The Invisible), his clone. Alright, so maybe the only thing they have in common is that they're both vampires and detectives. Where as Angel had a crew, a taudry past, an evil alter ego, and possessed the very same afflictions as traditional vampires, Mick tries to work alone and defies all laws of vampire history. Instead of disintegrating in the sun, he just starts to feel weak. He doesn't sleep in a coffin--not that Angel did--but in a freezer. He asserts that his kind can't turn into bats, not even Dracula, who I gather he won't be mentioning. Garlic, crucifixes, and holy water are not harmful towards him. He can retract his fangs if he injects himself with blood. He can fly...sort of. (It's pretty lame to watch.) And the only way to kill him does not involve a stake through the heart, but fire or decapitation.
I don't think changing the background of vampires is a good idea. Granted, they're not real, so you can make up whatever you want. But to convince avid readers of supernatural material to adopt a new belief system is like trying to convince Star Wars fans to consider believing--just for once second--that members of the Sith are actually really friendly and all they do is bake cookies. Thus, committing sci-fi suicide.
Nonetheless, here's the story of Mick St. John. He's a 90-year-old vampire, who was turned when he was 30. His sire is a woman named Coraline (Shannyn Sossamon from 40 Days and 40 Nights), who is obsessively in love with him. So much so that she kidnapped a little girl so she can be their child forever. He was hired by the girl's mother to get her back and when he did, he burned Coraline alive. Ever since then, he's watched over the girl, for a reason not explained. Perhaps, it's because they're soulmates--which is kind of creepy, since he met her when she was like 8. Now that Beth (Sophia Myles from Tristan + Isolde) is all grown up, she seems to be getting herself into even more trouble. She's an investigative--or what I like to call, nosy--web reporter for Buzz Wire. And she often sneaks into dead people's houses, invades crime scenes, and prods her police informant, Lt. Carl Davis (Brian J. White from Stomp the Yard), for info. So naturally, his hands are full.
Coming into contact with her was inevitable. She's convinced she's met him before and it must be for that reason that she doesn't seem to grasp the importance of personal boundaries--waltzing into his apartment uninvited and demanding compliance in certain situations. Even though you can see the chemistry between them, she has a boyfriend, Josh (Jordan Belfi from "Entourage"). Don't pity him because he's lonely. Unlike Angel, Mick has a best friend, Josef (Jason Dohring from "Veronica Mars"). Of course, they're like "Smallville"s Clark Kent and Lex Luthor, complete opposites. Josef is a 400-year-old, rich playboy, who's witnessed so much vampire discrimination and experienced so many joys as an immortal, he doesn't feel compelled to be polite to humans. He treats their blood like its wine, saying things like "82 was a good year." His place in the vampire world is apparently one in P.R. He makes sure that everyone still thinks vampires are a myth, and will do what he has to in order to keep them a secret. Meanwhile, Mick does his best to help humans when they're in need. He uses the scent of a person's blood to track them, smelling the past and glimpsing the future. He's the perfect partner for Beth.
Overall, what the show tries to do is humanize vampires. In one line, there's the statement, "You don't have to be a vampire to get a taste for blood," referring to murderers. But if they're going to keep up this case-per-episode rhythm, they're going to have to come up with stuff that's a little less predictable.
Honestly though, I'd rather watch Friday Night Lights next week on NBC. "Clear eyes. Full hearts. CAN'T LOSE!"
The push for this action war thriller has been all over the city. Free screenings, press junkets, and even a plug at the VMAs. Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman ("Arrested Development"), and Chris Cooper (Breach) star in this political drama set on the battle fields of the Middle East. After 100+ Americans are killed in a suicide bombing, Foxx is authorized by Jeremy Piven ("Entourage") to form a team to take a secret trip into Saudi Arabia, where he'll have five days to find the terrorists behind the bombing. Not only does the Saudi officials want to handle the situation violently on their own and Bateman gets kidnapped, but once they do find the criminals, all hell breaks loose. Every terrorist within a 20 mile radius rains down on them and they have to fight for their lives to get out. It's an interesting look into the bond that people from two different nations form against one common enemy. What's most exciting about it is that it's written by newcomer Matthew Carnahan, who is scoring major jobs with big names. This is his first credited film, but by 2009 he will have worked with Brad Pitt and Edward Norton on State of Play,Robert Redford, Meryl Streep, and Tom Cruise on Lions for Lambs, and George Clooney on White Jazz. Let's hope he's better than his brother, Joe Carnahan, who's only notable writing credits are the successful indie Narc and the poorly reviewed Smokin Aces. But if it does badly, it won't be all his fault since it's like amateur city on set. Actor Peter Berg (Collateral) is directing. He cut his teeth with Friday Nigh Lights and with three more films--one featuring Will Smith and Charlize Theron in Hancock--on the way, it looks like he's getting comfortable in the director's seat.
The Game Plan
Dwayne 'The Rock "Johnson has rarely played an asshole. So it's funny that he'd choose to do so in a kid's movie. Taking the Vin Diesel-Pacifier route, he's mixing it up with a precocious little tyke (Madison Pettis from "Cory in the House") who pushes every one of his buttons. To Johnson's surprise, he unknowingly fathered a child. I gather, by the trailer, that this girl was eager to meet her biological father, because she brought her birth certificate as proof. So she disrupts his bachelorhood and the benefits he receives as a professional NFL quarterback. Hilarity ensues when she tries to make herself at home and girly up his pad, and when he tries to turn her into the son he would prefer. This is one of those ego-draining, evolution-type stories where an obnoxious Neanderthal gets schooled by a wiser and emotionally-mature kid. Also starring are Kyra Sedgwick ("The Closer") and Roselyn Sanchez (Boat Trip).
Lust, Caution
Ang Lee dips back into the romance genre, with this Asian NC-17 rated love story about a young woman (newcomer Wei Tang) who must seduce a politician (Tony Leung Chiu Wai from Infernal Affairs) and kill him. The trailer has no words, just a score, but it still manages to enslave your emotions as you watch her fall in love with the man she must murder.
Feast of Love
Greg Kinnear (Little Miss Sunshine) takes us through this sexed-up, gloves-off, indie version of Love Actually, where different people find what love means for them and learn what it has in store for their future. Morgan Freeman stars as the voice of reason for Kinnear's seemingly hopeless character. So you know there'll be a lot of speeches chocked full of wisdom. Kinnear goes through what seems like 3 relationships: one with a wallflower, Selma Blair (The Sweetest Thing), who realizes she's a lesbian kind of late in life, another with a self-assured ice queen, Rhada Mitchell (Melinda Melinda), who leaves him for another guy, and he starts one with Erika Marozsan ("The Company"), who he might have a chance with. There's also a story about young love and how volatile, fast-paced and passionate it can be that is told through Toby Hemingway (The Covenant) and Alexa Davalos (The Chronicles of Riddick).
The Darjeeling Limited
Three estranged brothers (Adrien Brody, Owen Wilson, and Jason Schwartzman) take a road trip via train through India to reacquaint themselves with one another. Somehow they get stranded and are handed a brand new adventure. One that will possibly answer the question as to whether they'd love each other if they weren't brothers. Directed by Wes Anderson (Royal Tenenbaums) and co-written with amateur writer and Hollywood royalty Roman Coppola.
Of all the networks, ABC does ensemble casts the best. So it's no surprise that they have so many shows in that format. Where at one point in time they were known for their family-friendly shows, these days they've become more attached to scandal and intrigue. They've already cornered the market on female-centered ("Desperate Housewives," "Men in Trees") and unisex ("Grey's Anatomy" and "Brothers & Sisters") plots. And now they're trying to dabble in the fairly unpopular genre of the male-centered plot. Most shows that are geared towards men involve action, sex, and dark storylines. Not many can boast the poetic humanization of the every-man. That's what ABC is attempting with "Big Shots," a show about four guys who find solace in their friendship while their world crumbles around them.
Like the other shows that I've mentioned, the writers of "Big Shots" really fleshed out each character so that they're easy to relate to. It panders to men so that they have an avenue of expression, and to women so that they have a proverbial translation of the male psyche. Here are the four characters that are expected to mend the divide:
Duncan (Dylan McDermott from “The Practice”) is a CEO of a cosmetics company, which is fitting since he's so superficial. He's been married many times, but seems to suffer from a rare form of emotional ADD. Even though he divorced his first wife, he can't seem to stop wanting to have sex with her. Maybe it's because they had a child together, who is now 19-years-old and a pain in the ass. She humbles him when he starts behaving like he's king of the world. It's probably why he drinks so much and always has a five o'clock shadow, like he's perpetually recovering from a hangover. She reminds him of what a failure he is in her eyes, having abandoned her when she was 8 years old. But she's not the only one who will serve to give him a reality check. A journalist, writing a profile on him for a magazine, wants to get dirt on him. Unfortunately, he pulled a Hugh Grant, and almost had sex with a transvestite (the 2nd to appear on an ABC show this season). Now he has to figure out a way to retain his credibility and quiet the enterprising journalist.
Brody (Christopher Titus from “Titus”) is the owner of Alpha Crisis Management, a company that helps you when you're in a bind, which he often is. He's married to a woman who treats him more like a personal assistant than she does a husband. And despite the fact that he's treated this way, he worships her. It's interesting that we never get to see her face in the pilot; makes it seem like she really is a goddess, so beautiful, so mighty, so powerful that the lowly may not gaze upon her. That or they're saving the big reveal for sweeps week where they'll get a huge guest star to boost ratings. Despite his stressful lifestyle, Brody is the comic relief of the show. Often getting a joke in no matter the situation.
Karl (Joshua Malina from “The West Wing”) is the owner of Devotion Pharmaceuticals, a cleverly named company that produces Viagra. It's ironic that a short, geeky looking man runs a pleasure company, is married to a pretty people-pleaser, and is having an affair with a gorgeous woman named Marla (Jessica Collins from “Tru Calling”). But, like a non-Adonis would, he feels guilty about what he's doing and admits that he just needs the ego-boost. Unfortunately, he tried to get one from a needy woman who is hell-bent on inserting herself into his life like she's entitled to the same attention and benefits as his wife. Hell, the woman wanted couple's therapy. Can you say...Fatal Attraction?
James (Michael Vartan from “Alias”) is a young ingenue at Amerimart Industries who is married to a beautiful woman and has kids. By his company's name, it's obvious he is the representation of the ideal American man: faithful, hard working, innovative, and family-oriented. But, I really do think they hired Vartan for his "panic" face. You can always count on him to look terrified of messing up. He plays a character that had it all, but as luck would have it, his boss wanted what he had too. He planned on firing him, but he died before he informed the company. It's only after his boss bites it that he starts to see life for what it really is, as though he were asleep all that time. He discovers that his wife was sleeping with his boss. That violent jolt to reality served to motivate him. As he says in his promotion interview, “If I were you, I’d hire someone who knows what it’s like to lose something, because he will never let that happen again.” Unlike the other characters, James has a friend at work, Katie (Nia Long from Are We There Yet?),who will probably end up his love interest. But she provides an interesting look as to how men see their "platonic" female friends.
On the surface, these guys are stereotypical versions of men we can point out in our own lives. But it's what they say to each other that they wouldn't say to a woman that'll keep viewers coming back. Duncan spouts the most wisdom. Informing viewers of the three male rights of passage: “Loss of virginity, first threesome, and discovery of the cheating wife.” Editorializing about marriage: “Till death do us part. Sometimes it sounds like a threat doesn’t it?” And lamenting their recent misfortunes: "Men...we’re the new women.” The dialog, the plot lines, and the characterizations are good because they're not trying to lure young and hip viewers. With the classy, old school music and frequent trips to the golf course, it's obvious that it's catering to a more mature crowd. Competing with serious dramas like CBS's "Without a Trace" and NBC's "ER" on Thursday nights at 10pm, it does something that they can't. It aims to not only create a forum for men, but a venue for understanding their connections to women.
Speaking of connections, if you must compare this show's concept to "Sex in the City," here's who I think the doppelgangers are:
Duncan - Samantha: nymphomaniacal commitment-phobes Brody - Charlotte: overly obsessive, control freaks who are very demanding and persuasive; and when they fall in love, they fall hard. Karl - Miranda: even when they have everything, they won't allow themselves to be happy, and they get themselves into situations that could've been avoided. James - Carrie: they put all their eggs into one basket (Mr. Big) and when their hearts break, they dwell on it for eternity.
Last season "Grey's Anatomy" had a lot of bad press due to the irresponsible conduct of some of its actors. But no one would've guessed that one of them, Kate Walsh (who plays the neonatal surgeon Addison), would get a spinoff. I love Grey's, but she's not even in my top 5 list (Alex, Izzie, Christina, George, and Miranda) of favorite characters. But when they introduced her new show right after an episode of Grey's last season I was somewhat interested.
Addison has gone through a lot in the last year. Her husband, Derek, divorced her for cheating on him with his best friend Mark. Then she struggled to find her stride amongst the gossiping interns and cope with the idea that her ex had moved on with one of them (Meredith). Once she had accepted her fate, she tried to find comfort in the arms of another emotionally retarded man, Alex. But she was harshly rejected. At the end of last season it seems she came to the conclusion that what she really wanted out of life was...a baby. Then she learned she was pretty much infertile. Naturally, it's hard for her to look at life for its possibilities, instead of its disappointments. But she's determined to do so, and hoping a new setting will help her.
At the beginning of the official pilot, the chief of surgery, Richard, tries to goad her into staying at Seattle Grace, but she's determined to high-tail it to California to work with her estranged best friend Naomi (Audra McDonald from "The Bedford Diaries"). During their squabble, she introduces the viewers her new set of friends. Here's the basic breakdown of each of these Californian doctors:
Naomi is a fertility specialist who works with women that are desperate to conceive. She's going through a bad divorce with Sam (Taye Diggs from How Stella Got her Groove Back), who allegedly initiated the separation. She admits to hiring Addison so she can have a friend in her corner. Meanwhile, Sam feels like the divorce is her fault. He left her to see if she would come after him. He wanted to see her fight for their love.
Pete (Tim Daly from "Wings") is the new agey, holistic practitioner who uses meditation, acupuncture and herbs to treat his patients. He's the McDreamy/McSteamy equivalent, except he comes with a lot of baggage, since he's still mourning the death of his wife. But since he kissed Addison on her first visit to the practice, he thinks she moved there for him. So he has McDreamy's sensitivity with McSteamy's ego.
Violet (Amy Brenneman from "Judging Amy") is the psychiatrist who's stalking her married ex-boyfriend and can't get over the rejection. She has this way of quietly deteriorating before your eyes whenever she's emotionally torn that's extremely endearing. Her BFF is Cooper (Paul Adelstein from "Prison Break"), a pediatrician, who's an awkward, goofy sex addict that just can't find the right girl.
Will (Chris Lowell from "Veronica Mars") is the receptionist who's studying to be a midwife. Of course, he feels undervalued. Midwives and nurses are looked down on by big time surgeons like Addison. She sort of treats him like she did Alex--keeping him at arm's length and questioning his expertise. But this is a different Addison. She's a lot less guarded and is beginning to trust quicker, which is the opposite of what you'd expect from someone who's experienced and witnessed as much heartache as she has.
The irony in Addison's journey to becoming a happier person is that we all assumed the other doctors would welcome her with open arms. But apparently Naomi hired her without even telling them. Despite the fact that she owns 55% of the practice, they were supposed to vote on it. Even though Addison is adamant about staying, she doesn't really seem to know what she's gotten herself into. The co-op is about practicing small-town medicine, so there's no long patient list, hi-tech equipment or huge staff to back her up when a patient flatlines. Like she says, she's performing "MacGuyver surgery" at a moment's notice, because the nearest major hospital is 20 minutes away. She's out of her element, which will challenge her. In fact, it seems like they all need to be out of their element to retain their sanity.
I'm a huge fan of ensemble casts, because of you get bored of one person you can focus on another. I wouldn't say that all of these doctors will have me coming back for more, but I see the potential they have to build great stories in the future. Since Walsh's show goes up against Gossip Girl and Bionic Woman, there's a chance that she won't exactly reel in the scifi lovers or teenagers. But if the Grey's fans are as devoted as they seem, they'll keep her afloat.
Nick George (Peter Krause from "Six Feet Under") grew up in the shadow of his father's employers. His mom grew tired of being neglected and walked out on them. Now that he died in an airplane crash, the scandal-ridden wealthy family known as the Darlings want him to replace his father as their attorney. Allow me to introduce you to them:
Tripp (Donald Sutherland from "Commander in Chief") is the patriarch who wishes Nick was his kid. He offers him $5 mil a year to do their bidding. Nick counters by asking for $10 mil, flexible hours, and the freedom to never lie for the family. Tripp agrees, because all he wants is a "solid citizen by his side" to keep him on the level, which sounds suspicious. Wonder what kind of guy he is underneath.
Letitia (Jill Clayburgh from Running with Scissors) is the matriarch of the family who is truly heartbroken over his father's death, unlike the rest of the Darlings who are promptly shopping for a replacement.
Juliet (Samaire Armstrong from "The O.C."), the youngest daughter, is a ditzy wannabe actress who's dad buys her way into parts. However, she, unlike many celebutards, wants to be on her own and void of free rides. As a result she pops pills like they're candy to drown the pain. But there's a certain innocence to her that makes you sympathize with her situation instead of laugh at it. When she moves out of the mansion, you want her to succeed on her own and maybe she will.
Jeremy (Seth Gabel from "Nip/Tuck") is like her twin, a young playboy partier who gets himself into the most juvenile scenarios, like winning a yacht with illegals aboard and getting arrested for it. He looks up to Nick like he's his big brother, even though he has two already. He's a lonely soul, which is probably why he surrounds himself with strangers and does a number of unspecified drugs.
Patrick (William Baldwin) is the oldest son, who's running for a Senatorial position. He's grateful to Nick's dad for teaching him how to ride his bike and helping him pass the bar, which basically means he stole Nick's father-son moments. The killer twist with him is that he has a transvestite lover--his 8th one. He's sort of a push over, because he can't seem to reject any of them, which is what he expects Nick to do for him. This is going to be one interesting campaign.
Brian (Glenn Fitzgerald from "Six Feet Under") is the second oldest son who's a priest--and I use that word loosely. He's more like a foul-mouthed ingrate. He always thought that Nick's father was a "glorified parasite." For a man of God, he's filled with a lot of anger, often saying "I hate you" to Nick. He doesn't even get nicer when it turns out that he has an illegitimate child that he wants Nick to help him get into a private school. The school won't allow it unless he admits it's his child. The problem is that he already has a family of his own, so he doesn't want to taint it by accepting his bastard child. He's so high and mighty that when the boy's mother abandons him, he tries to pass him off as a non-English speaking orphan he's graciously taken in.
Karen (Natalie Zea from "The Shield") is the oldest daughter, who's occupation could be classified as a manipulative, alcoholic, bitchy socialite. Despite the fact that she marries gold-digging morons, she's openly in love with Nick. She even threw herself at him knowing that he's married to Lisa (Zoe McLellan from "JAG") and has a daughter. But you wonder if he still has feelings for her too, especially since his personalized ring tone for her is "Pretty Woman." Unfortunately, she is the only one who has information about his father's suspicious death, which could have been caused by an airplane mechanic who's receiving money from hateful Brian. She's also the only one who revealed to him that her mom and his dad had been having an affair for the past 40 years.
Once he does some digging, Tripp shows an unusal amount of interest in the briefcase locked in the plane's waterproof box. So you know there's some big secrets in there. But that's not the only draw to lure you back every show. This family's scandals are juicier than any tabloid gossip. You'll start to wonder why his dad never died from a stroke. I have a feeling that Nick will, however, serve to do what his father couldn't. He will mend the tortured souls of those of them who choose to reform...and burn the rest.
Charlie Crews (Damian Lewis from Dreamcatcher) is a cop who was wrongfully accused of a crime that he spent 12 years in jail for. Because of his amazing attorney, Constance Griffith (Brooke Langton from "Friday Night Lights"), the case was readdressed, he was freed, given his job back, and handed a hefty settlement that could afford him luxuries. Unfortunatley, he lost his credibility, his wife, and his peace of mind. But now with his new position as a detective and an unwilling partner, Dani (Sarah Shahi from "The L Word"), he can resume living...or at least try to.
Dani isn't too keen to be his partner. She watches him like she's waiting for him to snap or turn into the criminal everyone once believed he was. She's smart to worry. Whenever he's near a prison or a convict, you get the feeling he's squirming in his own skin. But it's prison that's sort of given him a new edge, made him a better cop. He understands bad guys, humanizes them, commiserates with them, making it easier for him to get what he wants.
Either way Dani can't really judge him. The reason he's her new partner is because she has to rebuild her own credibility. She was forced to admit herself into rehab almost 2 yrs ago because of a drug addiction that shamed her cop father. Now she's replaced her addiction with nameless one-night stands and spazzes-out when she's near cocaine. To redeem herself she's been ordered to keep an eye on Charlie. The bureau wants to find an excuse to fire him--because he's a liability, or because he made a fool out of them, or because they're hiding something. The problem is Dani clearly had issues prior to her drug use and whatever those issues were they're making her curious about the new philosophy that Charlie has adopted. She's intrigued by his way of thinking, even if she doesn't understand it sometimes. Before, Charlie was a "basic by the book cop, looking for his 20 [years on the job] and his pension," but now she sees him as a cop who is driven by justice instead of money.
The reason Charlie was released is because none of the physical evidence at the crime scene matched him. There's another side to the filming, in which it's sort of documentary style, where people who knew him before the trial talk about how they feel now that he's been proven innocent. His wife, Jennifer (newbie Jennifer Siebel), is so dumbfounded by the news that she can't stop repeating “there was all that proof.” There's a certain layer of guilt in her voice for not trusting him. But his ex-partner has no remorse. As far as he's concerned, they did everything by the book and it was an honest mistake. A couple months is a mistake. Twelve years is an abominable oversight. Charlie isn't going to let it slide though. He's piecing the mystery together and you better believe everything he asked for in his settlement is going to help him solve the crime.
I like that the show has cute little quips, like when Dani asks, "Why exactly would the universe make fun of us all?" and he responds, "Maybe it’s insecure." The supporting actors, like his financial advisor, Ted (Adam Arkin from "8 Simple Rules"), who he met in prison, serving a white collar crime sentence, is good for the light hearted jokes. And his attorney Constance seems to have fallen in love with him--that or she's a really attentive lawyer. All of that mixed with Charlie's discovery of the overwhelming amount of new technology he has to adjust to makes for a pretty entertaining show.
I feel as though once we get more details of the crime he was accused of, we'll become more interested in Charlie and more excited for the next episode. (NBC, Wednesdays at 10p.m.)
Let me break it down for those of you unfamiliar with the original Bionic Woman from 1976. The basic plot surrounds a woman named Jamie Sommers who was involved in an accident and had the good fortune of being saved by scientists who replaced some of her body parts with machines. The surgery makes her run faster, see further, hear better, and have animal-like instincts. She really is the female Spiderman, without the bug bite, the webs, or the tight ass costume.
While the old bionic woman was a tennis pro who almost died in a parachute jump, the new one (British newcomer Michelle Ryan) is a bartender/artist who was nearly killed in a car accident. By taking away all the glitz and glam, they made her more relatable to blue-collared folk and young people. I never watched the old show, but I doubt it was as dark and mysterious as this one. It turns out the car accident was more like a hit-and-run. Sarah Corvis (Katee Sackhoff from "Battlestar Galactica"), a previous bionic experiment that was supposed to be terminated, rammed a truck into the car. The reason is still unknown even after the first episode. But in the process, Jamie miscarries an unexpected child she conceived with her scientist boyfriend, Will (Chris Bowers from "Rescue Me"). Since he just proposed to her, it was only natural that he went to the extremes of airlifting her out of the accident and performing drastic reconstructive surgery on her dying body.
Once she gets passed the initial shock, she's very hostile towards her "saviors," and wastes no time demanding to be freed. Will is torn between being a responsible professional, who understands that his girlfriend is now government property, and a man in love, who will do anything to protect her. There are many examples of men in this show who would not go as far as he did for the women they love. His boss, Jonas Bledsoe (Miguel Ferrer from "Crossing Jordan"), had an ailing wife, but he never brought her in "for repairs" even though he knew he could. And the lab's combat trainer Jae (Will Yun Lee from Elektra) gives the impression that he was in love with the rogue bionic woman, but he still shot her when he was ordered to--which explains his cold demeanor.
Will, unfortunately, must prove himself, since his scientist father, Anthony (Mark Sheppard from "24"), has been in jail for the past 3 years for an undisclosed crime. The fact that Sarah keeps trying to kill Will at the same time that his father was being broken out of jail by her lover, referred to as The Man (Thomas Kretschmann from Next), is suspicious. Anthony refuses to reveal how Sarah lived, but she gives a bit of a clue when she tells Jamie mid-combat that she's been improving herself, adding more bionic features--getting rid of the weak parts as she called it. Apparently, the more machine she becomes the more her conscience deteriorates. Although, you get a sense that she can be turned, because she spares Jae when she has a clear shot and she commiserates with Sarah while she suffers through the unnerving changes that the surgery causes. Meanwhile, the "good guys," headed by Jonas, originally intended on using the bionic experiments to rehabilitate war amputees--to send them back in, not to give them a cushier life. He admits, "Technology is at the point where science fiction isn’t science fiction anymore," which is an interesting pop culture topic to drive the relaunch of an old series.
Although I enjoyed some parts, there's always a chance that a remake can fall victim to trying to be "cool." In one instance, Jamie is running away from the lab and a little girl sees her alongside the car her mother's driving. Since her mom doesn't believe her, the girl responds with “I just thought it was cool that a girl could do that. That’s all.” Yeah, we get it. Girl power. No need to sell us the pitch. That's not the only dialog that's lame. In the end, Jonas finally gets a face to face with Jamie to inform her of the terms of her freedom, and he actually utters the words, “Heads you lose. Tails you die.” They used a line that appeared in Domino, an action movie that only made $10 mil. Seriously? Seriously? And the worst hasn't even come yet. In the preview for next week they actually have the balls to show her saying, “This saving the world thing. I’d like to give it a try.” The writer, Laeta Kalogridis, only has "Birds of Prey," Alexander, and Pathfinder--a canceled show and two box office duds--on her resume. But the simple fact that she's a girl should be reason enough for her not to write lines like that. She's not at Bloomingdales, spotting the latest trend. "I think I'll give it a try." You've got to be kidding me.
The structure of the plot could be better too. Kalogridis should've spent more time in the intro, setting Jamie up. I don't know Jamie. I know she has a bratty little sister and is semi-interested in her boyfriend--since she spends a lot of time trying to push him away--but I don't know her. So once she's all cyborged and giving her best badass glare, I don't know if she was always this tough and capable of being a vigilante or if the machines have made her this way. Then there's the shotty camera work. Children of Men--that's how you do jumpy guerilla filming. This just makes it seem like they’re not really doing their own stunts or they're doing it badly, so let's move the camera around a lot to distract you. But what do you expect from a guy who's longest job was directing "The Wonder Years."
Despite all of its faults, I'll still be catching another episode, because in the end it's still the Bionic Woman. That's like not watching Spiderman 3 just because you hate Mary Jane--which I do.
Bret Harrison (“Grounded for Life”) is the lead in this teen fantasy comedy—I really don’t even know how to classify it. He plays Sam, a college dropout who works at a warehouse department store (just like "Chuck"). Poor Sam learns on his 21st birthday that his mom sold the soul of her first born to the devil in exchange for a cure to his father’s illness. Even though they were told his father was infertile, they had him. Sure enough, the devil (Ray Wise from “24”) appears to Sam at the most inopportune moments—not that there’s any particularly good time to appear when you’re the devil—and tries to explain to him what his fate brings. Instead of dragging his pathetic slacker soul to hell, he wants Sam to capture the ones that escape to cause trouble on Earth. Sam doesn’t adjust to this new destiny too well, but once the devil threatens to take his mother’s soul if he refuses to comply, he obliges. Luckily, he has two good friends—one with common sense, Ben (Rick Gonzalez from Rollbounce), and one who’s a hyper imbecile, Sock (Tyler Labine from “Invasion”)—to watch his back and help him along the way. They’re like his cheerleaders, telling him “You are Neo. You are the one,” making him yet another king of geeks for this fall season.
To be perfectly honest I didn’t think a show about a 20-something grim reaper was going to be any good. But it actually one-upped both "Chuck" and "Journeyman" in one aspect. All three characters are given responsibilities that any normal human being would lose sleep over and abandon at a moment’s notice. However, Chuck seemed to accept his fate too easily, considering it involved national security in a time where the #1 terrorist who threatens America is still at large, and Dan barely questioned the origins or purpose for his time travel, considering how unlikely and bizarre the scenario would seem to any sane human being. Sam, on the other hand, actually spent more than 5 seconds pondering his fate, why he was chosen, whether or not he was willing to do it, and why he ultimately wants to. Thus, making a, of course, completely illogical scenario seem perfectly understandable.
The underlying theme drilled into the viewers head—by the devil no less—is that even though Sam dropped out of college and has no ambitions to do anything with his life, this is the one responsibility he cannot flake on. It will teach him a life long lesson and make him a better man. Now, that’s great and everything, but how long can they keep giving us stunts and original plot lines? With the addition of a crush, Andi (Missy Peregrym from “Heroes”), there’s extra content to tune in for, but will it last? It doesn’t have the creep factor that draws teens in for Supernatural, but its quirkiness just might win the audience over.
CBS's new Hispanic drama centers on the life of Alex Vega (Jimmy Smits from “The West Wing”), a Cuban immigrant shipped off to America by his parents for a better life. An industrious Cuban family known as the Duque’s adopted him. They run a sugar cane business that produces rum. His step father Pancho (Hector Elizondo from The Princess Diaries) is suffering from a cancer relapse and only has 6 months to live, so he’s decided to pass the family business on to the most responsible of his sons, Alex. Of course, one of his real sons, Frank (Nestor Carbonell from “Lost”), was hoping to sell the business to an opposing sugar cane business for lots of money. Unfortunately, the owner of that business bought Pancho out once before many years ago against his will. The man murdered Pancho’s three-year-old daughter as an incentive. Alex has no intentions of letting this man hurt his family or his business again, and so the war begins. His relationship with Frank is like one between Cain and Abel. Driven by jealousy, Frank will do anything to regain his birthright, including team up with the enemy. Of course, this strife could all be resolved if Alex and Pancho would just explain to Frank what this man did to the family. But apparently he’s so clouded by money, cars, and the competitor’s hot daughter, that he supposedly cannot be told the truth.
Even though that plot line is suspect, the deeper purpose of this drama is a noble one. It's an examination of the struggle patriarchs have when trying to keep their families together in spite of outside influences, like money, business competitors, and even war—his oldest son enlisted. It’s also meant to illustrate the struggle of immigrants to assimilate in American society, when they are faced with capitalist enforcers and racial assumptions. It’s the paradox of wanting to be considered American, but at the same time native to one’s own country; wanting to be considered American enough to do business with, but not to go to war with. It’s like Frank says, everything comes with a price. You want freedom? First you have to give it away--whether it's by making yourself a slave to a nation or to money.
The main problem I have with the story is that there are so many freaking characters in it. I get that Hispanic families are big—I’m in one. But it’s one thing to have a lot of characters, and another to have a lot of interesting characters. It should have the latter, but it doesn’t. They need to focus on building everyone else’s personalities and not just Alex’s.
Dan Vassar (Kevin McKidd from "Rome") is just your run-of-the-mill journalist, who chases a story by day and has dinner with his wife and kid at night, until one day he steps into a cab and wakes up in a different year. This happens continuously over a couple of days. To his friends, family, and boss he's dropped off the face of the Earth for days at a time and even abandons his car mid-driving, crashing it into a pole. He worries them so much they have an intervention for fear that he's fallen off the wagon? or started doing drugs? It's clear that he would have reason to. A couple years ago, he was engaged and in love with a beautiful lawyer, Livia (Moon Bloodgood from "Day Break"). But she died in an airplane crash before they got married. Somewhere in between his brother, Jack (Reed Diamond from "Judging Amy") also had some troubled times where he neglected his wife, Katie (Gretchen Egolf from "Martial Law"), resulting in their divorce. Dan must've been there to console her because now they're married with a son.
As he tries to keep his sanity and his credibilty, he's pulled back into time to track a man who tried to kill himself because his pregnant girlfriend wanted to get an abortion and leave him. He seems to identify who needs help with an eerie sixth sense. In the end, Dan realizes that the person he has to save isn't the man--who ultimately tries to murder both mother and child--but the man's son who would one day save seven other kids from a terrible school bus accident. So once you've resolved to thinking that Dan has a calling--spiritual or otherwise--you're thrown for a loop. Livia recognizes him when he goes back in time, but not as himself of the past but of the future. She knows what he's doing and how he's supposed to be doing it, like she's done it before. And that's what'll keep you coming back. Did she die in the airplane? Why can she travel through time too? Why him?
The only blaringly obvious fault that I saw in the pilot was the fact that in the end, after proving to his wife that he was telling the truth, he accepts his new fate. While his wife lays in bed at night, he gets dressed, sits in the arm chair and waits to be transported through time--making sure that once he goes he isn't stunted by a lack of clothes, an empty wallet, or disorientation. Really? Before he started going back in time, he said he had a bad headache. I think I would go see a doctor. I'm not just going to sit there and wait for it to happen again, even if I saved somebody's life. What if he has a tumor? That would be an interesting season finale cliffhanger. Either way, it's worth another viewing if you're into the "Dead Zone"-type mystery drama.
Since both these shows aired at the same time Monday night with similar characters, I thought it best to determine which one you should keep your TV tuned in to.
The Big Bang Theory (CBS, Mondays at 8:30pm)
The basic plot is that two really smart guys live next door to a simple-minded blonde waitress named Penny (Kaley Cuoco from "Charmed"). Of course, one of the guys, Leonard (Johnny Galecki from "My Boys"), begins to have a growing infatuation for her and the other, Sheldon (Jim Parsons from "Judging Amy"), is dragged along for the ride. Sheldon is the sardonic, libido-less, nit-picking nag to Leonard's patient, sensitive, socially-aware geek. With friends like Koothrappali (newbie Kunal Nayyar), who is incapable of speaking in the presence of women, and Wolowitz (Simon Helberg from "Studio 60"), who will try every skeazy thing he's seen on television to woo a woman, Leonard seems like the king of the nerds.
The real draw here isn't the "will she or won't she fall for Leonard" bit, but the quality of "we're smart and everyone else is stupid" jokes that mainly Leonard makes. To be honest, if Leonard wasn't making fun of every single person in the show, whether their IQ is only in the double-digits or they are completely unprepared for the disappointments of dating, it really wouldn't be all that entertaining.
Chuck (NBC, Mondays at 8pm)
This show is about a guy named Chuck (Zachary Levi from "Less than Perfect"), who received an email from an estranged college buddy, a CIA agent doubling as an accountant. Since they were good friends and super geeks, he sent the email in a code that only Chuck would understand. Once he decodes it, it downloads into his mind and now everytime Chuck sees a face or landscape or anything that was in those pictures, he can recall top secret government information. Needless to say the CIA (newbie Yvonne Strzechowski) wants to get their hands on him and the NSA (Adam Baldwin from "Day Break") wants him dead. But after Chuck uses his super memory to save a politician, both agents Sarah (Strzechowski) and John (Baldwin) decide to work together to protect him. In the background of all of this action-packed fun are Chuck's sister, Ellie (Sarah Lancaster from "What about Brian"), who's trying to make sure her baby bro doesn't die alone, and his best friend Morgan (Joshua Gomez from "Without a Trace"), who is like an unleashed monkey on cocaine--which is to say entertaining.
I was really surprised at how well they were able to mix humorous sitcom scenes reminiscent of "Scrubs" or "Ed" with serious action scenes just as bad ass as any Bond or even "Alias." That said, it does have its flaws. For some reason, despite the fact that Chuck's ex-BFF died sending that info to him, his girlfriend Agent Sarah isn't as heartbroken as she should be, which would suggest bad acting or faulty scriptwriting. And even though learning you have top secret info in your brain is cool and everything, the first thing that I would want to do is get all of it out. Chuck just wants to protect his friends and family, and maybe score an assistant manager position at his shitty job. I guess I could get over these two things though, just as long as it keeps having cool action.
R&B artist Omarion takes his first lead role in the teen music drama Feel the Noise, in theaters October 5th. He plays a kid who wants to become a rapper, but gets caught up in street drama when a couple of South Bronx thugs threaten him. So he flees to Puerto Rico to live with the father he never knew. In the process, he learns about the history and passion behind Reggaeton and strives to bring it to the next level. The fact that Jennifer Lopez is producing and Victor Rasuk (Lords of Dogtown) is playing his step brother adds a little credibility to this ghetto-indie. Check out the trailer:
But what'll really sell it is the soundtrack, which drops September 25th. It's packed with Reggaeton and Latin artists from Tego Calderon to Calle 13, with even a track featuring Wyclef Jean. The best song on the album is a collaboration between Omarion and Kat De Luna. The song will get her one step closer to a substantial place in music so she has a chance to be more like Ciara and less like Cassie. Give it a listen:
Kelsey Grammer ("Frasier") and Patricia Heaton ("Everybody Loves Raymond") made their return to primetime on Fox's new show "Back to You" last Wednesday. Both play anchors on a local TV network. The humorous plot point the show is based on is that Grammer's character, Chuck Darling, had left the network 10 years before for a national position, but due to a scandal where he cursed several times on air, he was forced to return and "humble" himself. A man who orders the station's news director to park his car truly needs humbling. Unfortunately, Heaton's character, Kelly Carr, had already positioned herself as the celebrity of the network and with Darling's return she feels like she's been demoted. Being the control freak and overly tense woman that she is, he could push her over the edge.
The overall dialog is pretty funny. If you're into mature humor, similar to the kind that Grammer has delivered before in "Frasier" and "Cheers," than you'll find this show hilarious. Supporting actors Fred Willard ("Everybody Loves Raymond"), Ty Burrell ("Out of Practice"), Ayda Field ("Studio 60") and newbie Ryan Church have perfect comic timing to keep up with him. But what really saved the pilot episode was the unexpected twist. It turns out Darling and Carr had a one-night stand before he left for the big time, and Carr just so happens to have a 10-year-old daughter who she claims to have conceived through a sperm donor. Once Darling meets his kid, you could see a flicker of possibility that maybe this egotistical Lothario could one day change for his daughter's sake.
I'll give it one more episode, before I officially decide to add it to my personal TV guide.
Resident Evil: Extinction devoured the #1 spot this weekend, taking in $24 mil. But to the surprise of almost every critic in America, Good Luck Chuck came in at #2 with $14 mil. And the moment all the moviegoers spread the word that, in spite of the PG trailer, it has raunchy skits and more nudity than any romantic comedy they've ever seen, I'm sure it'll cover twice that by next weekend. Sydney White, which was given a good review by The New York Times--yeah, you read that right--didn't fare as well. It did make it to #6, but it only made $5.3 mil. Eastern Promises was given a wider release, bringing it from #21 to #5 to a tepid $6 mil. People came to their senses and Dragon Wars dropped five spots to #10. And even Mr. Woodcock dropped 4 spots and looks like it'll make just about $20 mil if it's lucky.
The Into the Wild indie made $207,000 in the 4 theaters it was released in. While The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, released in 5 theaters, made $144,000. Unfortunately, The Jane Austen Book Club didn't do so well. It only made $161,000 in the 25 theaters it was released in.
Next week, Jamie Foxx and Jennifer Garner show their Kingdom, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson supposedly has a funny Game Plan, and Ang Lee asks you to peer into his heart once more with Lust, Caution. As for the indies, Wes Anderson'sDarjeeling Limited and Greg Kinnear'sFeast of Love hit theaters.
It's happened once again. Jay-Z is out of "retirement." His excuse this time is that Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe's upcoming crime drama American Gangster inspired him to revisit the days when he'd rhyme about the streets, the drugs, and the cops. He had Neptunes help him on the beat. Listen for yourself:
My favorite line: "you wanna bring the 80s back/that's ok with me/that's where they made me at." The song title is in reference to the name that Denzel's character uses for the heroine he sells. The new album, named after the movie, will be out this November in conjunction with the film.
In the first film, Alice (Milla Jovovich) wakes up in a locked, underground facility faced with the task to fight off scientists and dogs that have mutated into flesh-eating monsters. Her friends turn and she's forced to kill them all, except for one who gets kidnapped by the Umbrella corporation who released the disease. In the second film, subtitled Apocalypse, the mutation spreads to Raccoon city, giving Alice more room to play. She manages to keep her new friends alive, along with a little girl, Angie. But her pal from the first movie shows up--mutated to the nth degree, Terminator-style--and they have a showdown. Even though he sacrifices himself to save them, the helicopter crashes and Alice is presumed dead. Now, in this third installment--by the way, does anyone even play the video game anymore?--the survivors of Raccoon city are lead by Ali Larter ("Heroes"), traveling through the Nevada desert to get to Alaska for a safe haven. Lucky for them Alice shows up to provide some extra back up, since Las Vegas is covered in sand and homicidal corpses. The Umbrella corporation is having no luck with the Alice clones they've created and are hunting her down. They're calling it the female Mad Max, which is a nice primer before the release. Aside from the fact that Ashanti is in it and the little girl Angie isn't, I'm excited to watch Milla kick some zombie ass.
Good Luck Chuck
The only time that Jessica Alba has ever made me laugh was when she played a big-breasted ditz in Never Been Kissed. The only time Dane Cook is funny is when he's doing stand-up. So, why would these two opt for a romantic comedy--in Cook's case, again (Employee of the Month)? I guess Alba's trying to broaden her resume. Who says pretty girls can't do slapstick? While Cook is playing the ultimate cock blocker, a guy who only has to sleep with a woman once for her to stumble upon her true love the next day, Alba plays a terminal clutz, who probably only has to go on one date with a guy to almost kill him. They're both cursed in the matters of the heart...awww. Even though she knows about the curse she doesn't believe in it and even though he's dying to sleep with her, he doesn't want to lose her. In order to enjoy this movie you'll have to decide whether or not you believe Cook could ever score a girl like Alba. As far as I'm concerned, I'm ready to see her do something other than look pretty. So I'm in.
Sydney White
Look, I liked She's the Man. As a modernization of Shakespeare's The Twelfth Night, it was funny. But you can't go around modernizing fairy tales. In theory, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs would be funny if the dwarfs were given iPods and taught how to IM. But maybe it would be funnier if it were actually written by a comedic writer, not some guy (Chad Creasey) who got one credit on Studio 60, a show that got canceled. You're not twelve anymore Amanda Bynes. It's time you start making some adult decisions that are more similar to Hairspray and less like Lovewrecked. That said, Bynes plays the title-role, a girl who wants to carry on her deceased mother's sorority legacy, but finds herself clashing with the vapid, prissy bitches of the coven. A geek fraternity takes her in and she begins a revolution against the sorority's head sister, Rachel (Sara Paxton from Aquamarine), while falling for the cutest frat guy on campus, Tyler (Matt Long from "Jack and Bobby"). Sounds like a laugh riot.
Into the Wild
Sean Penn bought the rights to adapt this novel. He tapped the promising Emile Hirsch (Lords of Dogtown) for the lead to tell the story of a college grad who runs away from his family drama, forfeits all his possessions, and goes to Alaska to live in the wilderness. The characters that he meets along the way help him find who he really is. I don't know whether I should be more surprised that Vince Vaughn plays a supporting role or that the critics are loving a film directed and co-written by an actor. If I'm not mistaken, George Clooney, who won many awards at the Venice Film Festival for Good Night, Good Luck, seems to have paved the way for more actors--even Ben Affleck--to be taken seriously as directors. Not to say that Penn needed too much help. His last feature film, The Pledge, was critically lauded. Be prepared for a journey into what it means to be free.
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
If you got a kick out of the action-packed, dramatic, and sometimes witty 3:10 to Yuma, then maybe you wouldn't mind a grittier and darker western. Brad Pitt plays the elusive outlaw who's idolized by many, including a man named Robert Ford, played by Casey Affleck. In Ocean's Thirteen, both actors have a silly side, but in this film there's only philosophizing, suspicion and double crosses. Affleck slides into the shoes of a character not unlike Matt Damon's in The Talented Mr. Ripley--first worshiping his hero, then wanting to be him, and ultimately killing him, in order to absorb his greatness. If the fact that Pitt won best actor at the Venice Film Festival is any indication of how well done this tale is, then saddle up and take a gander into the soul of an envious murderer.
The Jane Austen Book Club
Screenwriter of Memoirs of a Geisha, Robin Swicord, takes a crack at feature film directing, while adapting this quaint novel about six Californians who form a club that'll review the masterpieces of the prestigious Austen. What sets it apart from a regular Austen-inspired film is that each of the members are assigned a book and each of the plots start to resemble their everyday lives. If you've read an Austen book or seen an adaptation, you know that the women usually go through an evolution, and so we are treated to six-times the fun with a modern twist. Maria Bello (A History of Violence), who is in charge of Emma, does possess the cupid-like qualities of the title character. She lures Hugh Dancy (Evening), who's sporting an American accent, to the club so she can challenge him on the rules of love as Emma would do. Emily Blunt (Devil Wears Prada), who's in charge of Mansfield Park, a tale about a scandalous affair, is married to a workaholic (Marc Blucas from First Daughter) and lusting after a younger guy (Kevin Zeggers from Transamerica) who is a great deal more attentive. Amy Brenneman ("Private Practice"), who is in charge of Persuasion a tale about a woman who feels she's destined to be a spinster, is involved with a cheater (Jimmy Smits from "Cane"), who dumps her for a younger woman. Maggie Grace ("Lost") has Pride & Prejudice and Kathy Baker's ("Boston Legal") is a mystery. Essentially, their mission is to figure out what Jane would do, because whatever they've been doing hasn't been working.
I've met people more scandalous than these girls. The CW's recent attempt to re-seduce their young audience has failed once again. Their days of Dawson's Creek and Buffy the Vampire Slayer fandom are over. The network can never top the teenage angst and high school drama that those shows--and others, like The O.C.--have already covered.
The book series that Gossip Girl is based on was apparently popular amongst teen readers. It follows the lives of young socialites, narrated by a mysterious gossip blogger (voiced by Kristen Bell from Veronica Mars). In theory it sounds intriguing and like it could be a juicy treat. But since I've seen my fair share of teen dramas, it failed to peak my interest past the first five minutes.
One of the main characters, Serena (Blake Lively of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants), returns from a much-talked about absence, which everyone speculates was due to either a pregnancy or rehab. I cringed at the idea that it could possibly be that overdone of a plot twist. But then we learn by the end of the episode that it was because she slept with her best friend Blaire's (Leighton Meester from "Surface") boyfriend, Nate (Chace Crawford from The Covenant), who is madly in love with her. Oh, is that it? I hope not. Plus, there's no way in hell that's how high school kids have sex. Refer to Superbad for a more realistic portrayal. A more interesting storyline concerning Serena is the fact that her mother keeps her little brother Eric (Connor Paolor from Alexander) under wraps in a psych ward because he attempted suicide. But they breezed past that by making him her shopping buddy when she gets sad--an alternative to her other favorite past time: drinking a truckload of martinis.
Then there's Serena's love interest, Dan (Penn Badgley from John Tucker Must Die). Badgley always gets typecast as the quiet guy with hidden talents--the one you marry, not pine over. He seems to have that shtick down. But Dan's no Seth Cohen. He's not funny, doesn't seem to actually have any other interests than stalking Serena, and his only friend is his fashion designing little sister Jenny (Taylor Momsen from Underdog). Yeah, he's a keeper.
Oh and if that's not bad enough, the rebels/frenemies in the show are two token minorities (Black and Asian) not even worth mentioning, Blair, an insecure, shit-talking, skanky virgin, and Chuck (newcomer Ed Westwick), who seems like a secretly gay, misogynist playboy who preys on girls he can't have and secretly spies on people having sex. I've seen tougher and more interesting teenagers in Desperate Housewives.
At least I'm interested in finding out who the gossip blogger is. It would be cool if it were one of the main characters because technically she (or he) would be spreading rumors and dropping bombshells about themselves. It would also be hilarious if Chuck revealed that he was madly in love with Dan and that's why he always pretends he never notices him--a logical conclusion.
Other than that, the lame possibility that Serena's mom (Kelly Rutherford from "Melrose Place") and Dan's dad (Matthew Settle from "Brothers & Sisters") might hook up is all the Gossip Girl is offering so far. So if you really want some dirt, stick to Perez.
Gave 50 Cent a shot and couldn't stand him after the first few songs, so I moseyed (I just learned how to spell that) on over to Kanye's new album Graduation and tried to figure out what all the hype was about. A common theme present in his songs is a grand appreciation for...himself. It wouldn't be a Kanye song without a brief ego trip. I prefer it, however, when we see the real Kanye--the one with a childhood past, with non-confrontational concerns about the music industry, and with a man crush on his idol Jay-Z.
"Champion"
My favorite lyric is his father's response to his dire need to always have a fresh wardrobe: "when you see clothes/close your eye lids." I also liked when he name-dropped Lauren Hill, saying he wished she still rhymed in order to influence the younger generation that's starving for inspiration. Besides the video-game buzzer sound, there are background vocals embedded in the beat, repeating the words "their eyes" in reference to other people's perception of how he is the champion of style. The continuous repetition should be annoying, but is actually perfect for concerts, because fans can chant it during the song. He liked the background-vocal repetition technique so much he did the same thing for "The Glory.
"Homecoming" feat. Chris Martin (from Coldplay)
I like this song because it shows a side of Kanye that we don't usually get to hear about--the guy driven by the encouragement of people in his past, from his neighborhood, who expect more from him. It's interesting to think that there are people who know the non-famous Kanye and who can bring him down to Earth when he gets too hyped on himself.
"Big Brother"
This is sort of a "love letter" to Jay-Z, as well as an apology for letting his jealousy get in the way of his professionalism. He basically says that he figures Jay-Z gave him the shaft back in the day because he didn't think he could cut it, but because of that rejection he's grown to be as great as he is now. Kanye cites playful competition in real life situations where he thought he was better than Jay or thought that he was copying him. i.e. Kanye collaborated with Chris Martin before Jay did. Then he explains his envy and humbles him self with:
"only i could see/it was the pride in me/that was driving me/at the grammy's/i said i inspire me/but it was my big brother/who i always tried to be..." And in the end he lays down the moral of his story with this heartfelt line: "if you admire somebody/you should go ahead and tell them/people never get the flowers/while they can still smell them."
Lyrically, this is my favorite song, but "Stronger" and "The Good Life" are the ones to have the most fun to. Check out the latter's video below:
