Writer's Strike Backlash: Alternatives to Rerun Hell

With the WGA writer's strike in full effect, TV viewers are starting to feel the ripples of no new shows. Though, we've gotten off easily in the past couple of weeks because we've been distracted by the holidays. After we're all done recovering from new years celebrations, we're going to be left with nothing to do. So in lieu of getting together with friends to catch up on the weekly serials, I came up with a list of things that can take up that time. Because I love Rock of Love as much as the next person but I know reality TV can't satisfy me the way a good scripted show can. So while we wait for the resolution to the strike, here are some fun alternatives:

1. Catch up on all the shows you've been meaning to watch but haven't got around to. 

I know, I for one, have a short list of shows that I've been dying to get into. But because of school or work, haven't gotten a chance. So borrow your friends' seasons of 24 and The Office and relax. No breaks and no commercials. You can watch at your ow pace and the best part is that when the shows do come back, you'll be all caught up and you can start watching it at its regular time. 

2. Watch shows that are already over and available on DVD.

There's nothing like the Seinfeld series on DVD to take up your time in front of the tube. Get yourself a present with all the gift cards you racked up for Christmas and enjoy any of the newly defunct shows like The Sopranos or Six Feet Under.

3. Rewatch your favorite shows.

If you’re like me, you can watch your favorite shows over and over. Some shows are just timeless classics to be enjoyed repeatedly. Rent or buy your favorite show, sit back, relax and remember why you fell in love with the Friends in the first place. 

4. Replace TV time with movie time.

Hit up your local video rental place or sign up for Netflix and instead of channel surfing your night away, check out a couple a flicks a week. My personal goal is to watch all the movies on IMDB's Top 250. That's a good way to see some really good movies you probably wouldn't come across otherwise. 

Enjoy!

 

Golden Globe Predictions

With the Golden Globes (winner announcements, since it doesn't look like the show will go on) just around the new year, I bring you my predictions for the major categories. 

Starting with movies:

Best Picture Drama: No Country for Old Men

Hands down, clear winner. I don't think any other movie even has a chance, save for maybe Atonement. But I'm pretty sure No Country will start it's winning streak there that will end at the Academy Awards.

Best Picture Musical or Comedy: Juno

Though, I would prefer Sweeney Todd win it, I would be sincerely shocked if it did. Juno has what voters look for in a Best Comedy. It's funny but also self important. That's why a movie like Knocked Up would never be nominated, though we can agree it is way more hilarious. 

Best Actor in a Drama: James McAvoy (Atonement)

This is one of those underdog wins you see coming from a mile away. I think it's likely that he'll win it over the other bigger names in the category.

Best Actress in a Drama: Angelina Jolie (A Mighty Heart)

We might be sick of hearing about her in the tabloids but the girl can act. Runner up likely to be Kiera Knightley, but I hope it isn't.

Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy: Tom Hanks (Charlie Wilson's War)

Nuff said.

Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy: Nikki Blonksky (Hairspray)

My ideal winner would be Helena Bonham Carter but they're going to give it to the unknowns. Ellen Page would also be an extremely safe bet. Amy Adams has no chance.

Best Supporting Actor: Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men)

This movie will sweep. Mark my words.

Best Supporting Actress: Cate Blanchett (I'm Not There)

Because they're not giving her best actress.

Best Director: The Coen Brothers (No Country for Old Men)

If the movie wins any, it's going to be this one.

Best Screenplay: No Country for Old Men

If the movie loses any, it will be this one and they'll lose to Atonement.

Best Animated Film: Ratatouille

This one is a guarantee. Critical darling and family favorite. Bee Movie didn't live up to the hype and The Simpsons, though fun deserve a TV nomination, not a movie.

Now onto the TV nominees. This is hard to judge because so many of my favorites are up against each other.

Best Drama Series: Mad Men

Taking the place of The Sopranos, Mad Men is the new critical favorite and it's front runner. I don't know why Grey's Anatomy was even nominated. This entire season was terrible. If Lost hadn't been snubbed, I would be rooting for them. 

Best Comedy/Musical Series: Pushing Daisies

Though 30 Rock is better, I was amazed at how innovative Pushing Daisies was and voters are likely to agree. Something totally new and different.

Best Actor in a Comedy/Musical: Alec Baldwin (30 Rock)

Always hilarious and a favorite, I think Baldwin is a shoo-in. He is the funniest person on TV right now.

Best Actress in a Comedy/Musical: America Ferrera (Ugly Betty)

I don't think anyone named America should ever win anything. I don't think Ugly Betty is any good and she doesn't particularly impress me but I think she'll win. Runner up might be Christina Applegate who I love, though Samantha Who didn't really float my boat. I love Tina Fey but she won't win, neither should Anna Friel (Pushing Daisies).

Best Actor in a Drama: Michael C. Hall (Dexter)

This is one category that the premium channels are going to take. Bill Paxton has good chances and so does Johnathan Rhys Meyers for The Tudors. 

Best Actress in a Drama: Edie Falco (The Sopranos)

The mob hit got shut out of every other category on their last season, but Falco deserves the win. Kyra Sedgwick is a likely runner up. 

Best Supporting Actor: Jeremy Piven (Entourage)

I just hope Shatner doesn't win.

Best Supporting Actress: Rachel Griffiths (Brothers and Sisters)

Another show I despise but which will likely get a few wins. This is a pretty weak category though. Maybe one of the TV movie/miniseries will take it.

Click here to see the full list of nominees.

"I've made a huge mistake."

To commemorate the fact that I got all the seasons of Arrested Development as a Christmas present to myself, I want to take a look back at the reasons why we love the Bluths. Actually, it’s more like a list of reasons I hate Fox. Because the world would have gotten around to seeing what all the critics were talking about if they didn’t get a new timeslot every week and if they had actually gotten promoted. If DVD sales are any indication, the show is a hit, even years after it was cancelled. But of course, Fox wouldn’t know a hit if it fucked them in the ass. That’s because they’re too busy looking for the next American One Hit Flash-in-the-Pan up Simon Cowell’s ass. But seriously, Arrested Development is the most consistently funny show ever to grace our television

screens. So when I heard that an Arrested Development movie might be in the works, I was overjoyed with glee. Of course, rumors about this have been circling since the show’s untimely demise, and I personally won’t get too excited until I see it on IMDb. But while promoting Juno (read my review here), Jason Bateman let it slip that he had been recently conversing with series creator, Mitchell Hurwitz, and trying to convince him to get to writing a movie. He said Hurwitz “could be coming around.” Doesn’t sound like much but since the writer’s strike is in full swing, that might mean he’ll actually get the ball rolling, if nothing else out of boredom.

This, naturally, is second best only to having the series return triumphantly to our living rooms. But who knows, maybe the movie will be such a blockbuster, there will no other rational choice than to bring it back. At least something good might come out of the writer’s strike. I won’t be complaining if an AD movie fills the void that 8 less episodes of Lost will leave this coming spring.

The full article and video can be found here:

http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2007/12/06/jason-bateman-refuels-hope-for-arrested-development-movie/ 

And if you want to catch the show and don’t want to buy it. The entire series (along with many fun extras) is available for your viewing pleasure here:

http://arresteddevelopment.msn.com/

Sweeney Todd: A Review

I was excited to see Sweeney Todd because of all the buzz and nominations. I finally got around to it yesterday. I'm going to be honest, the first 20 minutes or so were hard to get through. I don't know if it was because it was so weird to see those specific actors belting out tunes or because every time I forgot it was a musical, there would be another song. All I know is that every time they started singing, it felt really inappropriate and awkward. Around the time little Toby (played by the adorable Ed Sanders) got on screen for the first time, I felt a little better because he's just so cute. This was also the first musical number that wasn't so moody and dark. Not that I didn't appreciate the moody and the dark because I did. It just took a bit of getting used to. But by the time Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter started singing and dancing about putting dead people into meat pies, I was sold. The rest of the movie was just as delightfully dark and comical. It was a great story with several unexpected turns that had me thinking "I should have seen this coming." It was well written and well filmed, with an extraordinary cast. I applaud the leads, Depp and Carter, for taking such a cinematic risk. Both of them are on my list of best actors of all time and this movie is one of the reasons why. Another great casting was the always great, Alan Rickman, who can seamlessly portray the creepy, perverted Judge Turpin. Interestingly, for Harry Potter fans, his faithful sidekick Beadle, was played by Timothy Spall, the Wormtail to Rickman's Snape in the Harry Potter franchise. Spall is one guy that I would love to see cast in a likeable role. He's a good actor, but he plays the same ratty little evil minion in every movie.  But he was great along with everyone else. Even Sacha Baron Cohen (who I hate with a fiery passion) was enjoyable. And who knew Borat could sing? In conclusion, go see it.  It certainly deserves all the buzz it's been getting. It has something for everyone, if you don't mind a little throat slitting here and there. Do you think it's wrong that seeing it put me in the mood for a meat empanada? Whatever, it was delicious and at least there were no lawyers or priests in mine. 

Juno

I went to a free screening of Juno. That's always nice because I love free stuff but also because I probably wouldn't have seen it otherwise. Hailed as this year's Little Miss Sunshine, my expectations for Juno were low. Though, being an Alias and an Arrested Development fan, I was thrilled by the cast. I was, however, disappointed that Jason Bateman and Michael Cera weren't in a single scene together. Throughout the movie, I was pretty angry. Mostly, it was the soundtrack that got to me. And also I couldn't help but to seethe at the thought of all the emo/indie kids that would think this was the greatest thing ever to be committed to celluloid. I also really hated the title character. I don't know if I take issue with Ellen Page or the character she was playing, but I didn't find her likable at all. I actually found her obnoxious most of the time. Mostly, I felt that no 16 year old, no matter how rebellious and sarcastic, could be such a bitch to the people around her when they're just trying to help her out, especially at such a serious time. Aside from her, I was absolutely wowed by all the other performances. My Arrested Development alumns were great along Jennifer Garner and her parents, played by JK Simmons and Allison Janney were especially hilarious. Though, throughout the movie, I wasn't impressed, I came home and found it really hard to hate it. It had it's funny moments. Definitely more than I expected. And it was a cute story. My general impression and official review, pending second viewing, is that it didn't suck and I didn't hate it. 

Blackout

So I got my ears on the new Britney Spears CD, Blackout. 4 long awaited years, and the princess of pop comes back better than ever. If her parenting was this good, she would still have custody of her kids. I guess she gave up on the notion that she can sing, because all the songs are as far from showcasing her voice as they possibly could be. I appreciate this because we can all agree that slow ballad songs like "I'm Not a Girl" and "Sometimes" were never her strong suit anyway. Which is why this CD is so awesome. The people have spoken and my girl gives the people what they want: poppy dance hits that have been run through a grinder of synthesizers. This album is not deep or pretentious, and while it won't change your life (like many a Dave Matthews release), it gives you exactly what you expect, 41 minutes of hardcore fun. Aside from the CD's own awesomeness, I must express my amazement at how anyone that intoxicated could create anything that sounds even remotely good. Though, I have to ask, does she know that fire is hot and ice is cold or was she just being edgy? Because "hot as fire, baby, cold as ice" would still rhyme with "if you've ever been to heaven, this is twice as nice" and also made sense. Even so, "Hot as Ice" is one of my favorite songs on the album.
On a more serious note though, I'm concerned for Britney because she's going down a dangerous path with all the drugs and reckless driving. Not to mention, she's 25 going on 27 which we know is a cursed age for successful musicians:
see also: Jim Morrison
see also: Janis Joplin
see also: Jimi Hendrix
see also: Kurt Cobain
If she joins them, I think I would cry and I mean that. But until then, Britney's back, y'all! Get her CD and put it on repeat.

Bourne Superbad

I saw Superbad tonight. What a mistake. I was trying to avoid seeing it but I gave in just because it’s on the top 250 and I'm trying to see all of them. I’m just glad I didn't have to pay for it. I can count the number of times I laughed because I could do so w/ the fingers of one hand, if I was missing 3 fingers. I actually almost cried, not from laughter or because I’m a pussy and I found it sad, but because it was so awkward. I feel less uncomfortable watching girls get it in the face in homemade pornos. And you know what, that's just as funny and an hour shorter.

Anyway, onto a much better movie that I saw recently. I use the phrase "much better" loosely because this movie is driving me crazy. If any of you haven't seen the Bourne movies, specifically the last one, stop reading now. The Bourne Ultimatum is like an orgasm you're not sure whether or not you had. It's intense and exciting all the way through and then it ends kind of sluggishly but still in a cute way. But definitely not in the shocking and amazing way the entire movie had been building up to. If you saw them you may or may not have noticed that there’s a scene in the middle of Ultimatum that’s identical to the last scene in Supremacy. Leading you to believe that the events taking place in this movie happen in the middle of the Supremacy movie. I guess that’s cool, whatever. But I had recently seen the first two and there are several other scenes that aren’t exactly repeats but are still definitely eerily similar, like the way Julia Stiles cuts her hair in the same way the German chick did in the first movie, and how the car chase ends around the middle of both movies, lines that are almost kind of repeated and how Bourne ends up face up in the water, in the exact way Bourne Identity started. Not to mention the scene that’s obviously identical has some really subtle differences that are either sloppy oversights or intentionally different for some reason. The entire movie I’m thinking that were going to find out that either Bourne's gone crazy or he's in some weird virtual reality where he's reliving scenarios over and over with different people in them. But we don't. The reasoning behind those scenes is never explained. Other than the director really liked the first two movies and decided to pay homage to them by recreating every single scene. What the fuck? Someone needs to explain this. I don’t really understand why people liked it so much. 

My Thoughts on Babel

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A Message of Hope to Those With Bulimia

I've been reading this book about a girl who died from bulimia. It’s called Andrea’s Voice. At first I kind of felt bad but the more I read, the more pissed I get. I just have no tolerance for people with eating disorders. Man, put your life into perspective. When I think of the homeless kids all over the world who would literally give their arm to have the meal you just threw up, I want to smash every little bulimic bitch's head against a toilet. You're an asshole! Maybe that’s why people don't like you and not because you don’t look like a rail. And maybe if you spent less time with your finger down your throat and more time being an appreciative socially acceptable human, you would have the unconditional love you think you're going to win by not eating. I don’t think they should have therapy for eating disorders, but a foreign exchange program. Every jackass diagnosed with an eating disorder trades places with someone in Africa for month. Maybe they would come back with something valuable, like AIDS. Because the way I see it, there’s nothing like a terminal illness to make you see that you're not disordered; you're just an idiot. 

Little Miss Sunshine: Comedy? I think not.

I saw Little Miss Sunshine today. *As always the following may or may not contain spoilers.* I don’t want to say it’s a bad movie. It’s just that I personally hated it. I've never seen a more depressing movie in my life. Yes, it beats Requiem. Everything about it was depressing. Even the music. And it wasn’t even all that funny. I get the concept of dark humor and all but damn. It’s hard to laugh at anything after every ounce of happiness has been sucked out of you. Seeing Steve Carell be serious makes my soul die a little bit. Maybe it’s because I hadn’t cried in a while and I had pent up emotion or something. But what the fuck? I’ve never wanted to commit suicide so badly. There’s a fine line between funny series of unfortunate events and seeing an already pathetic group of people experience tragedy after tragedy...after tragedy. Aside from the fact that it made me die inside, there’s also no way you can make me believe that a cop can be distracted enough by porn to overlook the dead body in the trunk. In general, I hate movies about quirky off-beat characters. Napoleon Dynamite, Little Miss Sunshine, Garden State, Running With Scissors. I don’t buy that kind of crap. I need a plot, not just weird people. An entire cast of Oscar winners does not a good movie make. Not to mention that more often than not, when those stupid indie movies attempt to be deep, they just come off as pretentious and ridiculous. An artsy jumble of scenes drowning in its own shallow pool of pseudo-meaning.

The one good thing about this movie is that it was trying to be cleverly and darkly comedic as opposed to the other comedies that people enjoy these days, like Borat. I really fucking hate Borat and all the stupid catch phrases he’s spawned. This is one of those things, like Napoleon Dynamite, that I choose to believe people like because it’s trendy, not because they actually find it funny. That helps me sleep at night. Because although that’s equally unacceptable, I refuse to accept that people's sense of humor is THAT bad. And of course, as if Borat himself wasn’t unfunny enough, in come the pathetic losers who spend every waking minute quoting him. These are the douchebags that have never had a single original thought in their head and the extent of their wit comes from Dane Cook’s standup and Will Ferrell movies. Congratulations, you have mastered the art of repeating words. Kill yourself.