Random Thoughts and Quick Review: Blades of Glory

Finally we have a date for the premiere of season 4 of Project Runway: Wednesday November 14th. Arrgh!!!!!! That’s too freaking long! I love Top Chef but I’d happily have it go away mid series for new eps of Tim and Heidi.

Speaking of Bravo!, shame on them for once again giving us not only filler but repeat filler this week instead of new Top Chef.

Scott Baio is 45 and renewed according to CNN. I enjoyed the first season of Baio’s reality show but I worry that without the therapy sessions and the whole process that he went through, season 2 will be more boring or fabricated. Still I’m sure I’ll be watching.

Congrats to Amber on Big Brother for reinforcing to me why I dislike religion and people who base their lives on religion. Its been a joy to listen to her prayers that sound like a combination of a spoiled child on Santa’s lap and a phone sex operator (I swear sometimes I think she’s going to go all Exorcist with her crucifix in mid prayer). Best of all America has grown to hate her too. Her use of convenient religion, her ignorance, and her extreme hypocrisy have made her the most disliked Christian in the country, next to another ignorant hypocrite currently residing at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

Now on to my thoughts on Blades of Glory…
Like most Will Ferrell films I skipped this one in the theaters. By the time any of his comedies come out I’m usually burned out from the ads and the press even though I genuinely like the guy. Historically it’s taken a couple of viewings to warm up to his films but usually they not only grow on me, they grow roots into my very being thanks to their hilarious quotes and catch phrases. Blades of Glory is probably destined to join the ranks of Talladega Nights, Old School, and Anchorman in my comedy heart but I think it faces a tougher journey as I literally laughed out loud only a handful of times. Ferrell is good but the script doesn’t mock the sports film conventions enough and at times takes itself too seriously. The direction is a mixed bag on the technical side. At times the actors flawlessly appear to be skating and at other times the use of green string and CGI is just horrendous. Jon Heder continues to prove that he’s a one role actor by turning in his 732nd lackluster performance since Napoleon. On the plus side Will Arnett and Amy Pohler, America’s First Couple of Comedy, steal every scene they’re in. I found myself wishing the movie was just about them and their sister Jenna Fischer who brings plenty of Pam-ness to the flick. The DVD does have some good extras. A sit down interview with Pohler and Arnett might be funnier then anything in the movie. The alternate takes and deleted scenes have some good laughs and the rudimentary “making of” doc actually is pretty enjoyable thanks to the involvement of the stars. In the end I must say that if you want a sure fire Will Ferrell DVD from the last year go out and get the highly underrated Stranger Then Fiction. Meanwhile, I’m going to have to give this film another try before I find it as mindbottling funny as Ferrell’s previous flicks.

Quick Reviews: Heroes Season 1 on DVD

One of the great things to look forward to this fall is the renewal of the great geek debate between Heroes worshippers and Lost apologists. When Heroes debuted last year a large number of geeks and non geeks quickly discovered a show that as time went on became known as the anti-Lost thanks to its willingness to share “secrets” and resolve dangling plot threads in weeks not years. Heroes worshippers quickly declared it the best show ever and pointed at the stalled first six episodes of season 3 of Lost as a failure. Meanwhile the Lost geeks were quick to point out that Heroes lacked substance and that in the end that would be its undoing. During this debate last year I tried to stay above the fray as I loved both shows but after going through a few episodes of season one of Heroes on DVD, I gotta say I think the Lost folk had it right. Heroes is an amazing show and very entertaining but much like the equally excellent 24, three quarters of the joy in watching Heroes come from the twists, turns, and surprise reveals. Unfortunately that leaves only a quarter for character and storytelling and upon repeat viewing those deficiencies become more apparent. Not a single character has any real depth not even Ali Landry’s super strong woman who’s got two characters inside her. The storytelling can become lax and lazy and nowhere was that more apparent then in the rushed season finale. Still when the show does take the time to pause and capture personal moments it does so with great effectiveness in large part due to the excellent cast.

Of course despite the fact that many of the season 1 eps don’t have repeat viewing potential, that doesn’t mean the DVD isn’t worth it. A gaggle of extras are on display here including the original cut of the pilot. My personal favorite is the behind the scenes bit with composers Wendy and Lisa and yes they are that Wendy and Lisa of Purple Rain fame. The commentaries that I listened to last night are worth a listen to especially on the finale and the original pilot. Speaking of which, the original pilot is almost like seeing a new episode and you learn how things might have been a lot different. Watching it reminded me of that previously mentioned joy one gets out of a new episode of Heroes and got me six ways of excited for that approaching Monday in September when Hiro and the gang return to save the world.

Hills Thought of the Week

Monday night brought us another new ep of The Hills and there was of course the requisite drama. JustinBobby ditched Audrina...again, Brody Jenner tried to stay relevant with his broken finger, and Lauren cried over Heidi again. The story of the night though was Spencer and Heidi's visit to her home town of Crested Butte, Colorado. The most shocking reveal of the night was not the fact that Spencer acts like a huge ass around Heidi's parents but the fact that it appears Heidi comes from a somewhat humble origin. Sure her folks own a restaurant but I think their house is actually smaller then Heidi and Spencer's apartment. Truly a rags to bitches story...

Quick Review: Inland Empire and a Brief Blog Preview

This has been quite the week of DVD releases for me. First up was Hamlet, one of my favorite films of all time, next was the new collector’s edition of Serenity, and then came the latest from arguably my favorite filmmaker David Lynch. Inland Empire feels like the third installment in a trilogy of Lynch films focusing on identity starting with Lost Highway and then Mullholland Drive. Like those two films it demands multiple viewings and leaves you with a multitude of ways to interpret it. Before I saw the film I read many reviews that avoided a plot synopsis altogether as they said it was too difficult. I think that’s a cop out. The film follows Laura Dern, who gives an Oscar worthy performance, as an actress who literally loses herself in her role and then becomes something else all together. There’s also a sitcom with bunny/human hybrids and a girl who’s crying while watching TV. Alright fine, maybe I can’t explain the plot but for me that’s part of the beauty of the film. In the end much like Drive, I felt as if I had some ideas as to what happened and what everything represented but more importantly the film left an emotional imprint upon me as I found myself crying and caring for people and characters that I did not connect with in the traditional filmatic sense. Empire also serves as Lynch’s introduction to digital video and the results are breathtaking. As someone who likes to play with darkness and levels of shadow, the digital video format is a perfect fit for Lynch and it also gives him an opportunity to shoot at a quicker pace which is probably important for a film that is shot in both LA and Poland. Again if you’re not a Lynch fan this might not be for you but if you are this is a must see.

Unofficial DVD week continues tomorrow with a quick review of the Heroes Season 1 set and Thursday I’ll have my thoughts on the release of Will Ferrell’s Blades of Glory. Next week brings The Office Season 3, 30 Rock Season 1, and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Seasons 1 and 2, so we’ve got plenty of new releases to explore. Then after all that, get ready for my second annual guide to the new TV season. I’ll break down every night of the week highlighting both new shows and returning favorites. Yes it’s almost that time of the year where you can draw your shades, turn your phone on silent and pause your Netflix membership, because you’ve got new TV to watch. Woo hoo!

I’ve Found Serenity Once Again

I’m not a big fan of platinum editions, ultimate collections, and definitive discs, but once in a while the marketing geniuses know what they’re doing when they re-release a film on DVD. Such is the case with the new two disc “collector’s edition” of Joss Whedon’s Serenity. My man love for Whedon is well documented on this site so I’ll try to keep the drooling admiration to a minimum. Born out of the short lived TV show Firefly, Serenity reunited the original cast with Whedon for his big screen directorial debut. Like all Whedon work the film featured incredible drama, much hilarity, a little romance and lots of action. The results for this sci-fi western were underwhelming at the box office to say the least but like the TV show once the movie hit DVD the commercial and critical acclaim rolled in and of course that has now prompted the new edition. One thing that often drives me nuts with these re-releases is the disappearance of the original DVD features. Here the producers were smart and left Whedon’s original commentary as well as all the short making of extras that graced the first disc. The real bread and butter on this new edition is a new commentary track recorded this past March with Whedon and about a quarter of the cast. If the love these folks shared didn’t come through to you by simply watching the film, you’ll get it here in spades. Even though time has passed it sounds like they’re reuniting weeks not years since the film was shot. Some new extended scenes offer a few funnies and two new making of docs again just perfectly capture the magic that you want to believe filmmaking should be. Of course the real joy of this disc is the film itself and even after seeing it in the theaters and multiple times on DVD I still found myself watching it twice more on Sunday (once with commentary, once without). If you haven’t seen it don’t worry about missing out on the TV show (although you’re missing out huge) as the movie is very accessible to newbies to the ‘verse and it will just drive you to watch the series anyway.

Coming Up at 10, Self Loathing Reaches New High

Oh Fox you’ve done it again. I might have an unnatural dislike for Rupert Murdoch and the creative decisions his network makes (i.e. cancelling quality shows) but I have to admire their ability to expose our inner need for trash TV. From oldies like Temptation Island to present day juggernaut American Idol, Fox knows that deep down we as TV viewers, at least a little, want to laugh AT people not with them. It’s with this premise that Fox has introduced a late summer reality show entitled Anchorwoman (Wednesdays 7pm CST). Former model and WWE diva Lauren Jones scores a new job as a small town Texas newscaster and of course “reality” ensues. Watching the first two half hour episodes Wednesday night I couldn’t decide whether the funny part of the show is laughing AT Jones as she stumbles her way through the English language and makes ditzy comment after ditzy comment or laughing at the state of our TV news. I think I’ve decided on the latter thanks partly to my own Fox affiliate run a ticker throughout the show advertising an online Q&A with our own female news anchor. Shouldn’t she, I don’t know, be getting ready to cover the news? Watching station members worry about Jones undermining their journalistic integrity when they already employ Stormy the weather dog is both funny and sad. Worse yet many of the so called news stories they discussed reminded me of my local news here and in Madison, the kind of news were you want to shake your TV and scream, “That’s not news.” Still despite all this Fox has created an engrossing show. I’m already cheering for Lauren to succeed and show up her bitchey producer/co-anchor, and I can’t wait to see the dog give a forecast.

***Updated: I wrote the post below Thursday morning but forgot to set it live so imagine my surprise when I woke up today to post it and saw that Fox has already cancelled the show. Looks like its not just quality shows that Rupert’s boys have an itchy trigger finger for. Honestly I won’t miss it and in fact my life will be better off with the show off the air but you’ve got to question the sanity of a network pulling the plug on a show that already aired two of its five total episodes. That’s right folks this was only a five episode mini show to run out the summer yet the networks felt like that called for too much patience. Again I’m not sorry to see the show go, ok maybe a little bit, but moreover its just another example of the insane decision making that goes on in network television.****

Quick Review: Kenneth Branagh’s Hamlet on DVD

As an entertainment blogger I often get asked for my favorite movie of all time. Truth is I don’t have a set number one choice and even my top 10 remains rather fluid. There are a few titles though that I sometimes mention if someone really puts me on the spot, Touch of Evil, Mullholland Drive, and Kenneth Branagh’s Hamlet. The latter of the three has finally come to us on DVD 11 years after its initial release. Branagh’s Hamlet is by far the most beautiful film I’ve ever scene. Every frame bursts with light, depth, color and life. Shot in 70mm film the scope of the staging is breathtaking yet the intimacy found on a small stage comes through in every scene. Of course the script is all right. I think this Shakespeare fellow could be the next Judd Apatow. Seriously though, I find the cliché to be true that this is simply the greatest piece of drama in the history of the English language. Branagh does the bard proud by putting every word from the original play on screen for the first time ever. I think to truly appreciate the work you need the unabridged version on the screen. The star studded cast disappears into their roles with spectacular results (even Billy Crystal and Robin Williams) especially Julie Christie as Gertrude and Derek Jacobi as Claudius. As for Hamlet himself I think Branagh delivers the quintessential Hamlet of my generation. His Hamlet is filled with passion but he’s unfocused just as most 30 year olds are. His madness is correctly played as an act that soon becomes all too real. I myself tend to despise previous incarnations where the prince comes off bratty and self entitled. Here Branagh makes you yearn for his Hamlet to have lived in gentler times as you get glimpses into the wonderful man he would have become had not the madness of his Royal Family engulfed him so. Being that the film hasn’t ever been released on DVD I would’ve been happy with just the film but Branagh and the studio have given us a DVD worth the wait. Most important of all is a restoration of the original 70mm print. Again this is simply the most breathtaking film I’ve ever seen and it demands this crisp clear picture the DVD. An introduction by Branagh acknowledges the internet movement that pushed for this release which is nice tip of the cap. Along with an insightful and entertaining commentary by Branagh and his friend and Shakespeare scholar Russell, there are two making of featurettes both from the time of release and a series of trailers for other Shakespeare films that make you appreciate the stunning work in this film all the more.

TV News and Views

News: Veronica Mars has super power that allows her only to be on good shows.
Kristen Bell, aka Veronica Mars, already had a good gig lined up for her post Veronica life when she was tapped to be the narrator of OC creator Josh Schwartz’s new show Gossip Girl but now she’s taken her plans to a whole new level by landing a role on Heroes. As per usual on Heroes, her character will confuse the audience as to whether she’s good or evil but apparently she’s a bit of a bad ass. The recurring character for Bell will appear in a less then half the eps but that should help some of us Mars heads from going through complete withdrawal. Now if Enrico Colantoni gets a job on Lost I’ll be ecstatic.

Views: The Hills are more alive then ever!
Last week I expressed concern about how MTV’s The Hills would play out with its two “stars” now living in separate places and not speaking to each other. After 3 eps I think it’s safe to say that those concerns were greatly misplaced. First off they could have twenty minutes of black air as long as I get to see Lauren’s old Laguna Beach friend Lo for a scene. We missed you Lo don’t ever leave Lauren’s coattails again. Also Audrina has slipped right into Heidi’s role of dating idiots quite nicely. Her budding trainwreck with something called Justin Bobby is almost as enjoyable as when Spencer first seduced Heidi (seriously where do they find these find guys). Speaking of Heidi and Spencer I’m confused as to whether I’m supposed to cheer Heidi when she puts Spencer in his place or if I’m supposed to cheer Spencer for when he makes her question her self worth since clearly I’m supposed to hate both. Meanwhile Lauren seems to costing along but with previews showing the return of both Brody and Jason I’m sure she’ll give poor lonely Whitney many new stories to overreact to.

News: Janine Garofolo doubles the geek sex appeal on 24.
As if Chloe weren’t enough to get our inner geek tounges wagging on 24, the original queen of geek attraction, Janine Garofolo, joins the cast this year. I’m sure her role as an FBI agent won’t be a laugh riot but here’s hoping that sardonic quick wit of hers is utilized by the writers and that she and Mary Lynn Rajskub get to have a cat fight over who Jack calls for help.

Views: Anthony Bourdain gives travelogues a sad name.
I got home last night and as always checked to see what TiVo had taped for me. Usually it’s a Buffy or Angel rerun along with some crap like Celebrity Eye Candy. Yesterday though it taped a Travel Channel special entitled Anthony Bourdain in Beirut. I’m a fan of Bourdain’s show No Reservations so I decided to give this a watch and let me tell you right now, it’s the best hour of TV you’ll see this week (check the Travel Channel for repeats all week). Bourdain traveled to Beirut in summer 2006 to do an episode of his show but while there the latest chapter in the Israeli/Lebanon conflict erupted and what started as a travelogue becomes a harrowing piece of TV about the survival and destruction of a people. Sure there’s some good food thrown in but really it’s just a fascinating piece first person accounts of a war torn city.

Quick DVD Review: Hot Fuzz

I always approach a filmmaker’s second project with a bit of worry. So often they can be “corrupted” by Hollywood or become over important resulting in a lackluster follow up. Happily I can report that the makers of Shaun of the Dead did not rest on their laurels and turn out a lame duck (or swan) follow up. In fact I think whatever Hollywood influence came over director/writer Edgar Wright and writer/actor Simon Pegg made for a better film.

Hot Fuzz, released on DVD, last week is a perfect follow up project and does for cop thrillers what Shaun of the Dead did for zombie flicks. The duo clearly has a love for the material they’re mocking. Take for example a discussion the two have on the funny yet informative commentary where they declare that the person who wrote, “This shit just got real”, in Bad Boys II deserves an Oscar. The duo immersed themselves in cop buddy movies, mysteries, and thrillers while writing the script and while they pulled out all the old clichés for the purpose of exposing them, they also use them to make a fine film. Just like Shaun, Fuzz ends up being a really good example of the genre they’re focusing on despite the hilarious holes they blow through some of its staples. Pegg plays a role almost the opposite of Shaun as Sergeant Nick Angel but it still allows his comic brilliance to shine brightly especially in all the facial expressions he makes. Nick Frost seems to have taken a giant step forward acting wise from his role in Shaun and really gives the film a center. The rest of the cast, a who’s who of award winning British actors, all do extremely good work especially considering how minor some of the rolls seem. The style of the film borrows heavily from many in the genre from Scorsese to DePalma to Tony Scott but what struck me the most was the similar editing style to that of Darren Aronofsky by using repetitive motions of actions to bridge scenes. Wright is clearly a very talented director and hopefully people do not overlook that simply because he is making comedies. The DVD extras are ok on the disc but I’m led to believe that if you want to purchase it you might want to hold off for some kind of deluxe edition as Wright and Penn often refer to extras that aren’t on the disc during their commentary. One extra worth watching besides the commentary is a short doc on their press tour of America along with Frost. Funny funny stuff and also very entertaining to see them show the film to audiences for the first time, something which I very much regret not getting to do in the theater. Finally let’s answer the question many people immediately think of, is it better then Shaun? While Shaun may have had me belly laughing a lot more, Fuzz was a more well rounded film for me. Perhaps it’s that I favor cop films more then zombie films but I really think it’s more that these guys took what they learned from Shaun, and were able to deliver a more polished complete movie. Still I’ll never turn down an opportunity to watch either…yarp!

Once a Dick always a Dick

Forgive me as this doesn’t really fall under pop culture but hey it was on The Daily Show so it kinda counts right? There’s been a ton of talk this week about the a 1994 CSPAN video of then Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney discussing the dangers of removing Sadaam Hussein from power during the first Gulf War. He talks about the chaos it would create in an already unstable region. He talks about the different factions in Iraq that would seek to split the country or control it. He talks about the increased troop loss the US would face after escaping the Gulf War with relatively small casualties. In short he predicts everything that has happened in the last 4 years. A lot of people in the media have been arguing that while it’s certainly a chilling glimpse into the future, you can not tie Cheney’s 1994 comments to the actions he took almost a decade later. So much has changed they say and they point to 3 major events or as I like to call them excuses. Number one, the neo-con movement rose to power and converted Cheney. Number two, Sadaam became a bigger threat. Number three, the mother of all game changers…9/11. Join me please as I call bullshit on the media and of course Mr. Dick himself.

Excuse #1: The neo-con movement rose to power and converted Cheney.
Its true as Secretary of Defense Cheney of 1994 was clearly not as brash and bold as the Cheney of today. Furthermore I accept that the neo-con movement did not exist at that time. That being said, leopards don’t change their spots. The administration Cheney served in at that time was run by Bush Sr., and while he was popular during the war his presidency was already on the decline due to the failure of his predecessors social and economic policies. The administration did not have a mandate and unlike today Congress was still a legitimate check to the White House’s power. I’m sure that while Cheney, Bush Sr. and others in that administration were aware of the risks involved in removing Sadaam, the one that held them back the most was the political risk. Does anyone really think that someone as arrogant and stubborn as Cheney would be converted to a movement such as the neo-cons? Really the neo-con movement just allowed Cheney to emerge from his cocoon of evil in broad daylight.

Excuse #2: Sadaam became a bigger threat.
Well I must admit I can see how this is true however it’s just not true in the way the media and Cheney’s defenders would have you believe. Their argument is that Sadaam had the WMDs or at least WMD programs and that he was aligned with terrorists. How many times do we have to cover this?!?! There were no WMDs and no overt ties to terrorist organizations. Sadaam was despised outside of his own country (and inside as well). His list of allies was almost non existent because after Kuwait no one could trust that he wouldn’t either turn on them or bring down the wrath of the US military on the region. Sadaam was however a bigger threat to this administration because he was a maverick. When it comes to controlling oil the US knew that they could not rely on Iraq while he was in power. Furthermore Sadaam was put in power by many of the senior officials that served in Junior’s administration which was embarrassing enough but when Sadaam started flashing home movies on Al Jazeera of him and Rummy going down a Slip N Slide on a hot summer day that was too much. Truth is Cheney and the rest of the administration viewed Sadaam as a threat to their personal interests and not those of this country.

Excuse #3: The mother of all game changers…9/11.
Doesn’t anyone realize that the more we use 9/11 in this way the more it discredits the pain and loss we as a country suffered that day? It’s a disservice to the survivors and to the families who lost someone that day. Did 9/11 change our world? I’ll say yes but only in that it allowed Cheney and Bush to institute a series of initiatives designed to undermine our freedom and the Constitution. Without that did 9/11 change anything else? I’d argue no. Terrorists will always target us whether Bush, Clinton or FDR is in power. As a superpower and a bastion of “freedom” it makes sense that we’re targets. Sorry kids those are the breaks if you don’t like it move to Belgium. Now I’m hardly saying we deserve to be hit but the fact is 9/11 was one terrorist success and we haven’t had one since or for that matter before on such a large scale. We live in a country were terror is a constant threat of living and the only thing that 9/11 changed is that it scared enough people into handing over their rights and minds to Cheney and company. Yes 9/11 changed the environment so that it was a much better time for Cheney to move into Bagdad and remove Sadaam but only because he had carte blanch from this country.

The most frustrating thing about this aside from the fact that we got ourselves in this unwinable war is that Cheney never bothered to share this info in the run up to the war. While I’m still quite sure I would have opposed it, wouldn’t it have been nice for anyone in the administration to admit going in that this will not be easy and that post Sadaam Iraq will be difficult to deal with. I think the bloodlust in this country was still at such a high that approval still would have been given but more importantly it would have shown an openness to discussion that this administration and Cheney in particular so desperately lacks. Once again by withholding information that could have prepared and educated the nation’s public Cheney has added to a deepening chasm of trust between we the people and our elected officials. What a Dick…

El Dog’s Super Amazing Donkey iMix

Top 10 on my iPod

10. Big Girl’s Don’t Cry- Fergie: Damn you Hills! After weeks of resistance I finally broke down after watching Lauren and Heidi’s friendship fall apart to the soothing sounds of the cutest ex-meth head in music. The chorus is haunting in a “I’d like to have my skull smashed in” kind of way and the lyrics such as “I miss you like a child misses their blanket” leave a lot to be desired but I’ll be damned if I don’t find myself singing and hand dancing along.

9. Start the Show- Common: Here’s a guy who seems to improve on every album. Sure his flow has been great since he blew onto the Chi-town scene but his lyrics have reached a perfect balance between classic old school bragging and new school consciousness. This opening track to his latest album has a bit of a harder edge thanks to the production work by Kanye West but Common’s voice mellows it out.

8. Underclass Hero- Sum 41: If this is a clever comment on this pop punk band’s previous crossover hits like “Fat Lip” then this song is borderline genius. If it’s a rehash of the same old shtick, well then it’s pretty sad but still a decent track.

7. Stuck Between Stations- The Hold Steady: I am now declaring that my musical goal for next year, 2008, is to listen to more of these guys. Oh I know they’re the critical darlings of the alt rock world and have been for the last two years. Sorry I’m coming to the party late and really there is no excuse since I was a big fan of Lifter Puller the band that Hold Steady evolved from. Not sure why I waited so long but their mix of classic rock with fresh guitar riffs and beguiling lyrics but I’m onboard now.

6. Umbrella- Mandy Moore: Love this cover but hate the snobbish, “I don’t usually listen to top 40,” speech at the beginning of the video below.


5. The Pretender- Foo Fighters: Dave and the boys are back again and ready to rock your arse! I was not a huge fan of their last double album. The electric disc was pretty decent but I thought the acoustic disc was repetitive and uninteresting. This new track is class Foo and gives me high hopes for the new album coming in September.

4. March of the Dogs- Sum 41: No I don’t just love this song because it features lyrics about the death of a US president although that doesn’t hurt. No the real joy of the music is in the pogo inducing rhythms and the chord work that will have you bouncing along.

3. Spider-Pig- Hans Zimmer: What more can be said other then genius? This operatic overture based on a 70’s super hero cartoon song updated to a 21st century love song to a pig is one of the many highlights of the Simpson’s movie.

2. Southside- Common featuring Kanye West: Wow this is the best rap duet I’ve heard since Method Man and Notorious BIG did “The What” back in ‘96. The two Chicagoans breathe life into each other in this ode to their hometown and themselves. It also features the strongest production work I’ve heard from Kanye in a while which is something I’m happy to say translated into…

1. Stronger- Kanye West: Finally the strings are dead…long live the synthesizers. I’m not a hater on Kanye’s use of strings throughout his previous albums and productions but it seemed to become a crutch. I’m happy to report that on the first two tracks off his upcoming Graduation album Kanye has ditched the strings. On Stronger he’s picked up a sample from dance club favorite LCD Soundsystem and gone all electronica on us. The result is my favorite Kanye track since I first heard Jamie Foxx sing, “She take my money when I'm in need.”

Quick Review: The Bourne Ultimatum

I heart Paul Greengrass. Is there any more exciting big budget director working today? I love Scorsese, Fincher, and PTA but Greengrass has just completed a trifecta of great studio films. First there was The Bourne Supremacy, a rare case where the sequel surpassed the original. Then there was the gripping United 93 that told the tale of the 4th 9/11 plan that went down before hitting its target. Now there’s his crowning achievement The Bourne Ultimatum. In a summer movie season that started for me with a dud of a 3rd installment (Spidey 3), it’s ironic that the best film I’ve seen turns out to be another 3-quel.

I don’t know where to start when it comes to praise so let me get out the negatives first. Casting Albert Finney in a role as one of the founders of the program that made Bourne was a confusing decision. After having Brian Cox stagger through the last film, Finney’s similar look sometimes clouded the pictures that appeared on screen. Yes that’s my biggest complaint.

So now for the good stuff. Greengrass directs action better then anyone alive today. The car chase scene in Supremacy was one of my favorites but here he ups the ante and he trades out Moscow for New York. The hand to hand combat is dizzying but you never get lost with who’s who, something Transformers could have learned from earlier this summer. Acting wise, David Strahaim, Joan Allen, and Julia Stiles all turn in excellent performances. Stiles has appeared in all three films and her character has developed so nicely that you’re left wanting more. Matt Damon does a fine job and you can tell that behind the stoic face of Bourne, Damon is truly enjoying himself. The plot is pretty straight forward but it advances the overall Bourne storyline while, dare I say, brining it to its conclusion. Plus, there’s one twist in the movie that’s worth the price of admission alone. The score, the film stock, the wonderful locations, they all add up to the best movie I’ve seen this summer (sorry Ocean’s 13 you’ve been usurped). Sadly this appears to be the end of Bourne although I’m sure the studio will send dump trucks of money to both Damon and Greengrass but both appear ready to move on. While I’m more then eager to see what they do next, here’s one situation where I’m hoping that studio greed will win out in the end.

When The Beach Fades Into The Hills

Last night I got a full double dose of self loathing. In truth, its night’s like last that led me to create the blog. Watching TV the likes of which I viewed last night leaves me excited, satisfied, titillated, disgusted, and somewhat morose. What caused all this? The season premieres of The Hills and its parent show The Real Orange County on MTV.

Let’s start with the elder show first, which has dropped the original locale of Laguna Beach and instead moved up the coast a few miles to Newport Harbor. After watching the first ep, there’s no discernable difference. After the sagging ratings that last season’s Laguna folks brought to the table it was no surprise the producers ditched Tessa and company for a bunch of newbies, although I do miss Cammy and her ginormous…linguistic skills. The problem with The Real OC is that after a first season that had legit teenage drama they’ve just tried to repeat the same formula…good girl has crush on cute boy who considers her friend but lusts for blonder bad girl who just wants to toy with him. Last night we met the Chrissy whose strict parents could end up being one of the more enjoyable aspects of the show. We also met Clay her good friend and neighbor whom she wants in the most pure and Christian way. Finally we met Allie the wild girl who wants all the guys and isn’t afraid to step on anyone’s toes to do it. Problem is we don’t know these kids (and by know I mean observe them in contrived situations for 30 minutes a week) and it will take a few weeks to see if the producers have struck gold again…or should I say fool’s gold. Of course I’ll take the ride I’m just not sure if it will end well.

Meanwhile the same producers are sticking to the formula on The Hills. Following the migration of Lauren “LC” Conrad from Laguna to LA, The Hills has exceeded its predecessor in drama and stamina. While these still aren’t people I can identify with, as I’m not a girl, rich, or on TV, I have enjoyed watching some of them grow and change. Last season you actually saw some signs of maturity emerge from Lauren as she not only worked like an adult but also handled some of her problems like an adult. Of course the real fun in watching is to see the drama and to fall in love with the lifestyle LC and her ex best friend Heidi live. The show just sucks you in and the more you fight it the more you find yourself purchasing Fergie songs on iTunes 10 minutes after the show is done. The first two episodes last night picked up more or less where last season left off. Heidi has ditched her friendship with Lauren and moved in with Satan spawn Spencer. In Spencer’s latest embarrassment to men moment, he took it upon himself to paint the couples new living room and paint it he did by commissioning a graffiti painting of the word Hollywood. Spencer then makes it up by proposing without actually proposing to Heidi. Lauren meanwhile is dealing with the rumored sex tape of her and original Satan spawn, Jason coming out. Of course this all ties together at a lavish birthday party for some rich douche at a trendy club when Lauren and Heidi face off. Lauren accuses Heidi of spreading the rumors while Heidi “acts” clueless. Meanwhile Audrina and Whitney pop up from time to time to remind us the show is about them too…in theory. The show is pure escapism from its locales to the so called problems of its stars and it’s completely engrossing but I’m guessing this will be the end of the show. While the estrangement of Heidi and LC makes for good drama it does make for a logistical nightmare for producers. I also hear Spencer and Heidi want out but not necessarily off of TV, anyone for Spencer and Heidi: Newlyweds in Hell?

Newport Harbor: The Real Orange County, Wednesdays 9:30 CST, MTV
The Hills, Mondays 9:00 CST, MTV

Quick Review: The Simpsons Movie

Last month I like many of you waited in anticipation for a movie that’s plot summary was as follows: “The story of man and his love for a pig.” Well that sold me and yesterday I finally got to see that love played out on the big screen in The Simpsons Movie. Let’s get the biggest question out of the way first, is it worth the wait? Hell’s to the yes, it was worth the wait. I laughed, I cried, and I cried laughing.

The writers and producers have made a film that maintains the TV show’s integrity while taking advantage of everything they can on the big screen. While this isn’t South Park you can tell they were happy to shed the network sensors. The animation is beautiful, which is something you rarely think when watching the show. The scope of the film is bigger too and I don’t just mean story wise. Each frame of animation is filled to the brim and while they tend to that on TV, you often miss things due to the size. Here every billboard, poster, and background actor is clear, noticeable, and often very, very, funny.

While the movie takes full advantage of the cinematic differences from TV, it doesn’t over do it. The film wasn’t used to set up any kind of status quo changing event for the show except for the shocking death of one character. Also, the movie doesn’t include any more celebrity voices then you’re average episode. Best of all they don’t do anything you wouldn’t expect from the characters we’ve grown to know and love. While the story would not be contained by TV the message and arc of it is classic Simpsons. Homer’s a screw up but he loves Marge and the kids more then anything. We’ve seen the story in a million episodes but it never gets old and the movie does it better then I’ve seen in any recent ep.

Spider-pig, Spider-pig…

Where’s the diversity? aka The Real World: Sydney

Lost in my coverage of the bridge tragedy last week was Wednesday’s post about the new season of the Real World. Go back and read it for background but it’s not necessary to understand this post about Wednesday night’s premiere. I’m a true super fan of the Real World and when I heard this season was originating out of Sydney, Australia I was immediately hooked. However, the first two episodes which aired this week left me both angry and excited.

One thing The Real World has always been about is throwing 7 strangers together that might not click. Usually that’s meant at least 1 gay or lesbian roommate and at least 1 minority. This time around there’s not a homosexual to be found unless someone’s closeted still. Also while I applaud MTV for featuring a beautiful young Muslim woman by the name of Parisa, I’m very disappointed that she’s the only minority and even more so that we’ve got three generic looking white girls who all look like they’re auditioning for an episode of NeXt. I get that the days of The Real World as a social experiment are long gone and now it’s really just a show about party people but I still think the dynamics of the show are improved by reaching across to as many groups as possible when it comes to casting.

On the plus side you got to love the instant drama that percolated in the house. Four girls and three boys is instantly a recipe for disaster especially when at least two of the girls are interested right off the bat in the same guy. Shauvon and Parisa appear to be the grown ups of the house although I thought it was telling that Shauvon did throw Parisa under the bus when party girl #1, KellyAnne, got upset that the two were talking behind her back. Even so Shauvon seems to be a bit grown up where her blonde twin Trisha seems to be not only childish but ignorant. Anybody that had episode one in the “Cast member becomes an ugly American in foreign land” pool can collect their winnings after Trisha went crazy ignorant on a McDonald’s worker. Sad thing is that I think she’s probably done the same thing in America. Really Trisha, second day in a country that’s not that scarily different from our own and you’re already running for a McFlurry? By the way who orders McFlurries anyway? I thought that while Parisa might have overreacted to KellyAnne’s wake up call and general partying, she gets big points for not walking over and tearing Trisha a new one, although I’m sure that day’s coming. Add in enough sexual chemistry to sink a ship and you’ve got yourself a season. The poor boys will probably be fighting for screen time all season as I’m guessing the four ladies will keep things very interesting and demand all the attention. Here’s a quick breakdown on the cast and remember the show airs 9pm CST Wednesdays but since its MTV it’s really on every 4 or 5 hours.

Cohutta, Age: 23 Blue Ridge, Georgia- Maybe I spoke too soon about minorities not being represented because this guy comes off as a red neck through and through. However, he also seems really sweet which means he’s going to fall for one of the party girls and get his heart ripped out which will result in much screaming and crying.

Dunbar, Age: 22 Natchez, Mississippi- Not only is there no diversity but MTV actually stuck us with 2 good ol’ boys. I mean this guy’s so proud of being Southern he showed off his state flag in his audition tape. Of course he was quick to point out that the image of the Confederate flag that’s featured on the state flag is ok, because it’s the state flag. Sure…and you’re going to stay faithful to your girl back home…

Issac, Age: 21 Cleveland, Ohio- Anyone else reminded of Vinnie Jones, the ex-futbol star of Snatch. This guy is certainly interesting and here’s hoping the show takes some time away from the ladies to delve deeper into this guy’s criminal past and how it’s shaped his present.

KellyAnne, Age: 20 Austin, Texas- Jeez this could get bad. Hopefully she holds her liquor better then she did the first two nights or this might go from trainwreck funny to trainwreck scary.

Parisa, Age: 21 New York, New York- Along with Issac, the most interesting person in the house. She clearly isn’t the party girl that KellyAnne or Trisha are, but she does seem to enjoy a good smoke and a drink now and then. She seems to be a bit of a contradiction in that she has childlike dreams but expects herself and those around her to act like adults.

Shauvon, Age: 24 Sacramento, California- Like Parisa, it seems she may be acting grown up instead of actually being grown up. Certainly though she’s not a dumb blonde and any intelligence on The Real World should not be looked down upon.

Trisha, Age: 19 Fresno, California- I’m so done with her after only one night. Walking out of a McDonald’s because the server doesn’t speak perfect English? Asking for free samples at McDonald’s? It’s not Cold Stone bitch! You’re in Australia, how about you sit down and eat a veggie-mite sandwich! Can’t wait to see anyone and everyone get into it with this blonde who is staying true to stereotype. Oh and I just love how at age 12 her parents gave her a promise ring to stay virginal and her explanation for losing it was pretty much, “I tripped and fell on a dick.” It’s sad how after all these years the show can still make me despise people I only know from 30 minutes of overly edited television but they do it so well.

5000 Hits and counting...

Congrats to Carbrey for being the 5000th visitor to the page and thanks to all of you driving up the site stats in your thirst for the Buff-a-licious prize. Carbrey will receive the original cast recording of Once More with Feeling shortly and thanks again to everyone for reading my self loathing blog.

Quick DVD Review: Zodiac

If you asked me 11 years ago who my favorite director working in Hollywood was, the answer would have been David Fincher. After Seven and the highly underappreciated Aliens 3 I had found my new favorite. Of course in 1999 there came the crowning glory of Fight Club, one of my favorite films of all time, and that only solidified Fincher’s position as my favorite. However since 2002’s lackluster Panic Room Fincher has been silent and my top spot has gone back to being dominated by Lynch and Scorsese. Fincher should be one of those one name directors but the guy is deliberate about the projects he chooses. Thankfully I’m happy to say that, the just released on DVD, Zodiac should go a long way towards making that happy. One of the best reviewed films of 2007 so far, Zodiac did criminally small numbers at the box office. The film following the serial killer who terrorized California back in the 70’s seems right up Fincher’s alley but he doesn’t rest on his past films he instead tries new things and with great success. Visually Fincher seems to have turned a new page. Sure it’s still dark but the frames are crisp and clear as opposed to his frequent use of distortion. He paces the movie at a methodical pace but by skipping months and years ahead the viewer always feels the film gaining momentum to the point at which they identify with the main characters as they race to a conclusion that doesn’t exist. As usual he gets great performances out of some lesser actors and some great ones. Jake Gyllenhall whom I usually detest really turns in a solid if not spectacular performance. In the other leading role Mark Ruffalo continues to play chameleon from role to role as instills the film with a real stability as the chief police inspector on the case. Robert Downey Jr. continues to shine as one of our greatest acting treasures and he dominates whenever he’s on screen as the first character we see descend into madness while trying to uncover the case. Brian Cox and Anthony Edwards head up a great supporting cast as well. Fincher gives the audience some closure but if you want a movie tied up in a nice bow then this isn’t for you but if you want to be challenged and entertained then check it out. The DVD is bare bones but something tells me around X-mas we’ll be seeing a tricked out special edition complete with documentaries on the killer and so on.

Handicapping the Races

Today I’m introducing a new column where I take a look at some of our favorite reality shows and take a look at the odds on favorites and some dark horses. Don’t forget about the 5000th visitor contest either,(details in yesterday’s post).

Top Chef
Well we’re about half way through the show and none of the departed should surprise but the fat will surely be harder to trim in the coming weeks.
3 to 1: Hung- The only chef that can beat Hung is Hung. Everyone on the show thinks so whether it be the judges or even his fellow contestants. Hell, even Anthony Bourdain blogged about it this past week on BravoTV.com. His culinary skill seems only to be matched by his ego and that’s put him on the edge of elimination a couple of times but I’m guessing he’ll bounce back strong and at least make it to the final two.
5 to 1: Casey- In between being portrayed by producers as this season’s eye candy Casey has proved that not only can she cook but that she can do it damn well. She also seems like someone who thrives on confidence and I think last weeks win will propel her much further into the competition.
Dark Horse: Howie- I know every week he freaks out one way or the other and I know he’s been on the chopping block more then any chef in the show’s history but everyone agrees the man can cook. His pork dish at the Telenovela challenge was one of judge Ted Allen’s favorite dishes in the history of the show. If Howie can get an ounce of consistency in his game then the rest of the chef’s should look out.

Big Brother
Well my favorite was Nick but he’s already out the door and both Amber and Eric had their credibility take a huge hit thanks to the banner that some fans flew over the house so I’m starting from scratch.
4 to 1: Dustin- Yes he pissed people off last week by valuing prizes more then his own nominations but that’s ancient history now that his alliance is crumbling thanks to America’s Player. Dustin seems like he could win HoH every other week and that’s key to lasting in this game. Plus he’s got an incredibly loyal accomplice in Amber…for now.
5 to 1: Danielle- As long as people never view Danielle and her estranged dad Evil Dick as a dangerous duo, she could go far. While she’s got the dumb blonde look she’s fairly smart and seems to have a sense of how everyone is playing the game. However if she shows her loyalty too strongly to her dad then the jig is up. This weeks HoH might be her downfall is she can’t convince her crew that Eric is a liar.
Dark Horse: Jessica- I don’t know if she’ll win many challenges but the girl is the very definition of staying under the radar. Her closeness with Eric could get her in trouble in the next week or two.

Making the Band 4
I’m not going to give odds on this one especially since Diddy’s taking America’s vote to into account before the August 26th finale but my 4 would be:
Big (now smaller) Mike- The guy sings so well and a lot of good boy/soul bands have a chubby fellow that still makes the ladies swoon.
Donny- Token white boy who actually has some talent although his claim that his strength is dancing is debatable.
Brian A- Versatile and looks good with about every combination of the remaining ten kids. He’s in for sure.
Willie- This guy just has star written all over him and if somehow I’m wrong about him making the band I’m guessing Diddy might work with him on a solo tip.

The 2008 Presidential Race
Sadly this falls under reality television, witness the fashion focus on Hilary (What Not to Wear), the culinary exploits of Obama (Dinner: Impossible), and the cross country trip of the John McCain (Road Rules), just to name a few. So now that we’re “only” 15 months from the election, here’s how I see it as of now:
4 to 1: Mitt Romney- Seems like the initial flack for his Mormonism has died down and now he’s just another Republican blow hard. However he seems to be the most stable and charismatic blowhard they have right now. Giuliani is a joke and McCain is viewed as a wimp by independents and the left for not standing up to Bush and Rove in 2000, and as a sellout by the right for all his work on campaign finance reform. McCain’s desperate attempts to appeal to the war mongering right has only sealed his fate and Romney seems just slick enough to waltz to the nomination.
5 to 1: Barack Obama- In my heart I still can’t see this country electing an African American or woman president in my life time mostly because we actually allow people south of Illinois to vote, but if ever there was a guy it’s him. The missteps he’s had so far are minor and that gigantic war chest he’s building will certainly make him a player.
9 to 1: Hilary Clinton- I think she’s got a lot of the same stigma McCain has in that her base thinks she’s turned her back on them in terms of her staunch support of Iraq and the opposition still thinks of her as the crazy first lady that wanted to give everyone health care. Oh yeah she’s also a woman (see above).
Dark Horse: John Edwards- This guy gives me the heebie jeebies but he’s the most electable Democrat when it comes to the all important south. I’d rather see Obama or Clinton win the nomination and then fight for the White House but something tells me if this guy can raise enough funds to compete he’ll sneak in there.

Hell’s Kitchen
If it’s not Rock then I’m suing Yahoo and the whole damn interweb.

The Point Game Returns and a Self Loathing First

Before I award points to this week’s pop culture winners and losers I want to make a very special announcement. It’s time for the first ever Self Loathing Pop Culture Giveaway. We’re approaching our 5000 hit and I really appreciate all of you readers, whether you’ve been with me since the start on MySpace or just browsed past the site today on a lark, and I want to say thank you in a bribe oriented kind of way. So here’s how it works, if you’re the 5000th visitor take a screen shot showing the site counter on the left hand side of the web page and email it to karatepants@gmail.com. Hell, send it to me if you’re 5001 or 5002 as you never know if the actual 5000th visitor will be aware of the contest and/or take the time to enter. Once the winner is confirmed they’ll receive a fabulous prize…a slightly used CD of the cast recording of Once More With Feeling…aka the Buffy musical. Good luck and thanks again for all of your support. Now on with the points…

-9: Hell’s Kitchen- What a surprise! Last night the worst season of an already tired show took another terrible turn by splitting up its season finale over two nights. In a season where Gordon Ramsey has given us a group of untalented, uninteresting chefs you’d think he’d want to just get it over with especially since word about who wins was leaked during the show’s second week on the air. This show has never really been about the cooking and I’m getting tired of Ramsey’s shtick. I will of course watch his new show Kitchen Nightmare’s which looks like it may actually focus more on the food and less on the crutches of bad reality TV and of course I’ll watch next week’s finale finale, but I won’t be happy about it.

-5: Best Week Ever- 5 is the number of weeks that VH1 has put BWE on hiatus for. 5, is the number of times Lindsey Lohan will check in and out of rehab between now and the show’s return September 14th. 5, is the number of characters R. Kelly is rumored to play in the latest installments of Trapped in the Closet that will be released during this hiatus. 5 is the number of weeks that VH1 will piss me off by pulling one of my favorite shows on TV. Oh well it just means 5 times the ratings for the vastly superior Soup anyway.

+2: The Rock Life- I take a lot of pride in keeping abreast of new shows on TV especially on MTV and VH1 but a new one has managed to sneak by me. Flipping channels due to a repeat of The Daily Show, I came across VH1’s Rock Life. It’s a new documentary series following the band Whitestarr as they try to record a new album, tour, and just live. I only caught 15 minutes or so but it immediately reminded me of one of my favorite films of the last 5 years, DiG! The band seems to be made up of a bunch of talented miscreants struggling to achieve their dream in spite of their dysfunction. I’m only giving it 2 points at this point because I haven’t seen a whole episode but since the show just premiered last night, there’s certainly time to get in on the ground floor.

+3: The View- Thank you, thank you, thank you for hiring Whoopi as Rosie’s replacement. While I still won’t watch your train wreck of a show, one can only hope that this new job will ensure that we’ll never have to suffer through another Whoopi hosted installment of the Academy Awards. Thanks Baba Wawa!

-5: Bravo!- You know I love you Bravo. You’re reality shows are usually the best in the biz. I even sat through Hey Paula! thinking that there’d be some moment of actual humanity shown by that crazy crazy lady. However in the last couple of weeks you just got lazy. First there was the midseason Top Chef reunion show with contestants from the first two seasons joining the season 3 chefs that had already packed their knives. While there were some entertaining and educational moments (finally we learned how Padma got that scar on her arm) it was really just a cheap excuse to extend the season an extra week. Meanwhile last Thursday brought the finale of Paula Abdul’s show and it was a glorified clip show. Really Bravo, do you think I want to relive some of the moments that disgusted me and turned me from someone who didn’t care about Paula Abdul to someone with a personal vendetta? The show tanked in the ratings and you would have been better off letting it fade off into the sunset a week earlier. Oh and Welcome to the Parker is far worse then your adequate Real Housewives of Orange County. In short get it together Bravo! Here’s hoping a double serving of Tim Gunn this fall will get you back on track.

My Views on Comic-Con News (mild spoiler alert)

Last weekend was the annual grand geek fest of them all, the San Diego Comic-Con. A lot of big news and previews emerged from TV, film and of course comics. Here are the 5 top stories that caught my eye and my subsequent reactions:

Geek Alert #1: JJ Abram’s Gives Answers…sort of
One doesn’t expect to get much news out of the creator of Lost but this year’s Comic-Con was a bit of a surprise. First off, JJ revealed the poster for “Cloverfield” the mystery film he’s producing that had the great trailer ahead of Transformers. While he didn’t give much info we learned it’s not called Monstrous as many web sites were claiming. I love the mystery but I also love that JJ’s keeping the misinformation to a minimum shooting down the Voltron theories and the fake web sites that have nothing to do with this. He also introduced two stars of his relaunch of the Star Trek franchise and they’re both playing the same character…Spock. Leonard Nimoy appeared and noted that he will make an appearance in the new film as will a younger Spock played by…Sylar from Heroes! That’s perfect casting in my book and it actually peaked my interest in the future Trek. To top it off while JJ wasn’t there, the Lost panel revealed some actual news on the 4th season which they had to do to tide us Losties over until February.

Geek Alert #2: Kevin Smith does TV, and he does it well!
One of the most raved about premieres by critics and geeks alike at the Comic-Con was the pilot episode of the WB’s new show Reaper. The show centers around a guy finding out his parents sold his soul to the devil and how he now must work for and against the ultimate big bad. Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the success of the pilot is that it was directed by my favorite geek Kevin Smith. As someone who has repeatedly declined to direct other people’s scripts and anything involving action Smith was an odd choice by the studio but it seems to have paid off. Furthermore Smith seems to have enjoyed himself so much he’s agreed to direct an episode of the new Heroes spin-off creatively entitled Heroes: Origins. Smith is keeping busy also prepping two new theatrical films to shoot this year but it will be fun to see how his sensibilities translate to the small screen and other people’s words.

Geek Alert #3: Indy’s Baby Mama
The rumor was confirmed for all to see as Karen Allen joined Harrison Ford and Steven Spielberg via video conference from the set of Indian Jones 4. With the rumors that current “it” boy Shia LaBeouf character in the film is Indy’s son then it’s only natural that Marion Ravenwood knocked that kid out sometime after the Nazi’s opened the Ark of the Covenant. Having Indy’s best gal back is an encouraging indicator that this sequel might be worth the long long wait.

Geek Alert #4: DC Comics is heading for a Final Crisis…really this is it…for real this time.
First there was the classic Crisis on Infinite Earths in the 80’s, and then there was 2005’s lackluster follow up Infinite Crisis, now we’ve got the comic event that will change the DC Universe for ever. Yeah I’ve heard that one before. Still the news that writer extraordinaire Grant Morrison is penning the 7 issue series gives one hope that he has free reigns to write something that will be not only memorable but a definitive end story to some of DC’s icons including Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman. Of course he did this to the X-Men a few years back and then Marvel pretty much usurped every change he made immediately after he left the book. The big two comic companies have to learn to stop promising huge changes unless they really plan on making them stick. Has Captain America come back to life yet?

Geek Alert #5: Angel spins-off of Buffy…again
The Buffy Season 8 comic has given us fans a chance to reconnect with characters we miss and the joy of Joss Whedon’s work and now it’s giving us something even more. Due to the success of the series Joss is launching a 12 issue mini season of Angel. Yes folks we’ll finally get a glimpse into what happened to everyone after one of the greatest TV finales ever. Whedon is not penning the series but he is designing the whole arc and has acknowledged that this is not some cheesy comic that has nothing to do with continuity. Oh and the other big news is that Ripper, the once rumored TV show staring Giles the Watcher is now looking to go ahead as a BBC TV movie. Woo hoo, the Buffy-verse is all and well. Enjoy the renaissance.

The Next Day

***Updated Thursday 2:50pm-I'm leaving my reactions to the 35W bridge collapse at the top of the page but if you're wanting to move on to something more mundane scroll down to find the sports related post I mentioned in these posts***

Just a couple of more quick thoughts on the bridge collapse here in Minneapolis last night and then we’ll return to regular blog programming about a bunch of stupid pointless crap. As someone who’s criticized the national media for focusing on local and national issues over more pressing issues abroad I must admit when something hits close to home it’s hard to stick to those beliefs. For example I was right there criticizing the wall to wall coverage when the Virginia Tech tragedy occurred. It wasn’t because I didn’t think it was worth covering but the neglect that Iraq and quadruple the deaths there the same day were receiving was equally tragic to me. Yet last night I sat in front of my TV flipping between all the local stations and CNN. This morning as I got ready for work I was right back there and I must admit that not once did I think, why isn’t CNN reporting on anything else in the world? I got to believe that if this had occurred in Cleveland or Atlanta I would not only be asking that question of the national media but criticizing them vociferously for it. Hell I still think that’s the right thing to do but it’s so much harder when it’s your back yard that Anderson Cooper et al are talking about. I do want to say kudos to the local media. This is a story they have to cover wall to wall and they’ve done so with great dignity and poise for the most part. Sure there was the local Fox affiliate (big surprise) that pulled out an “expose” on the state of country and rural bridges they ran a few months back so as to drum up fear and anger but for the most part these stations balanced their coverage between the stories of terror and heroism. While the “why” question looms large every station I watched approached this question with caution and reiterated over and over again that it’s far too early to make any leaps to judgment. Lastly a big shout out to the people that were on the bridge or in the area that put aside the flight instinct that I’m sure was strong and instead ran to the disaster and assisted in the early rescue efforts while the fire and police will still trickling in. That’s all for now either later today or tomorrow I’ll post the column about my seasonal sports depression that seems rather horrible now but the blog must go on.

This is real tragedy

I had written a long winded whiney blog for tomorrow about the anger and dissapointment I felt over two local sports teams here in the Twin Cities and while I may post it this weekend right now I just feel stupid because today Minneapolis/St Paul suffered real tragedy. As I write this it's 8pm CST about two hours after the 35W Interstate bridge collapsed into the Mississippi River. It was rush hour and traffic was bumper to bumper on the stretch of the highway in between downtown Minneapolis and the U of M campus. I truly feel lucky to know that as of now all my loved ones are alive and accounted for. That's not to say I didn't suffer some anxious moments as I tried to reach my mother for about an hour. I can't imagine the horror and pain for those that are still trying to reach people. We don't know what happened and really what does it matter. The plain fact is that a terrible tragedy has occured. Selfishly I can't help but think I was driving on that bridge at the same time as the collapse just last night and that the reason I was could have dictated I was on there today. Glad I was able to do my errand last night instead of tonight. So selfish to think that way especially when there are, as of now, 3 people are dead. My condolences to those that lost someone or are still waiting to hear. That's all, just had to write my thoughts and say to anyone whose contact is restricted to me via the blog that I'm all right,and my loved ones are alright. Take care of each other Twin Cities.

Seasonal Sports Depression

This last month of summer is typically the worst when it comes to sports. Baseball drags through the middle of its season and except for the occasional NASCAR race or fight the sports landscape is barren. Every year I dread this period and salivate for the upcoming pro and college football seasons but this last couple of weeks have been far more interesting in an even more depressing way. Last week I touched on the latest two sports scandals that were dominating the headlines, Michael Vick and the NBA ref scandal. I wondered whether we’d ever get back to sports stories that focused on the sports. Sadly for us Minnesota sports fans that did happen this week and the results were just as depressing. On Tuesday, our dysfunctional sports city took another giant step backward as our plucky, never say die but never say win, baseball team cashed in their chips for the season and our dysfunctional basketball team said goodbye to the face of the franchise and one of the 50 greatest players of all-time.

Living in a small market city, you’re bound to suffer with your sports teams especially when it comes to baseball but the Minnesota Twins have always bucked the system…to a point. The team has done a fantastic job of growing its own talent through their minor league system and maintaining relevant both on and off the field. Management has perfected a cycle of stringing together a few winning seasons then suffering through some miserable ones and then rebounding back to more winning years. This is fine and dandy and something say the Kansas City Royals or Tampa Bay Devil Rays can only dream about but for both the fans and the players here, it can be frustrating. The Twins seem more interested in maintaining this cycle then achieving any higher goals. On Tuesday the team traded second baseman and leadoff hitter Luis Castillo for a couple of minor league prospects partly because they knew they wouldn’t sign the free agent to be in the off season. The result is that the fans see this as a white flag on an already disappointing season (the Twins have hovered around .500 all year) and the players see it as a sign to jump ship. Cy Young winner Johan Santana, AL MVP Justin Morneau, and long time Twin and all around good player Torii Hunter are all due new contracts in the next year or two and all have expressed concern about how much this team is willing to do to win it all. As such, the team might see an exodus of stars and once again enter a rebuilding cycle with hometown boy Baby Jesus (Joe Mauer) left as its sole star. It’s hard to believe that management would let that happen especially with a new stadium on its way but perhaps they’re counting on the stadium to sell the team. Ask the folks in Pittsburgh and Milwaukee how that turns out. Milwaukee is just now digging out of years of lousy teams and fan apathy and Pittsburgh has become the Royals of the NL. I’m fine with the Twins rebuilding but the key ingredient missing from this cycle is a World Series ring. The last two rebuilding cycles were punctuated by wins in the 87 and 91 series. Instead of trading away a leader of the team perhaps the team should have tried to add a few pieces because that rebuilding cycle is coming quick and if the players and fans don’t have championship memories to tide them over this time it could be a rough one.

Meanwhile on the other side of downtown, the Minnesota Timberwolves were busy digging themselves into an even bigger hole in the Twin Cities sports scene. The Tuesday trade of Kevin Garnett to the Boston Celtics was expected but the particulars of the trade were both dissatisfying and depressing. The Timberwolves have cemented their status as one of the five worst franchises in professional sports by trading Garnett for a group of maybes, has-beens, and never will-bes. While trading Garnett had almost become a necessity the management did the team and themselves a disservice by settling for a deal that will make this team obsolete for another 3 to 4 years. In this increasing competitive environment for the consumer entertainment dollar that’s bad business as well as bad management. General Manager and former NBA star Kevin McHale was named last year by Forbes’ Magazine as the top GM in all of sports (for an encore they later named Britney Spears Mother of the Year), and clearly the man believes his own hype. Only someone who has his head stuck so far up his own ass could possibly make this deal and continue to walk around with a sense of arrogance and smugness. I stopped being a hard core NBA fan years ago but never stopped following the Wolves and Garnett to some extent. Now I’ll probably keep an eye on Boston to see if Garnett can take that step to championship glory that he never did here but I won’t have to keep an eye on the Wolves for they’ll be solidly in the basement and most likely on the move out of town before the decade is done.

And so here I sit at the end of typically the most boring sports month and to my surprise it’s actually been full of news…too bad it was all negative. From the scandals to the local incompetence this has truly been one depressing summer. Let’s not forget the absolute tedium of the Bonds Watch as he takes weeks between homers to just end the circus, and this is coming from a die hard Bonds fan. Of course as I stated football season is right around the corner and while I enjoy the preseason optimism we’re all entitled too, I can’t help but think I’ve got a college team in Wisconsin facing huge expectations which surely means disappointing results, and a pro team whose quarterback hasn’t been able to take snaps from center in a consistent manner since training camp started. Maybe its time to start taking up an interest in our local indoor lacrosse team…

Wednesday Program Alert: Throw Another Drunk on the Bar-B

Real World Sydney Casting Special- 9pm CST, MTV: Anyone else old enough to remember when MTV would make us viewers wait 6 to 8 months in between new editions of The Real World? Maybe it’s just me but it seems like just yesterday we were saying goodbye to the drunk cry babies in Denver and now we’re starting off The Real World: Sydney. Don’t get me wrong I’m more then happy to welcome 7 new strangers into my home as the summer TV schedule has become rather barren especially on MTV where Rob & Big, RW/RW Challenge, and Real World Reunited: Las Vegas all wrapped up weeks ago. Sydney is actually the first of many new shows premiering this month on MTV including new seasons of both The Hills and Laguna Beach. However Sydney is not just significant because it signals fresh programming for the network, its also important in that it represents two “seconds” for Real World fans. It’s the second time the show has been located outside of the US. The first time around was way back in season 4 (yes that’s 1995 for those of you that remember it) when the show was in London. It was the first of many dull seasons but the house was amazing and the little bit of British life that seeped into the house was quite enjoyable. Course back then the roomies didn’t work together and since some of the folks were London natives they had actual lives outside of the house. This time I’m guessing we won’t have those “problems” and one can expect the standard drunken hook ups, racist/homophobic flair ups, and general idiocy that we’ve grown accustomed too. The second “second” is that this is most likely the second to last season of The Real World. MTV has green lit season 20 which is rumored to start shooting in LA any day now but after that the contract is done. MTV has gone through a big upheaval in the last few months in their programming department so no one seems to know what to expect when it comes to future seasons. So with that in mind catch the preview special tonight which I’m guessing the standard Real World preview bits of audition tapes, at home interviews, and brief clips of the house and then tune in next week at the same time for the hour long premiere.