Throwing Down the Gauntlet: Week 2

No Project Runway last night so here goes another recap/op-ed piece on the second episode of the Real World/Road Rules Challenge: Gauntlet III. MTV once again gave us a full hour of hookups, blowups, and crazy as it aired back to back episodes. First up we got a great moment in the house as Nehimiah (RW: Austin) called out old ass Beth (RW: 1932 Los Angeles) on the innuendo she’s been spreading since their last shared challenge that they hooked up. Not only did my man set the record straight but he did it in front of the cameras and many of his fellow cast mates who all had a good laugh at Beth’s expense which is really the only reason to keep Beth on these shows.

The first challenge of the night was for the ladies. Once again the Veterans dominated the task and put the Rookies down like the naïve puppy dogs they are. I love how the rooks are so confident they can outwit the vets when it comes to challenge strategy. The definition of veteran is that they are experienced! Anyway once the event was over the vets did us all a favor and chose to protect crazy ass Brooke (RW: Denver), who lacked the proper amount of screen time this week I must add. Non-descript Jillian (RR Extreme) was chosen by the vets to go to the Gauntlet and I couldn’t care less. Frank (RW: Las Vegas) on the other hand cared a great deal as Jillian has quickly become his challenge bed buddy and his groin didn’t want to see her go. In the end he got his wish as Angel (RR Viewer’s Revenge) ended up facing Jillian and after a valiant effort was sent packing, leaving Frank and Jillian to canoodle the night away. Tough break for Angel as she was genuinely convinced she could fly under the radar. Again don’t people watch these shows before they come on!?! Even on a team of rookies the newbies are going to be the first ones gone.

The second episode brought us the second male Gauntlet and was owned by Tyler (RW: Key West) as he completed the episode trifecta: best line, best crazy, and best blowup.
Best Line of the Night: Tyler- “Frank and Jillian have just been named America’s most boring couple.”
Best Crazy of the Night: Tyler not only comes on to a sober uninterested Ryan (Challenge: Fresh Meat), but does so in an embarrassingly desperate way that’s almost unbearable to watch.
Best Blowup of the Night: After the Rookies lose yet another task Tyler’s Key West cast mate Johnny Bananas encourages his fellow Veterans to send Tyler to the Gauntlet. Not only does Tyler blow up at John but then he tries to plead his case to the vets saying that he needs the money for grad school. His rook teammate and fellow Key West housemate Janelle then asks Tyler why he’s begging the opposing team for mercy and this leads to a good old fashion bitch off. You know how these go: “You’re a bitch!” “I know I’m a bitch but why are you being such a bitch?” “Bitch” “Bitch” and so on.

It’s a good thing Tyler stole the spotlight in the episode because it was his last. In the Gauntlet he faced off against the aforementioned snooze fest that is Frank and despite grunting and begging got sent home. Next week looks like some more Brooke “I’m now a lesbian” moments and of course any day now we’ll get the eventual Veteran meltdown. Tick, tick, tick…

Making My Head Hurt…4

Last night was the premiere of season 4 of Making The Band on MTV (apparently the first season that was sans P Diddy and gave us O-Town doesn’t count). I’ve been a fan of the show in its previous 3 Diddy filled installments as he’s sent aspiring singers on cheesecake runs and put camera hogging choreographers in check, but I think I’ve got to draw the line after watching last nights episode.

Puff has brought back previous winners girl band Danity Kane, solo artist Donnie, and the boy band he put together last season, to record their respective albums all at the same time. My first reaction was where are the remaining members of season 1 group Da Band? Anyway Diddy instantly goes into playing the good cop/bad cop with all 3 acts playing both cops himself. For example he tells Danity Kane to go out and party like crazy before getting into the studio and then holds member Aubrey back to scold her for being in the tabloids too much. Um Puff, you might want to watch that one since one of the tabloid spreads declared that you had knocked Aubrey up.

Of course the drama of the show this time around is not so much about making the band or even making the album, it’s all about making out with the other band. In one episode we see the women and boys flock to each other which I’m sure will make for some made for television drama. Diddy’s no dummy and I know he’ll do anything to sell some records so why not make the Bad Boy family an incestuous one. Unfortunately for that drama to work you have to care about the people and while most of them have some talent and they are all beautiful people (yes even Big Mike, go on with your bad self playa), they come off as empty soulless husks that Diddy has manufactured. In previous seasons watching people jump through Diddy’s hoops was intriguing mostly because you knew there was a huge reward at the end of the tunnel. This time around the stakes are lower, the fakeness is higher and the interest is nil.

Quick Review: There Will Be Blood

I finally saw one of my most anticipated films of 2007 and it only took me until the 3rd weekend of January '08 to see it. Paul Thomas Anderson's There Will Be Blood is a movie that will haunt you for days after seeing it. While I can't say its the film of the year (No Country for Old Men still has that title), it is clearly a close second and upon more thought it may take the top spot.

Following the rise of oil man Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day Lewis), the script loosely based on Upton Sinclair's Oil demands patience and attention from the audience. While this is truly a character study in the vein of Citizen Kane, you always feel that a huge moment is around the corner. Truth is the movie is one gigantic moment that arcs over the whole film. I tend not to go for period pieces but the fact that I was watching one never occurred to me. I lost myself in this film and more accurately in Daniel Plainview.

This is a character for the ages and perhaps the greatest one I've ever seen committed to film. Here is a man so driven and so full of passion that his flaws are alternately a weakness and a strength. Watching him throughout the film you see moments of growth followed by moments of regression. His relationship with his son HW is superficially the driving relationship of the film but the real truth of the film can be found in his relationship with Reverend Eli Sunday played to perfection by Paul Dano. Their final confrontation makes for the climax of the film and a moment the likes I've never seen on celluloid.

I have so many thoughts on the film still growing in my head and that's one of the best compliments I can give to a movie. Its a great film but one that you might not be able to completely formulate your thoughts on for days, weeks, or even years.

Sundance 608

This last weekend I had a chance to visit Robert Redford and company's Sundance Cinema 608. This is Sundance's second theater in our fair nation and it opened to much fanfare in Madison Wisconsin just a few months back. Having an outlet for independent cinema in a college town is a must, but I was befuddled by the Madison choice as it already featured 3 theaters that specialized in indie fare (Westgate, Hilldale, and the Orpheum). Once I learned the Hilldale theaters were right in the same area as Sundance and were bulldozed for overpriced high-rise condos, I decided to cut Bob some slack and check it out to see There Will Be Blood (review to follow later tonight or tomorrow).

The lobby is beautiful but my eyes were immediately drawn to the gift store. Yes this theater has a gift store. Filled with shirts, hoodies, mugs, and date books all with the Sundance logo. Missed the ’07 Sundance Festival? Don’t worry you can pick up last year’s program. I realize they are selling an image here but I don’t think they literally need to sell it.

Further in to the lobby area are two sitting areas. Both were filled with folks on my visit and I noticed that the theater offers free Wi-Fi. Now I’ve never thought of a theater as a place to sit around and chill but with comfy seating like this I can see the appeal.

Aside from the ticket area, which I’ll get to in a second, the other expected staple in the lobby is the concession stand. I like it when theaters offer alternatives to popcorn at the movies but this was just ridiculous. Paninni’s, gourmet coffee, salads, beer and wine dominate the menu. Ok the beer part is pretty cool but where are the nachos, Dots, and Mike and Ike’s? The theater boasts a restaurant upstairs that’s getting mediocre reviews at best so I was further put off by the extraneous offerings. However the saving grace of this pretentious eatery was the popcorn. White kernels popped to perfection served with heaping amounts of real honest to goodness butter. The waiter (seriously it was like being in a restaurant) gave me so much butter it soaked through the bag and onto my jeans. A small price to pay for the best movie popcorn I’ve had in years. Also the cost was no more outrageous than any other theater. A trend that sadly didn’t carry over to the ticket counter.

The ticket area was the first time I truly saw the pretentiousness and elitism I feared would permeate this place. On their price list they listed matinees but also noted that Friday and Saturday matinees feature additional costs called Amenity fees. These fees vary depending on the flick. Geez I’d like to see Movie A but Movie B costs $1 more so that must be the better flick. The final cost of my ticket was actually more than any matinee I’ve been to this year. I checked out the other shows playing. Atonement, No Country for Old Men, and Juno were the big names and I was immediately struck that Juno while an indie darling is currently in wide release and was playing on no less than 3 other screens in Madison. If Sundance truly wants to be an alternative try keeping your screens open for films that are truly in limited releases. After you purchase your ticket you are asked to choose your seat. Now on paper this a great thing. As someone who goes to a fair amount of films solo, I hate it when I sit down in an empty theater only to have a group of folks sit right in front or in back of me. However this assigned seating policy at Sundance does nothing to solve this. I chose an empty aisle but once inside the theater I found an older woman sitting in the seat next to mine. When I walked up she asked if she was in my seat and I said no I’m in the one next to it. I was trapped, as I couldn’t then walk completely away from her and find another aisle as that would be rude but I certainly didn’t want to share popcorn with the lady. Eventually I sat down two seats down and prayed everyone else stuck to their assigned seats. I can see how this process could work for sellouts but otherwise anarchy still rules the seating process.

The theaters themselves are no more different than any new cinema in your town (except for the seat and aisle numbering). Stadium seating, digital sound, large screens, and in a nice touch decent lighting right up to the previews. The preshow entertainment is commercial free except for the fact that you are reminded constantly of how awesome Sundance and all there various corporate arms are. Still, I’ll take that over National Guard ads any day.

In the end I’d say the theater misses the mark. It takes the best of any new theater and then jumbles it up with elitist ideas that fail more than they succeed. On my visit a number of people, old and young, seemed generally confused by everything from the seat picking to the expansive menu of the concession stand. Going to the movies should not be an exercise that makes you feel anything less then comfortable. Sundance needs to realize that their theater will succeed simply by the quality of the films they are showing and not by the bells and whistles they are attempting to cram down people’s throats.

Throwing Down the Gauntlet: Week 1

We’ll see if this sticks but now in addition to my weekly Project Runway columns (latest posted below) I’ll also be giving my thoughts on the Real World/Road Rules Challenge: Gauntlet III. Last night’s premiere was like welcoming your alcoholic uncle for the holidays. At first you’re thrilled to see him and you remember how much fun it can be to watch him tell off your uppity cousins and stumble about. Then the evening goes on and you just get sad for him and disappointed in yourself for actually enjoying his earlier behavior. Last night we were reintroduced to 32 past Real World and Road Rules alumni including a few of the lame ass folks from the aborted re-launch of Road Rules last summer. A lot of our favorites show up including Coral (Real World: Back to New York) who’s been MIA from the challenges for a while apparently becoming doing some useful stuff with her life like becoming a lawyer. There’s my favorite boozed up beauty Katie (Road Rules: The Quest) and old old old Beth (Real World: LA) who at 38 is the only thing on MTV that makes me feel young still. The game is split this year between Rookies and Vets so while Frank comes to us via the ancient history known as Real World: Las Vegas, this is his first or second challenge which puts him on a team full of Austin, Key West and Denver folks.

Ah the Denver folks…after creating one of my favorite seasons ever, we got a small taste of them on the last Challenge when Davis got punked by CT (Real World: Paris) and Collie had much sex followed by much whining. This time around we get Brooke (yes the bat-shit crazy girl we all know and love) and Alex (the metro sexual slut) and they both make an immediate impact. After a brief tug of war challenge where the vets clean the rookies' clocks, the group quickly picked rooms (vets got the nice ones, rooks share one hut with bunk beds due to the tug of war) and then got about to partying and Brooke instantly started the hook up parade. Apparently not only did she get a boob job since Denver but she’s also decided she likes girls, which lone lesbian Evelyn (Challenge: Fresh Meat) quickly finds out when Brooke instantly is all over her in the hot tub. Meanwhile, Alex puts in a performance in the first challenge that reminded me of the great Ace (Real World: Paris) who gave little to no effort on the show. Not only did he look like a deer caught in headlights in the challenge, but he then followed it up by quitting in The Gauntlet versus Nehimiah (Real World: Austin), officially changing the phrase from “________ pulled an Ace in the challenge” to “________ pulled an Alex in the challenge.”

As always the producers have tried to add a twist to the show to keep it fresh and this year’s twist seems destined to make this a train wreck of epic proportions. In season’s past teams have been able to earn money along the way before competing for a large sum in the end. This year MTV is pouring all the prize money ($300,000) into the final event. Seems like a great idea to reward the winners with everything but as Katie and Robin (Real World: San Diego) quickly deduce, this means that throwing missions to eliminate weaker players, i.e. women, no longer has any consequences to their male Veteran teammates. This discussion leads to my favorite line of the night when Katie states “If they fuck me, I will turn around and fuck them 10 times harder.” This issue also leads to my favorite blow up of the night when Coral and CT get into it. Of course CT is drunk and is rude with Coral and his girlfriend Diem (Challenge: Fresh Meat) and declares that he’s just playing the game. Oh CT , I love your ass hole tendencies and your straight talk express out does John McCain’s (Republican: Arizona) any day, but buddy get a hold of yourself. Last time you went home early for beating on a team mate and this time even though you quickly show your physical prowess by winning the first challenge for your team, you immediately flush the good will down the toilet by acting like an idiot. Also when you let your hair down you strongly resemble a fitter, slimmer, Hurley from Lost and I’m not sure that’s a good look for you, Simply put I’ve got the fever for more challenge drama and the only cure is more CT so get crazy but not too crazy that you have to get sent home.

So in the span of one hour I went happy to welcome all these familiar faces back to my TV, to being entertained by their tomfoolery, to being embarrassed at their idiocracy. Should be a good season…

Runway Roundup: Week 9

Ding dong the witch is dead! That was my instant reaction to Victorya’s exit on last night’s Project Runway. While she was more talented than Sweet P, Chris, or Ricky, her over confidence and self serving attitude was too much to take and her undoing. The decision to do a coat clearly seemed like an attempt to prove to the judges that she was the real genius behind her and Jillian’s stunning future-coat from last week. Sometimes you’ve got to let go and let someone else take the spotlight. Of course Jillian fell into the same trap and her jean coat was equally ugly, but despite her wine and cheese affair in the sewing room, she at least MADE her outfit unlike Victorya who seemed to slap on a few extensions with a glue gun to an existing jean jacket. On the winning side I thought Christian once again was the strongest, although his youth is beginning to grate on me and his fellow designers. His use of the jacket sleeves as the end of the jean legs was visually appealing and fashion forward (pictured above). Chris and Sweet P fell into the same ho hum category for me. I can’t understand why Chris left those frayed edges exposed and I saw nothing iconic in Sweet P’s dress even though the judges fawned over it. That shouldn’t be that surprising though since it must be bizarro week since Ricky actually won a challenge. His corset top dress was alright and clearly the best work of his to date but it had no business winning. Almost felt like the judges were sick of Christian and Rami (my second fav of the night with that zipper detailing) always winning. With Victorya’s ouster and Jillian’s meltdown it seems as if the once easy to pick final three might get a surprise guest. I still think Christian and Rami are shoe ins but that 3rd slot that Jillian and Victorya seemed to be locked in battle for could go to Ricky, Sweet P or even Chris. Can you imagine a Bryant Park show with sloppy finishing, costumes, or patchwork dresses…it might just be a reality.

First Look at 2008 Oscar Noms

I know it doesn’t feel like Oscar time with the strike on and a red carpet free Golden Globes but yes it is that time of the year and this morning we got our first look at the nominations. I’ll have my more detailed 3rd Annual Oscar Preview in February but for now here are some quick observations:

*Juno’s best pic nomination certainly continues the “Little Miss Movie” trend started last year. It’s a small film that’s both funny and touching and while it’s by all account a great flick its lacks the typical Oscar gravitas. I applaud the trend that films like these are getting recognized but until one wins they’ll be treated much the way a 16 seed is in the NCAA basketball tournament; nice that they’re there but no need to pay attention to them cause they’ll be losers soon enough.

*Happiest surprise is that not only did Michael Clayton get a best picture nom but so did director Tony Gilroy. For a first time director he did a magnificent job and certainly deserves to be recognized.

*Biggest disappointment is the lack of respect The Bourne Ultimatum received. I didn’t expect a Best Picture nomination but cinematography and directing would have been nice. At least it’s up in the editing category but with heavyweights No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood in there I doubt it will get the recognition it much deserves.

*Is Johnny Depp going to be the new Martin Scorsese? Every year it seems like the kid is nominated with no hope of winning. While I’m sure he gives a fine performance in Sweeney Todd, Clooney and Day-Lewis have swept through all the critic’s awards and are sure to take home Oscar. Anyone else have the feeling we’ll be seeing a 60 year old Depp on stage receiving an award for a Cocoon remake in like 20 years.

*So glad to see Once get a Best Song nomination but I doubt the Disney juggernaut will be stopped with Enchanted overwhelming the category.

*Very surprised Bee Movie and The Simpsons Movie were shut out of Animated Feature. On the flip side I’m hearing such wonderful buzz on Persepolis that Pixar might have to give up their hold on the Oscar.

*As usual the Screenplay categories are fat with quality. I love the Ratatouille got an original screenplay nod as Brad Bird is one of the best writer/directors working today whether it be live action or animation. Also very rewarding to see Sarah Polley get the nom for her debut film Away From Her.

*Glad to see the virtual shut out for American Gangster. Again I found the film to be a huge disappointment but sometimes Oscar rewards these award ready films anyway so I was grateful that didn’t happen.

*On a personal note I’m thankful that all 5 best picture nominees are movies that I’ve either seen or want to see. Both Michael Clayton and No Country for Old Men made my top 5 for 2007 and Juno, There Will Be Blood and to a lesser extent Atonement are all movies I’m chomping at the bit to see. Hope to knock one of those down over the weekend.

Like I said I'll have plenty of breakdown on the major categories in the weeks to come plus a preview of the show if there is one. Settle the strike now studios, this is a great crop of films that deserve their night in the spotlight plus think about poor Jon Stewart.

Quick Review: Cloverfield

Aside from the Pacific Rim stock market panic, the new condition that’s sweeping our nation this Monday is “Cloverfield neck.” Defined by one of my friends who saw the JJ Abram’s produced monster film as, “the sensation and pain one feel’s after cocking their neck about 33 degrees to the side due to the handheld camera work in Cloverfield.” Box office results indicate that many Americans may have woken up today with “Cloverfield neck” and I for one say it was entirely worth it.

Cloverfield is a rarity in this day and age of mass advertised blockbuster films in that it feels like it should be one of those empty headed summer flicks but instead it carves out a unique identity all its own. Written by Buffy and Lost vet Drew Goddard, the movie contains plenty of wit, humor, scares, and gloom and doom. The film’s pace is hurt a bit by a rather lengthy background segment introducing our lead characters at a surprise party. Although there is a clever twist to the sequence as we don’t know yet who the lead characters are. One or two are pretty obvious but the film devotes equal time to many of the party goers. Since the audience knows the basic set up (people chased through Manhattan by a big bad) we’re just waiting for that Independence Day type moment where we’re introduced to our “heroes”, instead we’re left to wait and see which of the no name stars will be our focus. Those cast members that do emerge from the pack as the stars of the film do a fine job and seem to improve as the film comes closer to its conclusion. These are not award winning performances and really it’s not an award winning movie but they excel for what it is. Similar to the lack of stars, much has been made of the “Blair Witch” camera work and while it does cause some discomfort, especially early on at the party weirdly enough, it is no where near the same kind of stomach turning experience as The Blair Witch Project. Director Matt Reeves may have studied previous hand held films but he certainly has tweaked and improved upon the technique. There has also been some criticism of the idea of a disaster movie taking place in New York after 9/11. Reeves and Goddard have certainly not taken a cavalier attitude towards Manhattan’s destruction and there is reverence for the city as much as the characters. The echoes that do come from the real world are the realistic effects of building collapses and for those of us in the Twin Cities, the collapse of a bridge. These moments do not take you out of the film though and only further draw you in to the experience. Finally there’s the big bad itself and I can honestly tell you without spoiling anything that…I have no fucking clue as to what that thing was. It’s bad ass and all but that’s not really the point of the film which is again why this anti-blockbuster, blockbuster works.

Quick DVD Review: Once

In 2006 I listed my top movies of the year only to see a few post January 1st that literally obliterated my list. Yesterday I saw my first movie in 2008 that has definitely upset my best of 2007 list, Once.

Once first came to my attention over the late summer. While Across the Universe was the musical getting all the attention, Once was quietly getting 4-star reviews and award season buzz. Sadly like most small films the window at more local multiplex was short to nonexistent so I had to resign myself to the DVD experience. Turns out I think the film benefits from TV. It’s an intimate film experience like no other. I haven’t felt this narratively claustrophobic since Closer a couple years back. First time director John Carney has created a voyeuristic experience that keeps you at a distance unless song is involved then, like the characters, he brings you in close revealing the very core of the film. Of course that brings us to the music. How people describe this as a musical is a mystery to me? The songs always make real world logical sense and no one ever steps out of the dry cleaners singing about mustard on their shirt. The only way you can see this as a musical is in the fact that most of the truth of the film comes through in the music. This hauntingly realistic tale of a couple that can’t be a couple and may not want to be a couple is told through dialogue where people dance around what they mean. However once the songs start to play you see the characters naked truths exposed to each other and themselves. It also doesn’t hurt that the music is bloody brilliant. Very Damian Rice with a bit more kick. The musician/actors all give solid performances that again feel so natural you some times feel uncomfortable that you’re watching. Once is a complete movie in every sense of the word and it’s now one of my top 5 films of 2007.

Runway Roundup: Week 8

Now that’s Project Runway in all its brilliance. Model drama? Check. Outrageous challenge? Check. Surprise additional challenge? Check. Teammate drama? Check. Insanely daring outfits? Check. Insanely ugly outfits? Check. Surprise designer out? Sadly check.

Yes it was a great episode and badly needed after last week’s prom misstep. Sadly Kit Pistol shot herself in the foot with what the judges correctly called her god awful ode to Scarlett O’Hara and carpet baggers. Of course it didn’t help that she had Ricky stinking up the joint as per usual. Both their ready to wear and avant-garde looks were just horrible. I really thought Kit had a chance to make it far but with Ricky squeaking by there was really no choice but for her to head home. Rami meanwhile was brought crashing down to earth by his partner Sweet P, Tim Gunn, and the judges. His avant-garde design looked like every other Rami look with its layered draping and Grecian inspired accents. I never thought I’d see the day where Sweet P trumped Rami on the runway but that’s just what happened. Suddenly a final 3 favorite is in danger of going before the crying inconsistent over the hill never has been (sorry Sweet P but you just don’t belong). On the positive tip I loved the two top teams. I still detest Victorya for the most part but Jillian is really impressing me and their collaboration was jaw dropping. That jacket was amazing and the equestrian inspired outfit underneath was just great. Unfortunately I thought their ready to wear dress was rather sloppy and didn’t really epitomize their avant-garde look and I’m guessing that’s why Team Fierce pulled off the big win. I mean really how could Chris and Christian’s dress (pictured above) not win? The minute Chris put the “cell phone” tower on I knew they were headed for great things. While their ready to wear blouse and skirt were kind of boring in comparison it did look inspired by the avant-garde look.

We’re heading into the home stretch here folks and with the surprising departures of Kit and Kevin in the last two weeks this season is certainly looking unpredictable. I’m not saying we’re going to have a final three of Chris, Sweet P, and Ricky but the Ramis, Jillians and Christians of the world should be quaking in the affordable yet stylish shoes.

Quick Review: Terminator- The Sarah Connor Chronicles (SPOILERS!)

This last Sunday should have been the day I watched evil Soul Patch Tony take on Jack in the 24 season premiere, but of course thanks to the greedy studios we’ll have to wait for months on that one. Instead FOX gave us their most prized possession other than American Idol and that’s their new hour long drama based on the mega successful Terminator movies. I’m a big fan of the first two Terminators and I think the third film was actually pretty good but when the word came down about a TV show I was skeptical.

After two episode of Terminator- The Sarah Connor Chronicles, I can say that while I remain skeptical about its long term possibilities I’m certainly pleased with the short term. Heavy on action the pilot was a bit of a mess but still entertaining, especially in the last few minutes when they really did a nice job of setting up the future eps and explaining how the third movie fits or more accurately doesn’t fit in with mythology anymore. Instead of pretending the third movie didn’t exist the writer’s send Sarah and her messiah to be son John into the future by leaping from 1999 ( post T2: Judgement Day) to 2007 thus skipping the events of #3 and making them irrelevant which was future John’s (and probably the studio’s) idea. The second episode picking up after our heroes arrive in the future was a much tighter hour of TV. Summer Glau is a vision as the “good” Terminator. The former ballet dancer’s movements allow her to strike the perfect balance between machine and human. The mystery surrounding just what kind of model of terminator she is seems a bit transparent (I’m guessing she’s a human/machine hybrid) but its just one of many seeds the writers have planted that COULD make for an interesting mythology. There’s the fact that Sarah’s cancer mentioned in T3 is still a threat, not to mention the eventual judgement day that Skynet is working on. The post 9/11 world also seems tailor made for finally introducing a law enforcement aspect to these types of stories that isn’t simply a comedic foil or casualty. The problem of the show is it spends so much time blowing things up that sometimes logic and character take a back seat. In episode two, John disobeys his mom and goes out on his own to visit his old step dad. I get that they’re trying to show that the kid is having a hard time being the savior of mankind to be, but this is fundamentally stupid you kind of wish he gets killed. Of course it makes for a decent tension filled action scene. The biggest problem lies with Lena Headey who plays the title character. Her Sarah Connor is often too timid from the one played by Linda Hamilton as she seems she’d prefer to run than to fight. Right now it seems like the machines are pushing the story forward and I think for the show to succeed the humans will have to take that on.

Global Disaster

Thank you WGA for knocking Billy Bush down a peg or two. Last night’s Golden Globes press conference, hosted by the moronic anchor of Access Hollywood, was so terrible that even people that get their news from shows like that were bored and disinterested. If you have to televise it at least don’t stretch it into an hour filled with inane bush league banter that made Bruce Villanch and his ilk look like comic geniuses. Shame on you NBC for not showing more class and simply running a 5 minute top of the hour news break with Brian Williams or someone reading off the names. ABC should take note that it might be better to simply postpone the Oscar’s until the strike is settled because I can’t imagine them coming up with anything better. If they wait, then the show could be an even bigger event as it could serve as a true celebration for all of Hollywood.

Briefly looking at the awards themselves there were no big shocks. I’m disappointed David Duchovny won Best Actor in a Comedy over Steve Carell and Ricky Gervais but not surprised as that’s just the kind of surprise move the Hollywood Foreign Press likes to throw out there. Cheers to Tina Fey and Extras taking the other TV comedy awards. The TV drama side of things was just about as boring as I’d expected without the likes of Lost. Ratatouille took a big step in keeping the awards streak going for Pixar by winning an extremely competitive Animated Film category. Foreign directors tend to do well at the Globes so it was only a mild shock that Julian Schnabel took him the Best Director prize over the Coens, Tim Burton and Ridley Scott. I doubt that will repeat at the Oscars and I will cry salty tears if the Coens don’t take that one along with the Screenplay award they picked up last night. No shock that Daniel Day Lewis took him Best Actor as it seems that was sealed before There Will Be Blood even premiered. Finally while Atonement and Sweeny Todd took him the two Best Picture awards I don’t think anyone should hand them Oscar just yet. While I suspect both films will be nominated for Best Picture when their announced next Tuesday, the Globes have become less of a predictor over the last few years for the Oscars and have really become a show unto itself. In this case a really unfunny, painful to watch show.

Minneapolis Restaurant Review: Prima

About a month ago I reviewed the sublime new south Minneapolis eatery known as Café Maude. In the review I talked about it was just what the neighborhood needed. Since then a few readers and friends asked me if I fell and hit my head because there are a number of great bistros on the south side of Lake Harriet and I couldn’t possibly ignore them. While my point was there was nothing quite like Maude before it debuted, you folks do have a point that there is certainly no lack of good eats in the hood, whether it be Maude, Broder’s Pasta Bar, Salut Bar and Café, or the place I’ve recently rediscovered, Prima.

Prima opened their doors in 1999 when I was still living with my folks about a mile away and they still turn out a quality dining experience. The small long room has no wasted space with a number of tables and bar seating that overlooks the kitchen. It’s a neighborhood joint that would aesthetically fit right in downtown.

A menu that I’d describe as Italian comfort food has gone through subtle changes over the years but at its core has remained the same. On one visit my companion and I started off with the crab cake appetizer. The cakes themselves were average but were improved upon by an excellent sauce of lemon and tarragon along with some fresh tomatoes. On another visit we started with their Caesar salad which has always been one of the tops in the Twin Cities. While the dressing is a little too creamy then what I prefer, the flavor of the dressing and the garlic croutons more then make up for it. Another starter which was a special on my last visit was a roasted red pepper soup with Spanish meatballs. I couldn’t quite place why they were Spanish meatballs (saffron maybe) but I didn’t care as they were simply amazing. The soup had a little kick to it and the meatballs did as well. I’m not a huge soup guy (ie. I never order it) but I loved this and they should strongly consider adding it to the permanent menu.

On my last two visits both my companions and I had pastas but I will mention from past experience that Prima does do a great job with meat. I’d recommend you look at their daily specials as they’ve often served me well. In any case the pasta dishes are what keep Prima’s doors open. One pasta dish that I believe has been there since the beginning is their goat cheese and red pepper agnolotti. The pockets of pasta are firm to bite but then simply melt away inside your mouth. They’re served with a simple drizzle of butter sauce some fresh tomatoes and some pancetta that brings a nice saltiness to the dish. On that same visit we tried the rotini con pollo which was a simple dish of roasted chicken, sun dried tomatoes and mushrooms. The cream sauce with the dish was a bit on the heavy end but not overpoweringly so just unexpected. More sloppy then distressing was the stray strands of angel hair that were mixed in with the rotini leaving one to wonder how the kitchen gets when it’s as busy as it was that night. On my latest visit we were early birds and had no such problems with stray pastas. I had their bucatini carbonara which while not a traditional interptation certainly is an enjoyable one. It’s a surprisingly light cream sauce and the amount of pancetta is perfect to compliment the onions and mushrooms in the dish. My companion sampled the butternut squash tortellaci and found it to be a complex mix of flavors with sage and pears complimenting the sweet squash.

On most nights the place can get busy in a hurry so I’d recommend calling ahead if you’re planning on going anytime after 6. They also do carry-out and lunch featuring wonderful Paninis (they were way ahead of the Panini craze curve). Service is always courteous and fairly knowledgeable although I have seen some confusion with their relatively small wine list. Prices are more then affordable so it’s a great place to stop by for a quick dinner or a first date.

Prima, 5325 lyndale ave. s. minneapolis 612.827.7376, primamn.com

Runway Roundup: Week 7

Remember when the designers on Project Runway used to make clothes to be worn by models. I swear they used to that. Last night was the 3rd challenge in 7 weeks where they designed for something outside of the norm. First it was men’s wear, then women who’ve lost weight and last night it was teenage girls. I like when the producer’s throw curve balls at the designers but I’d like to see more challenges with crazy materials like last week’s Hershey designs, then ones with crazy models.

Complaints aside, the challenge and episode did provide the most on screen tension this season. Prom dresses are not an easy thing to class up and be original with, especially when your 17 year old client is in the room with you. My first reaction was sadness that last season’s pageant designer Kayne missed out on this as I’m sure he would have killed it. Then I felt terror at what some of these girls wanted. Low backs, low fronts, booty highlights…good god its no wonder babies are having babies. I did like that the designers seemed to share my thoughts although Heidi, Michael and Nina apparently thought the more skin the better…damn pederasts.

Next was a feeling of indifference. None of the dresses blew me away. I thought Jillian did a good job and I finally began to see why the judges have continued to like her. Chris pulled it back for a second week in a row and while I still think he’s the weakest one there, I’m glad to see him improving. Sweet P finally made a good dress and showed why she qualified for the show. I wasn’t blown away but still it was probably the best of the night. Of course the judges saw it differently and went with Victoria’s smashed tile dress. I thought the cut on this was horrible and the detail work was cheap. Credit to Victoria though who seems to be an expert at taking advice. It seems like every week where she does well it’s due to a fellow designer giving her pointers. Last night it was Christian who as you’ll see had enough problems of his own.

My final feeling on the episode was fear, fear that one of my favorites would be heading home. Christian had a difficult client and while the judges were right that he shouldn’t blame her for everything, they certainly didn’t give him any leeway for the fact that she was a bratty teenager. His outfit clearly suffered from taking to much input from her but it was far from the worst and the fact that he was in the final two seemed to be the sole result of his blame game. Meanwhile Kevin also found himself in the final two which I think is just a damn shame. I wasn’t thrilled with his outfit but week in and week out he’s been consistently good. I just think his aesthetic is not what the judges are looking for. They’ve never given him much praise, while Tim and the other designers have been all over him. Meanwhile Ricky made his fourth dress that looked unfinished and sloppy and was clearly the worst in my mind (pictured above), but somehow he was in and Kevin was out. I truly believe Kevin will make a name for himself and in the meantime let’s hope that this was Christian’s one speed bump.

Early Returns…TV Not Elections

As the media decides for us that the Presidential races are over based on the hicks in Iowa and the inbred elite of New Hampshire, I thought it was high time I give instant thumbs up and down to some returns and retreads that have graced our screen in the last week.

Late Night Shows: Let me preface this by saying I’m not a huge network late guy. If I’m up past 11pm it’s usually to catch up on TiVo recorded earlier in the night. I do enjoy the Conan though so last week I tuned in to see his return and you know what it was pretty damn alright. While the lack of writers will grow old fast, Conan’s natural charm and self defacing sense of humor should carry the show much further then any other. I watched a few minutes of both Leno and Kimmel last week and while the shows are usually pretty horrible they seemed to be drained of any fun whatsoever. The lack of guests will be the real trial for these shows though as the Screen Actor’s Guild is boycotting all shows except for Letterman and Ferguson. I just don’t know how many times I can Howie Mandel on someone’s couch. Oh and make sure to keep your TVs off Thursday night when Leno and Kimmel are guests on each other’s shows, the comedy black hole that will be created is dangerous for mortals to see or hear.

Daily Show/Colbert Report: After one night of being back Stewart and Colbert once again formed the two sides of the black and white cookie. First Jon Stewart came out and gave a morose, angry show where he came off as clearly not wanting to be there. I don’t blame him for that and I’m sure he’d rather be out picketing. Hopefully he can put on some kind of false bravado or the show could suffer to the point that returning writers won’t be able to help. Colbert on the other hand still had his fake face on and gave a great show that was almost up to par. The secret to both these shows surviving the strike is to rely on call backs to the past and Colbert did so in a highly entertaining and appropriate way. Both shows will struggle with getting celebrity guests (like Kimmel, Conan, and Leno) but I’m guessing many of the politicos and scholars will treat the shows like the CNNs of the world. Tonight I’m guessing the focus of the shows will shift off the strike and on to Indecision 08 which will means we’ll have a better litmus test for the quality of each show, but after one night it looks like Colbert is back and Stewart should have stayed home.

American Gladiators: Did you see the ratings for this crap? After two nights Gladiator is looking like a decent hit for NBC which is too bad because the show S-U-C-K-S! I really was willing to give this new version a chance but the producers seem to have everything backwards. There was a huge cheese factor to the original competition back in the 80’s and 90’s from the painted in bleachers to the Gladiator names but the competition itself was always presented pretty straightforward. The new version flips that and the show suffers. Not only do the Gladiators have crazy names they now talk…a lot…and in terms best suited for the WWE. Even the contestants seem to have bad writers feeding them lines about crushing and maiming things. The events are still pretty cool and I like the inclusion of all the pyro and water but between the bland event announcer and the over the top rants of Leila Ali and Hulk Hogan, any reality or authenticity in terms of the actual contests goes out the window.

Celebrity Apprentice: I’ll be damned if the first ep of this dreaded show was actually pretty damn watchable. I found myself getting more and more into it as the hour progressed and when the washed up reality star, supermodel, and Playboy bunny went before Trump at the end I was glued to the set. Half the fun of any “celebrity” reality show is to watch these folks make assess of themselves and between Gene Simmons, the godly Baldwin, nameless English guy, and the entire woman’s team there looks to be a lot of ass making in the offing. Surprisingly I think I’ll be there to watch…at least for another week.

Winter TV Preview Part 2: The Sure Things…I Think

Rob & Big (MTV) January 8- Who needs Batman and Robin, Penn and Teller, or Bush and Cheney? The best tandem working today is clearly Rob & Big. I always say that watching these two is the closest I’ll ever come to seeing my millionaire dreams come true. I know if I had a million bucks I’d buy a mini horse, or investigate a new age time machine. The guys come off as down to earth and I think that’s their biggest appeal. New season, new pets, new adventures.

Scott Baio Is 46 and Pregnant (VH1) January 13- This was one of last year’s biggest surprises for me as Baio and his crew made for some really good reality TV. Doing a second season may ruin all that goodwill but I’m interested to see how the ex-bachelor not only adjusts to marriage but a bouncing baby on the way. I hope his therapist is back because watching her work with Baio was truly engaging the first time around.

Lost (ABC) January 31- So….um…yeah…there’s these flash forwards now and based on last year’s finale it looks like Jack and Kate got off the island and that Jack is still an ass. While I’m sick of the Jack flashbacks I’d honestly watch an entire season of them as long as we get new episodes. Thank god that day is finally here. I’m so excited about meeting the Boaties and finding out their agenda. Before the season starts though please join me in pouring out a little liquor for Tom, aka Mr. Friendly…he will be missed.

Survivor (CBS) February. 7- A sort of All Star edition of the show comes this winter. It’s a fan vs. favorites concept with a tribe of former castaways going up against newbies (think Fresh Meat challenge from the Real World/Road Rules Challenge). Too bad it looks like Johnny Fairplay is back, but some of my favorites from the past are back including Immunity Idol suckers James (from last Fall) and Yeo-man (from last Spring). Should make for an interesting season.

Big Brother (CBS) February 12- I’m curious to see how engaging a winter Big Brother will be. Part of the show’s appeal could be that it airs in the vapid airtime that is summer. Still I’m pretty stoked to see a new edition after the highly successful edition of this summer. Rumors started that this would be a celebrity edition but thankfully CBS quickly put that to rest. Instead we get another season of wacky housemates backstabbing each other under the watchful eye of the Chen-bot. Hmm I wonder how she functions in winter…

Jericho (CBS) February 12- Cancelled then given a second chance, then delayed until January 2008. Jericho has made quite an interesting journey and in a month we’ll find out if it was worth it. The first season of the show was wildly inconsistent and always felt like it was two steps away from greatness. The premise of life in a post nuclear strike world was fascinating but the show got bogged down in after school special storylines about the good town folk of the small Kansas town. The last few eps started to reveal more about what and who caused the attacks and seemed to hold promise so I’m glad the show is back. The burning question is what show will we get back; the boring uneven one or the promising twisty one that closed out last season.

Runway Roundup: Week 6

Last night’s ep continued the streak of improvement on season 4. . Things are definitely on the upswing so if you haven’t been watching this season yet, grab a mojito and catch a marathon this weekend on Bravo. This week’s Hershey’s challenge sounded lame on paper but once I saw all the materials the designers had to choose from I quickly came around. I’m beginning to question Mike, Nina and the gang when it comes to judging. While I thought Rami’s outfit (pictured above) was a deserving winner I thought their other two favorites were way off base. Jillian’s licorice outfit was ok but I didn’t think it fit well and while I love Chris, his straightforward brown dress was well done but boring. I thought once again Kevin came through with a super strong design. Sure it wasn’t as fantastical as some of the others, but it was wearable and stylish. On the fantastical side I thought Kit’s namesake dress ran circles around Jillian’s design. Seems like week after week Kit and Kevin are doing great work but are always on the outside looking in. Of course that doesn’t mean they won’t emerge later but it seems like the judges are pretty oblivious to them. Then again we’re at the point of the season where the real contenders tend to emerge. Last night saw the departure of the last person that was an easy pick to not be there. Once Sweet P and Chris are gone there will truly be no extra fabric left in this sewing room.

Winter TV Preview Part 1: The Guilty, The Ugly, and The Curious

Celebrity Apprentice (NBC) Thursday January 3- I have to admit I’ll probably watch the premiere out of curiosity but I just can’t see this show sticking. Stacked with E list celebs and one former contestant (I’m sorry but Omarosa is not a celebrity) I’m guessing the show will hold an appeal for those of us starved for new TV for about one episode before we all remember why we stopped watching The Apprentice in the first place…Donald Trump.

American Gladiators (NBC) Sunday January 6- Bringing back Knight Rider I get, but bringing back this formerly syndicated show baffles me. In the age of steroid awareness I’m not sure if America is ready to suspend their disbelief while “normal” guys and gals go up against monstrous “gladiators”. Throw in an announce team made up of one person desperate to stay in the spotlight (Hulk Hogan) and another who should know better then to stoop this low (Leila Ali) and you’ve got a pretty unappealing concept. Still I’m guessing I’ll at least flip through the premiere to stir up old memories of The Gauntlet, Joust and Assault.

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (Fox) January 13- I wish I had seen an ad for this show, oh wait that’s what Fox has been playing nonstop for the last 3 months. This could be hit or miss but I love Summer Glau from Firefly and Serenity fame so I’m willing to give the show a shot. Whether it’s any good is completely unknown just like the future. Da, da, da, da, duh da.

My Fair Brady (VH1) January 20- Can anyone say baby? I mean what else can Chris and Adrienne do after more seasons on TV then any other celeb-reality couple? I’m not sure if those falls into a guilty pleasure or just plain ugly but again the entertainment of previous seasons will probably have me back for some more Brady action at least for a while.

Real World/Road Rules Challenge (MTV) January 23- With no Hills on the air, here comes my favorite MTV guilty pleasure. Watching the various dysfunctional members of past season’s come together to compete always holds the promise of sex, violence and all around debauchery. This upcoming edition is the third version of The Gauntlet and will pit Veterans vs. Rookies. Looks like Coral and Katie are back which means we’re in store for some awesome moments plus I can’t wait to see some the Denver and hopefully Sydney folks come in and sex/drink it up.