In an effort to bump up the MTV Movie Awards viewership, we got the season finale of The Hills a night early. Spoilers ahead but really, if you’ve turned on a computer in the last 2 months then you know most of went down.
There were two important tasks this finale had to achieve. One, it had to send series star Lauren “LC” Conrad off in style and two, it had to convince us viewers that a LC-free Hills would be worth watching this Fall. Surprisingly I’d say MTV came through on both counts while centering the episode on the unholy wedding of Heidi and Spencer.
Let’s get the wedding stuff out of the way first. After you suspend your belief that Heidi and Spencer were able to throw this massive wedding together over a matter of weeks, their march to the alter became quite entertaining. First up, you had former BFF Brody cut Spencer off at the knees by calling him out on his new fake “therapy works wonders” persona. Then you had Holly, Heidi’s sister, get shit faced at the rehearsal dinner. You almost wondered if She-devil Stephanie, who not so secretly envied Holly’s maid of honor status, spiked Holly’s drink. Holly rambled on for untold minutes, ruined Heidi’s purse and then stormed out after Spencer tried to use his new found human-like skills on her. The wedding itself was a who’s who of The Hills. The only friend we’ve seen Spencer have, Charlie, was not in the wedding strangely and instead brought pretend bartender Stacy as his guest. JustinBobby made an appearance and seemed to be channeling his inner Joaquin Phoenix. Heidi’s fake boss Brent Bolthouse showed up and so did Brody, Frankie, Audrina and Lo. There were two “shocking” guests as well and both tied back in to the tasks this finale had to carry out.
First up was LC, who has slowly been fazing herself out of the show over the last few months. Her departure is not a surprise but I wonder if the fact that the show had become more and more staged was finally getting to her. While I would never argue that the show gave an accurate portrayal of the stars lives, I think we can all agree the unbelievable meet ups and spoon fed newbies has increased tenfold over the last 2 seasons. You could almost see LC get fed up with that aspect herself in this episode. After spending most of the ep hemming and hawing over attending the wedding, she shows up and gives Heidi a sort of blessing. You could see the strain in her face and I wondered if it was from her own inner conflict of seeing her friend make a mistake or obeying MTV’s order to show the hell up at the wedding. This look of strain only increased, as she was made aware of the second “surprise” guest.
It was very convenient that this ep brought to light the fact that LC’s old Laguna Beach rival Kristin Cavallari was the one who introduced Spencer and Heidi. Hard to believe this fact was never thrown out there over the last four plus seasons. Anyhoo guess who shows up at the wedding with a microphone and dedicated camera? Yes Kristin is in the house and is clearly being set up as the new lead on the show. So just as she took over for Lauren on Laguna Beach, Kristin will now take over on The Hills. As utterly ridiculous as this is, I’m buying it. Kristin has always embraced the scripted nature of these shows on and off screen and given how The Hills has gotten she is the perfect fit. I’m sure Lauren knew that Kristin was going to be there but her face was almost believable. The juxtaposition of Lauren’s departure out of the side of the church against Kristin’s wave to the paparazzi was the perfect picture of where this show has come from and where it’s headed. Either way, I think it will be worth seeing where that road goes.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Dueling Idiots: Week 8
I caught this week’s installment of MTV’s Real World/Road Rules Challenge on delay so I’m going bullet style in the interest of posting this quickly.
o Highlight of the ep? Clearly it was Evan (Fresh Meat) huddling in his bed near tears while he reads Eat, Love, Prey.
o The one thing these challenges never lack is hypocrisy. How can Aneesa (RW: Chicago) call out Rachel (RR: Campus Crawl) over a fling with Jen (RW: Denver) when that was the same thing the two of them did SEVEN years ago? (BTW, that sentence literally made my head hurt)
o I like seeing Diem (Fresh Meat) cry as much as the next person but how many more “suspend the douchebag” challenges can we have?
o Landon (RW: Philly), aka son of Zeus, continues to look damn near unbeatable. I know anything can happen in the final weeks, as the contestants constantly tell us, but we’re approaching man among boys territory.
o Finally saw a chink in the armor of Landon’s “partner” Britney (RW: Hollywood). She still is in the upper echelon of competitors but is no longer on an equal standing with challenge winner Rachel.
o The Duel was full of surprises. Not surprised Evan won but completely shocked at the way Derrick (RR: Viewer’s Revenge) folded. He made Davis (RW: Denver) look like a strong competitor. Meanwhile Diem flattened Jen in short order in perhaps the most stunning Duel result yet.
o One last parting shot to Aneesa: You know you suck and your game sucks when your only ally in the house is the guy who cries while reading Eat, Pray, Love.
Only a few weeks left bitches then it’s on to Mexico to cast for future challenges. This is also known as Real World: Cancun.
o Highlight of the ep? Clearly it was Evan (Fresh Meat) huddling in his bed near tears while he reads Eat, Love, Prey.
o The one thing these challenges never lack is hypocrisy. How can Aneesa (RW: Chicago) call out Rachel (RR: Campus Crawl) over a fling with Jen (RW: Denver) when that was the same thing the two of them did SEVEN years ago? (BTW, that sentence literally made my head hurt)
o I like seeing Diem (Fresh Meat) cry as much as the next person but how many more “suspend the douchebag” challenges can we have?
o Landon (RW: Philly), aka son of Zeus, continues to look damn near unbeatable. I know anything can happen in the final weeks, as the contestants constantly tell us, but we’re approaching man among boys territory.
o Finally saw a chink in the armor of Landon’s “partner” Britney (RW: Hollywood). She still is in the upper echelon of competitors but is no longer on an equal standing with challenge winner Rachel.
o The Duel was full of surprises. Not surprised Evan won but completely shocked at the way Derrick (RR: Viewer’s Revenge) folded. He made Davis (RW: Denver) look like a strong competitor. Meanwhile Diem flattened Jen in short order in perhaps the most stunning Duel result yet.
o One last parting shot to Aneesa: You know you suck and your game sucks when your only ally in the house is the guy who cries while reading Eat, Pray, Love.
Only a few weeks left bitches then it’s on to Mexico to cast for future challenges. This is also known as Real World: Cancun.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Summer TV Preview: June
Just because your TiVo is finally able to breathe, doesn’t mean there is a lack of TV on the horizon to junk it up all over again. Yes my friends, it’s time for the summer TV season. An annual tradition that usually brings a few cable gems and a lot of broadcast schlock. Of course I love both equally.
I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here (June 1st, NBC)
I’d like to say there is no way I’ll watch this show but I’d be lying due to one simple word…Sanjaya. I may not watch Idol but damn it all if I don’t love me some Sanjaya. Now the show itself felt like a Survivor rip off when it aired on ABC a few years back and the celebs were F list back then (Downtown Julie Brown? Wubba wubba wubba indeed!) but this time around I think NBC is taking a different approach. While the celebrities are most D to E list, they are mostly people we love to hate so I’m guessing the show will focus more on humiliating the “stars”. Given that Spencer, Heidi, and Spencer’s flesh colored beard are also contestants, that’s enough to make me tune in for at least a couple of nights. One huge negative is the over saturation as NBC is airing this 4 or 5 times a week.
The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien (June 1st, NBC)
I know this isn’t a new show per say but I can’t wait to see Conan take over for The Chin. I’m hoping he still gets a chance to be a little crazy even though it’s an hour earlier and I’m excited to see Andy Richter return.
The Next Food Network Star (June 7th, FoodTV)
Average chefs with big personalities compete to host a show we’ll probably never watch. I know this show pales to Top Chef but the challenges are still fun and the producers usually cast an interesting cast of half wits and cry babies.
Weeds (June 8th, Showtime)
I’m late to this party but my partner got me hooked on it last year. It doesn’t hurt that I had a huge Mary-Louise Parker crush when she was on West Wing. Seems like the show likes to constantly change the status quo and with last year’s cliffhanger of a health situation certainly seems like that will hold true this year.
Nurse Jackie (June 8th, Showtime)
I'm curious to see if this Edie Falco vehicle lives up to the high standards that Showtime has recently established with Weeds, Dexter and United States of Tara. Haven’t heard much buzz either way but a must-see at least initially.
Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List (June 8th, Bravo!)
I gave up on this show last year and questioned whether it even belonged on the air any more. Kathy herself seemed like she was ready to move on but then money talked and apparently she’s back for at least one more season. I’ll certainly check in from time to time, but the spontaneity and reality that once made this reality show need to make reappearance.
Top Chef: Masters (June 10th, Bravo!)
I still don’t know if I understand how this new version of Top Chef works but frankly I could give a damn. Famous chefs from across fair land will battle each other week to week to earn the title of Master. There will be Quickfire-type challenges and the format should be somewhat familiar. However, I just can’t see Rick Bayless sharing a bunk bed with Hubert Keller.
NYC Prep (June 16th, Bravo!)
Another title for this show could be Real Housewives of NYC in Training or The Real Gossip Girl. A more accurate title might be Laguna Beach East as the show follows a group of rich NYC kids going through prep school. This has a chance to be the breakout schlock show of the summer or it could be tedious and boring. Either way count me in on premiere night.
I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here (June 1st, NBC)
I’d like to say there is no way I’ll watch this show but I’d be lying due to one simple word…Sanjaya. I may not watch Idol but damn it all if I don’t love me some Sanjaya. Now the show itself felt like a Survivor rip off when it aired on ABC a few years back and the celebs were F list back then (Downtown Julie Brown? Wubba wubba wubba indeed!) but this time around I think NBC is taking a different approach. While the celebrities are most D to E list, they are mostly people we love to hate so I’m guessing the show will focus more on humiliating the “stars”. Given that Spencer, Heidi, and Spencer’s flesh colored beard are also contestants, that’s enough to make me tune in for at least a couple of nights. One huge negative is the over saturation as NBC is airing this 4 or 5 times a week.
The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien (June 1st, NBC)
I know this isn’t a new show per say but I can’t wait to see Conan take over for The Chin. I’m hoping he still gets a chance to be a little crazy even though it’s an hour earlier and I’m excited to see Andy Richter return.
The Next Food Network Star (June 7th, FoodTV)
Average chefs with big personalities compete to host a show we’ll probably never watch. I know this show pales to Top Chef but the challenges are still fun and the producers usually cast an interesting cast of half wits and cry babies.
Weeds (June 8th, Showtime)
I’m late to this party but my partner got me hooked on it last year. It doesn’t hurt that I had a huge Mary-Louise Parker crush when she was on West Wing. Seems like the show likes to constantly change the status quo and with last year’s cliffhanger of a health situation certainly seems like that will hold true this year.
Nurse Jackie (June 8th, Showtime)
I'm curious to see if this Edie Falco vehicle lives up to the high standards that Showtime has recently established with Weeds, Dexter and United States of Tara. Haven’t heard much buzz either way but a must-see at least initially.
Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List (June 8th, Bravo!)
I gave up on this show last year and questioned whether it even belonged on the air any more. Kathy herself seemed like she was ready to move on but then money talked and apparently she’s back for at least one more season. I’ll certainly check in from time to time, but the spontaneity and reality that once made this reality show need to make reappearance.
Top Chef: Masters (June 10th, Bravo!)
I still don’t know if I understand how this new version of Top Chef works but frankly I could give a damn. Famous chefs from across fair land will battle each other week to week to earn the title of Master. There will be Quickfire-type challenges and the format should be somewhat familiar. However, I just can’t see Rick Bayless sharing a bunk bed with Hubert Keller.
NYC Prep (June 16th, Bravo!)
Another title for this show could be Real Housewives of NYC in Training or The Real Gossip Girl. A more accurate title might be Laguna Beach East as the show follows a group of rich NYC kids going through prep school. This has a chance to be the breakout schlock show of the summer or it could be tedious and boring. Either way count me in on premiere night.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Dueling Idiots: Week 7
Being an editor for any MTV show must be tough but especially if you’re an editor for The Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Duel 2. You spend one and a half episodes focusing on the wall punching lunatic Dunbar (RW: Sydney) and his “partner” Paula Walnuts (RW: Key West) only to have the rug predictably pulled out from under you. To top it off you have to find a way to edit one of the most ingenious yet boring challenges in reality history.
At first both my partner and I were excited by the contraption hanging above the water for this week’s challenge. Suspended players used a pully system in a series of flag races…for 7 heats! Yes while the dynamite exploding made for an initial sensory shock, by round 7 it was like watching Eric (Fresh Meat) and Derek (Viewer’s Revenge) all over again. Super soldier test subject Landon (RW:Philly) won yet again and even though this was finally a much needed individual challenge, his partner Brittney (RW:Hollywood) showed much strength in pulling out the win on the women’s side.
This episode lacked any drama what so over as Paula and Dunbar found themselves in the bottom two. Dunbar picked on MJ (RW: Philly) while Paula chose bitch killer Aneesa (RW: Chicago). I’m guessing these two wanted to go home because there was no way Dunbar and Paula were going to pull out victories and sure enough after a few short minutes that was proven true.
In the end though, I couldn’t help but think of that poor editor who now has to fashion a new storyline out of the hours of footage for the next episode. Let’s face it, there are only so many times we can have Evan (Fresh Meat) ruminate on how tough this game is and how dirty it’s going to get.
At first both my partner and I were excited by the contraption hanging above the water for this week’s challenge. Suspended players used a pully system in a series of flag races…for 7 heats! Yes while the dynamite exploding made for an initial sensory shock, by round 7 it was like watching Eric (Fresh Meat) and Derek (Viewer’s Revenge) all over again. Super soldier test subject Landon (RW:Philly) won yet again and even though this was finally a much needed individual challenge, his partner Brittney (RW:Hollywood) showed much strength in pulling out the win on the women’s side.
This episode lacked any drama what so over as Paula and Dunbar found themselves in the bottom two. Dunbar picked on MJ (RW: Philly) while Paula chose bitch killer Aneesa (RW: Chicago). I’m guessing these two wanted to go home because there was no way Dunbar and Paula were going to pull out victories and sure enough after a few short minutes that was proven true.
In the end though, I couldn’t help but think of that poor editor who now has to fashion a new storyline out of the hours of footage for the next episode. Let’s face it, there are only so many times we can have Evan (Fresh Meat) ruminate on how tough this game is and how dirty it’s going to get.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
What the Fox?
I know you shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth but what if the horse is an evil mastermind? The jaw dropping news that Joss Whedon’s Dollhouse has been renewed for a well deserved second season brings me great joy along with great confusion. This puzzling move is one of two curve balls thrown by the execs at Fox who can officially be diagnosed as suffering from multiple personality disorder.
While I was one of many Whedonites who was disappointed by the slow start of Dollhouse, the mythology heavy final half of the season grabbed my attention and left me wanting more. Of course I assumed that those desires would be left unfulfilled as the show was getting little to no ratings in its Friday night timeslot of death. Strong DVR numbers and the promise of big DVD sales were apparently enough for the execs at Fox to reconsider though, and in one the most shocking changes of direction the show was renewed. What I don’t understand though is why the folks at Fox aren’t giving it a chance to improve. I get that the financial times are tough so a smaller budget makes sense. Apparently Whedon had some foresight and shot the yet unaired season finale on a much smaller budget to show Fox it could be done. So while I don’t have a gripe with Fox shrinking the money I do have a problem with them leaving the show on Friday nights at 8pm CST. If you’re going to keep a show why not try and expand the viewership. Pair Dollhouse with 24 on Mondays come winter or better yet make a geek night with Fringe in the Fall. Speaking of pairings, who is the ad wizard who decided the best lead in would be the god awful and surprisingly still on the air show ‘Til Death starring Brad Garrett. Fox may have given us another season of Dollhouse for which I am thankful but I’m already bracing for word of cancellation this time next year.
So while Fox gives backhanded rewards to Dollhouse they also gave a complete slap in the face to Jesus fucking Christ himself, JJ Abrams. I don’t know who they think they are but shuffling Abrams’ baby and best rated new Fox show, Fringe off to Thursdays to face ratings powerhouses Grey’s Anatomy, CSI and The Office, is just about the biggest screw you they could give. All Fringe did this last year is give Fox some much needed geek cred and deliver high performance. Now moved off to Thursdays, I expect to see the ratings drop and to see the show on the chopping block this time next year. Why Fox would bite the hand that feeds them is beyond me and I don’t think Abrams is as forgiving as Joss (who in this scenario is Buddha).
While I was one of many Whedonites who was disappointed by the slow start of Dollhouse, the mythology heavy final half of the season grabbed my attention and left me wanting more. Of course I assumed that those desires would be left unfulfilled as the show was getting little to no ratings in its Friday night timeslot of death. Strong DVR numbers and the promise of big DVD sales were apparently enough for the execs at Fox to reconsider though, and in one the most shocking changes of direction the show was renewed. What I don’t understand though is why the folks at Fox aren’t giving it a chance to improve. I get that the financial times are tough so a smaller budget makes sense. Apparently Whedon had some foresight and shot the yet unaired season finale on a much smaller budget to show Fox it could be done. So while I don’t have a gripe with Fox shrinking the money I do have a problem with them leaving the show on Friday nights at 8pm CST. If you’re going to keep a show why not try and expand the viewership. Pair Dollhouse with 24 on Mondays come winter or better yet make a geek night with Fringe in the Fall. Speaking of pairings, who is the ad wizard who decided the best lead in would be the god awful and surprisingly still on the air show ‘Til Death starring Brad Garrett. Fox may have given us another season of Dollhouse for which I am thankful but I’m already bracing for word of cancellation this time next year.
So while Fox gives backhanded rewards to Dollhouse they also gave a complete slap in the face to Jesus fucking Christ himself, JJ Abrams. I don’t know who they think they are but shuffling Abrams’ baby and best rated new Fox show, Fringe off to Thursdays to face ratings powerhouses Grey’s Anatomy, CSI and The Office, is just about the biggest screw you they could give. All Fringe did this last year is give Fox some much needed geek cred and deliver high performance. Now moved off to Thursdays, I expect to see the ratings drop and to see the show on the chopping block this time next year. Why Fox would bite the hand that feeds them is beyond me and I don’t think Abrams is as forgiving as Joss (who in this scenario is Buddha).
Friday, May 15, 2009
Dueling Idiots: Week 6
Ok so after last night’s Lost I was in no mood for the idiocracy of MTV’s Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Duel 2. However after a tiring day of work the idea of watching these fools bicker and scheme finally sounded appealing. So with apologies for the lateness of this post aside, let’s get on with it.
Last week my heart was crushed as Isaac (RW: Sydney) and Ruthie (RW: Hawaii) both went home and I was left without much hope for this season. Thankfully this week’s ep renewed my faith. First off you had the return of Paula Walnuts (RW: Key West). Now you might be thinking, “Hey Elliot, Paula’s been on the show since day one, how many brain cells did Lost kill last night?” I agree that Paula’s been on since day one and while she’s been slightly crazy it was not until last night’s Dunbar (RW: Sydney) meltdown that the baby voiced, needy, jealous Paula Walnuts fully came out. While supposedly being “just friends” with Dunbar, Paula got insanely jealous when Dunbar started hanging out with racist toothpick Kim (RW: Hollywood). Not only is Paula staking her entire game on her partnership with Dunbar but she’s also got his girlfriend Julie’s back. You Sydney viewers might remember Julie; she’s the girl who Dunbar cheated on during his season down under. Paula flips out multiple times and you almost forget that Dunbar is a world-class douche and that Evan (Fresh Meat) was supposed to be Paula’s partner all along.
Of course there were challenges to be had as well. Predictably the big challenge came down to Team Brandon (Brittney (RW: Hollywood) and Landon (RW: Philly)) and Team Marchel (Mark (RR: Season 1) and Rachel (RR: Campus Crawl)). Team Brandon pulls out the close victory and the inevitable popularity game leaves Derek (RR: Viewer’s Revenge) and Dunbar as the final two. Dunbar gets saved and is left with Paula and Kim. Derek takes down Eric (Fresh Meat) in predictable yet tedious fashion. Dunbar meanwhile makes the right call and sends the rook, Kim, into The Duel where she picks on Jen (RW: Denver). Jen punishes Kim in The Duel and accomplishes two great feats. One she sends the annoying blonde packing and two she manages to enrage Dunbar even further by sending his new fuck toy out of the game. Later in the ep Dunbar confronts his friend Paula who seems pleased by the events. Dunbar takes out his frustration by….writing in his journal. Oh well the whole episode can’t be a winner.
Last week my heart was crushed as Isaac (RW: Sydney) and Ruthie (RW: Hawaii) both went home and I was left without much hope for this season. Thankfully this week’s ep renewed my faith. First off you had the return of Paula Walnuts (RW: Key West). Now you might be thinking, “Hey Elliot, Paula’s been on the show since day one, how many brain cells did Lost kill last night?” I agree that Paula’s been on since day one and while she’s been slightly crazy it was not until last night’s Dunbar (RW: Sydney) meltdown that the baby voiced, needy, jealous Paula Walnuts fully came out. While supposedly being “just friends” with Dunbar, Paula got insanely jealous when Dunbar started hanging out with racist toothpick Kim (RW: Hollywood). Not only is Paula staking her entire game on her partnership with Dunbar but she’s also got his girlfriend Julie’s back. You Sydney viewers might remember Julie; she’s the girl who Dunbar cheated on during his season down under. Paula flips out multiple times and you almost forget that Dunbar is a world-class douche and that Evan (Fresh Meat) was supposed to be Paula’s partner all along.
Of course there were challenges to be had as well. Predictably the big challenge came down to Team Brandon (Brittney (RW: Hollywood) and Landon (RW: Philly)) and Team Marchel (Mark (RR: Season 1) and Rachel (RR: Campus Crawl)). Team Brandon pulls out the close victory and the inevitable popularity game leaves Derek (RR: Viewer’s Revenge) and Dunbar as the final two. Dunbar gets saved and is left with Paula and Kim. Derek takes down Eric (Fresh Meat) in predictable yet tedious fashion. Dunbar meanwhile makes the right call and sends the rook, Kim, into The Duel where she picks on Jen (RW: Denver). Jen punishes Kim in The Duel and accomplishes two great feats. One she sends the annoying blonde packing and two she manages to enrage Dunbar even further by sending his new fuck toy out of the game. Later in the ep Dunbar confronts his friend Paula who seems pleased by the events. Dunbar takes out his frustration by….writing in his journal. Oh well the whole episode can’t be a winner.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Looking Back at the New Shows of the 2008 TV Season
As we wind up the 2008/2009 season I thought it would be a good time to review how the new shows I spotlighted in my Fall preview faired and look at which ones should and will return.
My Own Worst Enemy
Christian Slater’s Alias remake failed fast and hard. Thanks to a barrage of negative reviews and a very competitive time slot, Enemy was one of the first cancelled shows of the Fall. I never even caught an episode and I can’t say I’m feeling much regret. Guess every ex-movie star can’t make the jump to the small screen.
Outlook: Cancelled
Knight Rider
I was dubious of this remake after the horrendous TV movie that aired last year. The original show was fun when I was a kid but catching repeats as an adult reminded me how laughably bad it actually was. Then I sat down and watched the pilot this Fall and lost the will to live in less than 15 minutes. The cast was flat, Val Kilmer’s KITT was creepy and the dialogue was not funny bad just plain unwatchable bad. I find it amazing that the same network that brings us 30 Rock would try and stick with Knight Rider as long as it did. In the end though NBC saw the light and kicked KITT to the curb. Also there was not enough Hoff.
Outlook: Cancelled
90210
The other big remake of the Fall was 90210 to which I also had a mixed reaction. While I watched the first few weeks I found the show to be too much like Gossip Girl West. The addition of old favorites like Kelly and Brenda kept me interested but after their boring stories were explored I was left with a group of kids I just didn’t care about. Oh and Lori Laughlin too. Seems though that things have changed. Many critics whom I consider likeminded to myself have said that the show has improved greatly and is heading towards a spectacular finish. I may have to revisit West Beverly High next year after all.
Outlook: Renewed for Fall 2009
Fringe
More JJ Abrams love here as the Midas touch continues. Early comparisons to The X-Files are long forgotten as Fringe has carved out its own territory in the geek community. Sharing some similar ideas with Lost and Alias sure doesn’t hurt. I loved the interplay and performances from Joshua Jackson and John Noble but it’s Anna Torv as Olivia who has really given the show its creative touchstone over the final episodes. Throw in a pending appearance by a certain Trek veteran and you’ve got geek nirvana.
Outlook: Renewed for Fall 2009
Dollhouse
While JJ can do no wrong Joss Whedon struggles. When Fox canceled Firefly, many Whedonites including myself swore that the network would pay when Joss returned to TV. Surprisingly Joss returned to TV with Fox yet again who promptly shuttled Dollhouse to a mid season replacement and stuck it with the Friday time slot of death. The show started out mighty rocky as the stand alone eps left me feeling unsatisfied. However once Joss kick started the mythology the show began to find its footing. The Whedon humor began to emerge in the scripts more often and the cast began to excel. Then came word that Fox wasn’t going to air the 13th and final episode and it began to feel like Firefly all over again especially given that Friday’s 12th episode and season finale created so many new questions to be answered. The word is that the show may still return given the high DVR and download numbers it does but I wouldn’t hold my breath. Here’s hoping that HBO or Showtime steps up and gives Joss a chance next time.
Outlook: Probably cancelled but nothing official
Parks and Recreation
Next to Dollhouse the other mid-season show I was pumped for was Amy Pohler’s collaboration with the US Office creators. Unlike Dollhouse however, I felt Parks and Recreation never found its stride after the awkward first couple of episodes. Sure the cast is amazing and there have been some funny moments but overall I find it to be completely forgettable. I’m glad to see though that NBC is giving it a second chance and I’m hoping a creative renaissance is in order.
Outlook: Renewed for Fall 2009
Better Off Ted
Here’s a show that I had no clue about and ended up enjoying far more than I expected. From the minds that brought you Andy Richter Controls the Universe, Ted is another workplace sitcom that finds a wonderful balance between reality and absurdity. The in-show adds for Veridian Dynamics are almost worth watching alone. ABC aired 7 episodes this spring to pretty lackluster ratings but the cast and crew are filming an additional 5 that may air this summer or start out season 2 next Fall if all goes well.
Outlook: Cloudy with a chance of sun
My Own Worst Enemy
Christian Slater’s Alias remake failed fast and hard. Thanks to a barrage of negative reviews and a very competitive time slot, Enemy was one of the first cancelled shows of the Fall. I never even caught an episode and I can’t say I’m feeling much regret. Guess every ex-movie star can’t make the jump to the small screen.
Outlook: Cancelled
Knight Rider
I was dubious of this remake after the horrendous TV movie that aired last year. The original show was fun when I was a kid but catching repeats as an adult reminded me how laughably bad it actually was. Then I sat down and watched the pilot this Fall and lost the will to live in less than 15 minutes. The cast was flat, Val Kilmer’s KITT was creepy and the dialogue was not funny bad just plain unwatchable bad. I find it amazing that the same network that brings us 30 Rock would try and stick with Knight Rider as long as it did. In the end though NBC saw the light and kicked KITT to the curb. Also there was not enough Hoff.
Outlook: Cancelled
90210
The other big remake of the Fall was 90210 to which I also had a mixed reaction. While I watched the first few weeks I found the show to be too much like Gossip Girl West. The addition of old favorites like Kelly and Brenda kept me interested but after their boring stories were explored I was left with a group of kids I just didn’t care about. Oh and Lori Laughlin too. Seems though that things have changed. Many critics whom I consider likeminded to myself have said that the show has improved greatly and is heading towards a spectacular finish. I may have to revisit West Beverly High next year after all.
Outlook: Renewed for Fall 2009
Fringe
More JJ Abrams love here as the Midas touch continues. Early comparisons to The X-Files are long forgotten as Fringe has carved out its own territory in the geek community. Sharing some similar ideas with Lost and Alias sure doesn’t hurt. I loved the interplay and performances from Joshua Jackson and John Noble but it’s Anna Torv as Olivia who has really given the show its creative touchstone over the final episodes. Throw in a pending appearance by a certain Trek veteran and you’ve got geek nirvana.
Outlook: Renewed for Fall 2009
Dollhouse
While JJ can do no wrong Joss Whedon struggles. When Fox canceled Firefly, many Whedonites including myself swore that the network would pay when Joss returned to TV. Surprisingly Joss returned to TV with Fox yet again who promptly shuttled Dollhouse to a mid season replacement and stuck it with the Friday time slot of death. The show started out mighty rocky as the stand alone eps left me feeling unsatisfied. However once Joss kick started the mythology the show began to find its footing. The Whedon humor began to emerge in the scripts more often and the cast began to excel. Then came word that Fox wasn’t going to air the 13th and final episode and it began to feel like Firefly all over again especially given that Friday’s 12th episode and season finale created so many new questions to be answered. The word is that the show may still return given the high DVR and download numbers it does but I wouldn’t hold my breath. Here’s hoping that HBO or Showtime steps up and gives Joss a chance next time.
Outlook: Probably cancelled but nothing official
Parks and Recreation
Next to Dollhouse the other mid-season show I was pumped for was Amy Pohler’s collaboration with the US Office creators. Unlike Dollhouse however, I felt Parks and Recreation never found its stride after the awkward first couple of episodes. Sure the cast is amazing and there have been some funny moments but overall I find it to be completely forgettable. I’m glad to see though that NBC is giving it a second chance and I’m hoping a creative renaissance is in order.
Outlook: Renewed for Fall 2009
Better Off Ted
Here’s a show that I had no clue about and ended up enjoying far more than I expected. From the minds that brought you Andy Richter Controls the Universe, Ted is another workplace sitcom that finds a wonderful balance between reality and absurdity. The in-show adds for Veridian Dynamics are almost worth watching alone. ABC aired 7 episodes this spring to pretty lackluster ratings but the cast and crew are filming an additional 5 that may air this summer or start out season 2 next Fall if all goes well.
Outlook: Cloudy with a chance of sun
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Quick Music Review: NOFX- Coaster
The latest album from NOFX is a greatest hits album yet it’s all new material. If you listen to Coaster you’re apt to think back fondly to The War on Errorism, Pump Up the Valuum, and even Two Heebs and a Bean. Often times a sentiment like that means a band has gone stale but I’d argue that this actually shows signs of versatility and after the lackluster 2006 release Wolves in Wolves’ Clothing it is desperately appreciated. Fat Mike sounds like he’s having fun again and so does the rest of the band. The opening track, We Called it America, starts with a quote from Alec Baldwin in Glengarry Glen Ross and proceeds to shred your ear drums. My Orphan Year is a pretty personal track that elicited a real emotion reaction from yours truly. Creeping Out Sara is probably the funniest NOFX track I’ve listened to in years and might be my favorite cut off the album. Best God in Show is pure NOFX ska and along with Blasphemy depict the band’s maturing view on religion. Maturity seems to be the overall theme of the album, even with tracks like First Call and I Am an Alcoholic. While the music is still fast, loose and fun the lyrics tend to be more poignant and at least to this 30-something more relatable. That being said it’s still funny as hell and something I’ll be blasting out my car speakers all summer long.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Star Trek Review and a note on the Geek Revolution
Let’s get this out of the way first: All hail JJ Abrams, king of the geeks. Except for Mission Impossible 3, the man can do no wrong and some would even argue that MI3 was passable given the luggage Cruise brings along. Felicity, Alias, Lost, Cloverfield, Fringe, and now Star Trek, the man just keeps the hits on coming. As an acknowledged geek, there is no one working in Hollywood today who gets my juices flowing faster than Mr. Bad Robot. Star Trek was to be the moment where the hero failed; after all can you really re-launch a franchise without pissing off the legions of hardcore fans. Yet once again, JJ has defied expectations creating a film that appeals to everyone and still leaves room for old school and new school sequels. Without spoiling too much, the script finds a way to exercise all the years and years of muddled Trek continuity yet still leaves the door open for Shatner, Stewart and even Bakula to find work again in the Federation. I love that when Spock explains this to Spock (no typo there and if you didn’t know that spoiler then you missed every ad for the last six months) JJ even throws in a dig at the time travel logic Lost uses.
While I don’t consider myself a Trekkie, I’m certainly well versed in the universe including a love affair with The Next Generation from college right up through First Contact, but I certainly wouldn’t consider myself hardcore. That being said, I can’t imagine the hardcore folks being upset with what JJ has done. Here he’s injected a fresh set of ideas and a fresh look into a world that was becoming obsolete. The best part is that he’s done all this with the same characters more or less and lot of that credit goes to the actors. A lot of buzz has gone to Zach Quinto for his Spock and while I thought he was wonderful I thought Chris Pine was the real surprise. He had the swagger and the cockiness but also brought a real edge of self doubt. I wanted to cheer for him not because he was Kirk but because he was an endearing lead character. The rest of the cast seemed to follow Pine and made the characters their own. John Cho, Zoe Saldana, and Simon Pegg really seemed to make Sulu, Uhura, and Scotty fresh new characters and not characterizations. However Anton Yelchin’s Chekov is over the top and probably the weakest part of the film. Speaking of weak, we all know how weak the Trek villains tend to be but Eric Bana really gives Nemo a chance to star here. While the villain still gets shorted on time, Bana makes the most of what he has and falls just short of Khan territory. Throw in all the tech wizardry and the updated art direction and you’ve got an early front runner for best picture of summer 2009.
Now a quick note on the Geek Revolution. I have enjoyed the rise of geekery into mainstream culture over the last few years. Shows like Lost, Heroes, and Fringe have been embraced on TV. Other shows like 30 Rock and The Office celebrate the geek as well. Star Trek opens to boffo box office numbers and Harry Potter still reigns supreme two years after the last book was published. At times though, I long for the days when geeks didn’t have to compete with everyone else for a collectable glass or a decent seat in the theater. My partner and I went to a 7pm show for Trek on Friday and arrived a good 45 minutes early with our pre-purchased tickets expecting to find a few Trekkie early birds. Instead, we found a packed theater that required us to sit about six rows away from the IMAX screen. This made me long for the days when only geeks would line up ahead of time for their badge of honor. I know pop culture is cyclical and I’m guessing this will pass and my kid-to-be will be lucky enough to experience teasing and wedgies if he follows my geeky path. In the meantime though I got to say I’m getting a little tired of the revolution and the negatives it brings like packed theaters, slap dash sequels (Indiana Jones), unnecessary geek remakes (GI Joe), and pseudo geek shows (The Big Bang Theory, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles). Geekery will live long and prosper but I’m beginning to hope that the Geek Revolution soon feels the icy grip of the Vulcan nerve pinch.
While I don’t consider myself a Trekkie, I’m certainly well versed in the universe including a love affair with The Next Generation from college right up through First Contact, but I certainly wouldn’t consider myself hardcore. That being said, I can’t imagine the hardcore folks being upset with what JJ has done. Here he’s injected a fresh set of ideas and a fresh look into a world that was becoming obsolete. The best part is that he’s done all this with the same characters more or less and lot of that credit goes to the actors. A lot of buzz has gone to Zach Quinto for his Spock and while I thought he was wonderful I thought Chris Pine was the real surprise. He had the swagger and the cockiness but also brought a real edge of self doubt. I wanted to cheer for him not because he was Kirk but because he was an endearing lead character. The rest of the cast seemed to follow Pine and made the characters their own. John Cho, Zoe Saldana, and Simon Pegg really seemed to make Sulu, Uhura, and Scotty fresh new characters and not characterizations. However Anton Yelchin’s Chekov is over the top and probably the weakest part of the film. Speaking of weak, we all know how weak the Trek villains tend to be but Eric Bana really gives Nemo a chance to star here. While the villain still gets shorted on time, Bana makes the most of what he has and falls just short of Khan territory. Throw in all the tech wizardry and the updated art direction and you’ve got an early front runner for best picture of summer 2009.
Now a quick note on the Geek Revolution. I have enjoyed the rise of geekery into mainstream culture over the last few years. Shows like Lost, Heroes, and Fringe have been embraced on TV. Other shows like 30 Rock and The Office celebrate the geek as well. Star Trek opens to boffo box office numbers and Harry Potter still reigns supreme two years after the last book was published. At times though, I long for the days when geeks didn’t have to compete with everyone else for a collectable glass or a decent seat in the theater. My partner and I went to a 7pm show for Trek on Friday and arrived a good 45 minutes early with our pre-purchased tickets expecting to find a few Trekkie early birds. Instead, we found a packed theater that required us to sit about six rows away from the IMAX screen. This made me long for the days when only geeks would line up ahead of time for their badge of honor. I know pop culture is cyclical and I’m guessing this will pass and my kid-to-be will be lucky enough to experience teasing and wedgies if he follows my geeky path. In the meantime though I got to say I’m getting a little tired of the revolution and the negatives it brings like packed theaters, slap dash sequels (Indiana Jones), unnecessary geek remakes (GI Joe), and pseudo geek shows (The Big Bang Theory, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles). Geekery will live long and prosper but I’m beginning to hope that the Geek Revolution soon feels the icy grip of the Vulcan nerve pinch.
Friday, May 08, 2009
Thursday, May 07, 2009
Dueling Idiots: Week 5
On MTV’s Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Duel 2 it is often tough to find contestants you actually want to cheer for. In the first 5 weeks of this challenge I’ve been blessed with two worthy folks in Ruthie (RW: Hawaii) and Isaac (RW: Sydney). Damn you all to hell MTV they are now both gone and I’m left with a show full of backstabbing jackasses.
Foreshadowing can be a bitch and purposeful foreshadowing even more so. As the group celebrated Brad (RW: San Diego) and Eric’s (Fresh Meat) birthdays, Isaac passed out and was violated. Superboy-Prime Landon (RW: Philly) swooped in and cut Isaac’s big toenail that he had been growing for weeks. When Isaac discovered this he vowed vengeance and I just knew my man crush was heading home. Thankfully Isaac went out with a verbal bang. His choice to make this all about the toenail was inspired. Clearly he knew he’d never make it to the final given the clique of folks in charge of the game so he figured he’d go out Isaac-style and take on Landon in The Duel. It was close for a bit but being that Isaac does not have super strength and can’t fly, Landon eventually prevailed. While I’ll miss him I’m glad Isaac went out on his terms.
Unfortunately the same can’t be said for his partner Ruthie. Predictably she was thrown into The Duel after refusing to play the kiss ass game and for just being an intimidating competitor to the other girls. Ruthie smartly chose racist, twig, and rookie Kimberly (RW: Hollywood) but then forgot to bring her brains to the event. Kimberly outsmarted Ruthie, first time for everything, and soundly beat her. One wonders if her heart just wasn’t in it after seeing Isaac lose, but either way it was a damn sad thing to see.
Other quick observations on this week:
• I would bet there’s some footage on the editing floor where Kim tries to figure out, “what Ruthie is” ethnicity wise.
• Kudos to Brad (RW: San Diego) and Tori (RR: Viewer’s Revenge) for recognizing how ridiculous the game is and also their argument about following “the list” or not. While I gave them crap for forming a relationship founded on a challenge show, I was really impressed last night.
• If I have to cheer for someone, I guess I’m pulling for old man Mark (RR: Season 1). While he may old enough to be some of these kids father, I’m really enjoying him kicking ass old school style.
• Evan (Fresh Meat) is still an ass but watching him drop Diem (Fresh Meat) after she jibber-jabbered during the challenge was by far the best moment of the ep.
Foreshadowing can be a bitch and purposeful foreshadowing even more so. As the group celebrated Brad (RW: San Diego) and Eric’s (Fresh Meat) birthdays, Isaac passed out and was violated. Superboy-Prime Landon (RW: Philly) swooped in and cut Isaac’s big toenail that he had been growing for weeks. When Isaac discovered this he vowed vengeance and I just knew my man crush was heading home. Thankfully Isaac went out with a verbal bang. His choice to make this all about the toenail was inspired. Clearly he knew he’d never make it to the final given the clique of folks in charge of the game so he figured he’d go out Isaac-style and take on Landon in The Duel. It was close for a bit but being that Isaac does not have super strength and can’t fly, Landon eventually prevailed. While I’ll miss him I’m glad Isaac went out on his terms.
Unfortunately the same can’t be said for his partner Ruthie. Predictably she was thrown into The Duel after refusing to play the kiss ass game and for just being an intimidating competitor to the other girls. Ruthie smartly chose racist, twig, and rookie Kimberly (RW: Hollywood) but then forgot to bring her brains to the event. Kimberly outsmarted Ruthie, first time for everything, and soundly beat her. One wonders if her heart just wasn’t in it after seeing Isaac lose, but either way it was a damn sad thing to see.
Other quick observations on this week:
• I would bet there’s some footage on the editing floor where Kim tries to figure out, “what Ruthie is” ethnicity wise.
• Kudos to Brad (RW: San Diego) and Tori (RR: Viewer’s Revenge) for recognizing how ridiculous the game is and also their argument about following “the list” or not. While I gave them crap for forming a relationship founded on a challenge show, I was really impressed last night.
• If I have to cheer for someone, I guess I’m pulling for old man Mark (RR: Season 1). While he may old enough to be some of these kids father, I’m really enjoying him kicking ass old school style.
• Evan (Fresh Meat) is still an ass but watching him drop Diem (Fresh Meat) after she jibber-jabbered during the challenge was by far the best moment of the ep.
Monday, May 04, 2009
My Legally Blonde Experience
My exposure to the original production of Legally Blonde the Musical was limited to the telecast of two years ago and the original cast soundtrack. While I never saw the show on Broadway I wore out my original TiVo and my iPod watching and listening. Heck I even watched MTV's reality show Legally Blonde: The Search for the Next Elle Woods. With all that said, I really couched my expectations as I entered St. Paul’s Ordway theater this past Saturday to see the touring show. Thankfully my expectations were shattered beyond all hopes as me and a theater full of…well…view my partner’s assessment of the crowd below…cheered and jumped out of our seats.
My biggest fear was that the traveling cast would not live up to the high standard set by the original Broadway cast. This may be heresy but Becky Gulsvig actually made me forget about Laura Bell Bundy after the show. Her humor and strength shined through her voice at all times. You never saw her fade completely away even when others were performing. Natalie Joy Johnson who originated the role of Enid on Broadway also had a tall task in playing the Paulette role originated by Ofreh. Again, like Gulsvig, Johnson put a spin on the original performance and yet made it her own. Elle’s Greek chorus also matched the vocal energy of their predecessors. Perhaps the only role that was lacking was that of Jeff McLean as Warner. I found his performance to be out of sync with the rest of the cast. Of course there were many other folks in the cast including Lauren Ashley Zarkin from the MTV show, who along with Gulsvig is a Minnesota native. Perhaps my viewership of the MTV show clouded my perspective but I thought Zarkin mugged far more then any of the ensemble players. Maybe it was being in the home state and maybe I’m harping but it was distracting at times.
The staging of the show did suffer from being packed up for the road. It was far more minimalist but the main elements were still there including the pillars that frame the stage and the action. I also appreciated that while some of the moments were scaled back the intent was still there including Elle’s big first act closing number So Much Better. The orchestra filled the theater with every note of Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin’s old school musical arrangements. Sitting six rows away we were swept up in the music, even my kid to be was dancing in his mama’s stomach. That and the standing O at the end were clear testaments that the touring version of the best musical of the new century is a rousing success.
Eyebrows and Pit Stops: Week 11
Sorry to be so late with this week’s installment but truth be told I’ve had more real life drama than this episode of The Amazing Race could provide. In fact, even if I’d spent the last 48 hours sitting in a sensory deprivation tank, my life would have had more drama. In short, this week was just a copy of last week’s episode. Margie and Luke continued to be bitchy, but this time were bitchy with each other. The self-titled ex-cheerleaders yelled at cabbies and bemoaned the lack of English as a world language. Victor and Tammy stayed above the fray except for a U-Turn of Kisha and Jen who once again found a unique way to fuck things up. While I know many will blame Victor and Tammy’s U-Turn as the reason Kisha and Jen were eliminated, the truth is that these were about the two least competitive “athletes” I’ve ever seen. Last week it was the water phobia, and this week they folded under the pressure of juggernauts Cara and Jamie at the roadblock. Then they succumbed to a weak bladder and the fear of wet pants as they felt their dignity was worth more then one million dollars. The whole episode felt like a replay of the Mike and Mark ep a few weeks ago where the outcome was almost entirely without suspense. Next week is the finale and while I’ve loved this season, I’m ready for the end.
Saturday, May 02, 2009
Top Ten Most Anticipated Summer Movies: 2 and 1
2. Bruno (July 10)
I’m not going to post the NSFW trailer for Sacha Baron Cohen’s follow up to Borat but trust me when I say this looks to be worthy of similar accolades. This time Cohen’s uses his German fashion designer alter ego to wreck havoc across the US and to turn the ugly mirror on ourselves. Word is that this is much more offensive, equally funny, and also equally depressing when you witness some of the behavior of our fellow citizens. Of course this time around it was also more difficult for Cohen and director Larry Charles to find truly unsuspecting folk so word is that the two had to rely on more staged situations. It will be interesting to see how that affects the truthiness of the film.
1. Star Trek (May 8)
JJ Abrams has been on a hot streak for damn near a decade. Each step he has taken in his career has been an improvement on the latter. Because of this, I constantly expect him to fail or disappoint in a spectacular fashion and relaunching the Star Trek franchise seemed to be the best opportunity yet. Don’t get me wrong, I haven’t wanted to see JJ fail, it’s just that after folks like Spielberg, Lucas, and Miller, the geek in me expects to face disappointment eventually. Thankfully it sounds like I’ll have to wait for Cloverfield 2 because early reports say that JJ has hit another home run with Star Trek. The tricky balance of respecting the original while creating something new seems to have been attained and fanboys are rejoicing. I was never a fan of the original series but did enjoy Star Trek movies 2, 4 and 6 with the original cast. Plus as a fan of The Next Generation I’m curious to see how JJ addresses stripping away the entire continuity of the future Trek universe. The marketing has been spot on, the buzz amazing, and now I’m just ready to see it already!
I’m not going to post the NSFW trailer for Sacha Baron Cohen’s follow up to Borat but trust me when I say this looks to be worthy of similar accolades. This time Cohen’s uses his German fashion designer alter ego to wreck havoc across the US and to turn the ugly mirror on ourselves. Word is that this is much more offensive, equally funny, and also equally depressing when you witness some of the behavior of our fellow citizens. Of course this time around it was also more difficult for Cohen and director Larry Charles to find truly unsuspecting folk so word is that the two had to rely on more staged situations. It will be interesting to see how that affects the truthiness of the film.
1. Star Trek (May 8)
JJ Abrams has been on a hot streak for damn near a decade. Each step he has taken in his career has been an improvement on the latter. Because of this, I constantly expect him to fail or disappoint in a spectacular fashion and relaunching the Star Trek franchise seemed to be the best opportunity yet. Don’t get me wrong, I haven’t wanted to see JJ fail, it’s just that after folks like Spielberg, Lucas, and Miller, the geek in me expects to face disappointment eventually. Thankfully it sounds like I’ll have to wait for Cloverfield 2 because early reports say that JJ has hit another home run with Star Trek. The tricky balance of respecting the original while creating something new seems to have been attained and fanboys are rejoicing. I was never a fan of the original series but did enjoy Star Trek movies 2, 4 and 6 with the original cast. Plus as a fan of The Next Generation I’m curious to see how JJ addresses stripping away the entire continuity of the future Trek universe. The marketing has been spot on, the buzz amazing, and now I’m just ready to see it already!
Friday, May 01, 2009
Top Ten Most Anticipated Summer Movies: 4 and 3
4. Inglorious Basterds (August 21)
It’s hard to believe that Quentin Tarantino’s World War II opus is finally almost here. Those of us geeks who follow the Hollywood scene have heard about his plans for this film about a squad of Allied Jewish Nazi hunters for years. Supposedly it has been his dream project and his finest script, both of which are saying something considering the wonderful indulgence that is Kill Bill and the stunning originality of Pulp Fiction. Brad Pitt leads a rather unique group of actors including The Offices’ BJ Novak and Hostel director Eli Roth. Tarantino is one of the few directors who I will still blindly plop down $8 bucks for so I’m super excited for this one.
3. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (July 15)
Speaking of movies that take forever to get to the screen, this July brings us the third to last Harry Potter flick. While it is based on the second to last book the final opus has been split into two films thus extending our love affair with Hogwarts. I’m curious to see how the creative team handles this tale that features so many flashbacks to the rise of Voldemort. I’m guessing there will be copious amounts of edits but as long as they’re able to tell the spirit of the tale as they did in Order of the Phoenix then I predict this film will continue the trend of each Potter movie improving on the last.
It’s hard to believe that Quentin Tarantino’s World War II opus is finally almost here. Those of us geeks who follow the Hollywood scene have heard about his plans for this film about a squad of Allied Jewish Nazi hunters for years. Supposedly it has been his dream project and his finest script, both of which are saying something considering the wonderful indulgence that is Kill Bill and the stunning originality of Pulp Fiction. Brad Pitt leads a rather unique group of actors including The Offices’ BJ Novak and Hostel director Eli Roth. Tarantino is one of the few directors who I will still blindly plop down $8 bucks for so I’m super excited for this one.
3. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (July 15)
Speaking of movies that take forever to get to the screen, this July brings us the third to last Harry Potter flick. While it is based on the second to last book the final opus has been split into two films thus extending our love affair with Hogwarts. I’m curious to see how the creative team handles this tale that features so many flashbacks to the rise of Voldemort. I’m guessing there will be copious amounts of edits but as long as they’re able to tell the spirit of the tale as they did in Order of the Phoenix then I predict this film will continue the trend of each Potter movie improving on the last.
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