Top Ten of 2006

It that time again for the end of the year lists. As I look back on the films and television shows I’ve watched over the last 365 days, it occurs to me that I’ve seen some pretty good stuff. I found it hard to leave certain films and shows off my list this year because a lot of them still had some great moments. I wish I could fit Blood Diamond and Talledega Nights into my best movies or Arrested Development and Entourage into my top TV picks; although, it’s not like I had sleepless nights over it. So here it is, based on what I’ve seen this year, my top ten lists.

Top Ten Films of 2006
(instead of repeating myself, just go
to the link for my longer previous posts)

1. Thank You for Smoking
“Aaron Eckhart is one slick guy. I have never smoked a cigarette in my life, but this guy could sure convince me otherwise.”
http://popculturepusher.blogspot.com/2006/07/best-so-far.html

2. Stranger Than Fiction
“I could see myself applauding an epic or action-packed movie as fantastic but what Stranger Than Fiction is missing in panoramic battles and explosions, it makes up for with subtlety and brilliance.”
http://popculturepusher.blogspot.com/2006/11/stranger-than-fiction.html

3. The Departed
“Apart from the fantastic acting, the cat and mouse storyline is compelling and inventive. I love how one reviewer called it Goodfellas with cell phones. Never has text messaging been so spine-tingling.”
http://popculturepusher.blogspot.com/2006/10/departed.html

4. United 93
“Going in I thought the film would be manipulative and accusatory but was pleasantly shocked to find it was anything but.”
http://popculturepusher.blogspot.com/2006/07/best-so-far.html

5. Borat
“Borat: Cultural Learnings of America to Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan is one of the funniest movies of the year. Even the full title makes me chuckle. As most critics will agree, Borat is like Spinal Tap mixed with Andy Kaufman and sprinkled with Jackass.”
http://popculturepusher.blogspot.com/2006/11/borat.html

6. Little Miss Sunshine
“The travel time in the VW bus is filled with wonderful moments that are both eccentric and relatable. But the big pay-off comes at the beauty pageant where the audience is faced with images that are satirical, hysterical and just plain creepy.”
http://popculturepusher.blogspot.com/2006/08/little-miss-sunshine.html

7. Apocalypto
“Apocalypto features one of the best chase sequences I have ever seen. Of course, with Mel Gibson comes brutal torture scenes and extreme violence. It’s not for the squeamish.”
http://popculturepusher.blogspot.com/2006/12/movie-onslaught-part-i_26.html

8. Mission: Impossible III
“I found M:I III to be what an episode of Alias would be like, if Abrams had an unlimited budget.”
http://popculturepusher.blogspot.com/2006/07/mission-impossible-iii.html

9. Lucky Number Slevin
“Talk about slick. A fun story told from various perspectives and played by actors who are clearly having a fun time engaging in the punchy dialogue.”
http://popculturepusher.blogspot.com/2006/07/best-so-far.html

10. V for Vendetta
“V was very stylish and well done but I was hoping for a bit more humour and a better ending than the one ruined by advertisements for the movie.”
http://popculturepusher.blogspot.com/2006/07/best-so-far.html

Top Ten Television Shows of 2006

1. Lost
I know people feel frustrated that this show doesn’t answer all your questions, but to me, that’s what makes the series so engrossing. The hatch, the numbers, the wheelchair, the black smoke, the toes; I can’t wait to see what they’ll reveal next. And the opening minutes of season three? You can’t get better than that. We’ll have to see what unfolds this February.

2. Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
So good I sometimes watch it three times a week. This show was made for me. The punchy dialogue, the clever stories, the behind-the-scenes politics, and the brilliant ensemble acting headed by Matthew Perry and Bradley Whitford make this show a gem. Thank you Aaron Sorkin.

3. Heroes
I love how every episode ends with a “To Be Continued”; this beautifully shot and scripted comic book series is a never-ending story that keeps you guessing and enthralled. With clever marketing slogans like “Save the Cheerleader, Save the World” and “Are you on the list?” this smart show manages to bring in new viewers every week. It’s also nice to see another large diverse cast on television.

4. The Office
This show brings tears to my eyes. The side-splitting awkward moments created by this stellar cast are a joy to watch week after week. Steve Carrell continues to shine and even gets to play more now that Daily Show alum Ed Helms has joined the cast as a thorn in Dwight’s side. The way the writers have handled not only Jim & Pam’s storyline, but also the influx of new characters, is nothing short or extraordinary.

5. Scrubs
After six years, this show still manages to be inventive and touching at the same time. A fun cast with sharp comedic timing and even sharper physical comedy is all you need for a sitcom to work, but Bill Lawrence gives us even more each week. I can even forgive John C. McGinley's awful hair this season, the comedy is just that good.

6. Veronica Mars
This show has done a wonderful job easing those who were addicted to Joss Whedon’s Buffy universe. This smartly written multiple mystery show continues to inject a nice dose of sass into my viewing schedule. While season two was mildly confusing despite its great pay-off, this season’s mini-mysteries have kept me in the loop and kept my brain working overtime on Tuesday nights.

7. 24
While I admit that I liked season four of the Jack Bauer action series better, season five was definitely no slouch. It was a well-mapped season that elicited many different emotions. President Logan made me cringe, Edgar brought a tear to my eye. I’m looking forward to the next season and seeing who Jack will torture next.

8. How I Met Your Mother
This show is legendary! The entertaining relationship stories are intricately woven by a fun relatable group of characters. And while Neil Patrick Harris suits up and steals the show, the other cast members are still given inventive situations to get big laughs. Robin’s cheesy Canadain eighties music video still makes me giggle.

9. Prison Break
It’s not as fun now that they are on the outside, but I am still intrigued about where this show is headed. As allegiances switch and people are gunned down, every week brings a new wrinkle to the plot that keeps me watching.

10. The Colbert Report
The Daily Show is funny, but Steven Colbert is hysterical as a vain, snobbish pundit who delivers his side of the news each night. Colbert’s reaction to his snubbing at the Emmy awards is all the proof you need. Even his roasting of Bush (in character) at a presidential dinner was considered one of the eight great moment this year according to the American Film Institute.

So there you go; my top ten of 2006. Feel free to tell me yours in the comment section. I would love to read them (and mock them).

My Favourite Films Of All Time

I always get asked what my favourite movie is. I usually respond by asking them to pick a genre and then I’ll give a couple of my favourites. I mean, to compare the comedic genius of Airplane! to the visual wizardy of The Matrix or the masterful storytelling of Pulp Fiction is simply ludicrous. So for my blog (and Joel), I thought I would give a gigantic list of my favourite films. These are films I feel everyone should see at some point in their life. You’ll probably disagree with some, but that’s what makes lists so fun. I chose to use the criteria of films of the last 25 years, as I have not seen every film ever made (surprising but true). I have also excluded films from 2006 (you can see those favourites in the new year). So, I have picked five of my favourites (in alphabetical order) for each genre and then list the other fifteen I feel are also deserving. A couple of genres have less than twenty because I may not have seen that many of that particular film genre. So let the lists begin.

Comedies

To get in this list, the movie needs wall-to-wall comedy with memorable lines and unexpected laughs.
Airplane! There wouldn't be The Naked Gun without this non-stop laughfest. From unsusal drinking problems to jive talking grandmas, it doesn't get much better than this.
Liar Liar By far, the best Jim Carrey movie that showcases his rubbery-face talents. Also the concept of this movie is sheer genius. "The pen is blue!"
Monty Python & the Holy Grail I usually pick this one as the funniest movie of all time. Killer bunnies, the Camelot model, the eating of the minstril. This one has it all.
Office Space Mike Judge nails office protocol and TGIFridays and its flair. Michael Bolton and the fax machine is priceless.
So I Married an Axe Murderer Austin Powers is funny but Mike Myers really shines here. His Scottish dad is 10 times better than Fat Bastard. "Someone needs a hug"

The Rest: Anchorman; Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery; The Birdcage; Dodgeball; Clueless; Ferris Beuller's Day Off; Groundhog Day; Happy Gilmore; Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle; Hot Shots; I Heart Huckabees; Old School; Team America; Tommy Boy; Zoolander

Dramas

A great drama needs a compelling script with fantastic acting but it also needs visual images that draw you in.
American Beauty The imagery is magnificent in this film. The colours are vibrant. Kevin Spacey's performance is masterful. It has some difficult parts to get through, but the payoff is so worth it.
A Few Good Men Aaron Sorkin writing at its best. I can watch this film over and over again. The Jack Nicholson speech is picture perfect but Tom Cruise is no slouch with his cross-examinations. I'm a sucker for courtroom dramas.
Fight Club I was hooked at the Ikea catalogue scene. Brilliant narration by Edward Norton and violent lunacy from Brad Pitt make this David Fincher film a must see. Pitt's spill on the bike during the "I am Jack's colon" scene still makes me laugh.
Pulp Fiction Nothing quite like hitmen discussing bacon and foot massages. Tarantino's punchy script is fantastic, not to mention the stellar performances by Sam Jackson, John Travolta and Bruce Willis.
The Usual Suspects I often call this my favourite film of all time (if a gun is pointed at my head). The brilliant cinematography, sound editing, screenplay, twists and Kevin Spacey make this film a study in film excellence.

The Rest: Crash; Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind; Fargo; Forrest Gump; Garden State; Jerry Maguire; Memento; Moulin Rouge; Resevoir Dogs; Road to Perdition; Rushmore; Shawshank Redemption; Sin City; The Sixth Sense; Titanic

Action

I always need a small mix of humour with my stuff blowing up. It's also all about the villains, baby!
Batman Begins The best superhero movie ever! Just take a look at the cast list. The acting pedigree alone is worth it, but Christopher Nolan weaves a wonderful story as well.
Die Hard The grand-daddy of action films in confined spaces. Alan Ruckman is phenomenal, the jump off the roof with the fire hose is amazing, and Bruce Willis is not bad either. "Yipie-kay-ya!"
Face/Off This is where John Woo shines. Mexican standoffs in a church surrounded by doves in slow-motion, does it get better than that. Forget the realism, enjoy the art.
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade Indy is great on his own but Sean Connery kicks it up a notch. Fun story with more humour than the previous movies. I also love the orgins of the hat, whip and name.
The Rock This Michael Bay flick is just plain fun. Sean Connery swearing like a sailor with Nicholas Cage nebbishly freaking out is an enjoyable combination. Ed Harris also shines as a wonderfully 'moral' bad guy.

The Rest: Bad Boys; Beverly Hills Cop; Enemy of the State; The Fugitive; In the The Line of Fire; The Italian Job; The Last Castle; The Mummy; Pirates of the Caribbean; Rush Hour; Saving Private Ryan; Snatch; Speed; Spiderman; Spy Game

Sci-Fi/Fantasy

This could be considered cheating, but sci-fi/fantasy is in a totally different realm than action. Suspend that disbelief people.
Back to the Future, Part II Don’t get me wrong, I like the original but this film had Marty in four different time periods. Loved the future and Marty trying to avoid himself.
The Empire Strikes Back I’d pick this one over the others mostly for Han Solo and his fun interactions with Princess Leia. Also love Yoda going through Luke’s stuff.
The Fellowship of the Ring Sure there’s no Gollum (only eyes) but the sheer magnitude of the trilogy starts here. Love the group dynamics & perilous journey. "You shall not pass!"
The Matrix The special effects in this movie still blow me away. Nothing quite like bullet-time and slow motion violence to techno music. "Whoa."
Serenity Watch Joss Whedon’s Firefly series first, then buckle up for a fitting tribute. Just imagine if Han Solo was the one in charge the whole time.

The Rest: Aliens; Back to the Future; Independence Day; Jurassic Park; Men in Black; Minority Report; Return of the Jedi; Return of the King; Star Wars; Terminator 2

Horror/Thriller

These films still give me the shivers and make me jump.
American Psycho Christian Bale at his best. His creepy turn as a businessman with an appetite for murder is a little freaky and a little funny.
Dead Again A wonderfully told story told in two time periods. This film made me scared of scissors. I still get the creeps when I here, “These are for you!” Just got a shiver.
Scream I love that Wes Craven explained the genre while still creating an intriguing whodunit with an ultra-violent body count.
Seven Don’t watch this movie while eating a pizza, you’ll see why after the sin of gluttony. The ending simply rocks, especially the reveal of the killer.
What Lies Beneath The creepy music doesn’t stop! Who would have thought Harrison Ford could pull off a thriller/horror? Total Hitchcock homage

The Rest: 28 Days Later; The Game; The Ring; The Shining; Silence of the Lambs

Classics

These are the films that fit into the pre-1980 category. It's an eclectic bunch of films to say the least.
Casablanca Humphrey Bogart is the man! You can’t get much better dialogue in a movie; every line pops! It’s one of the most quoted films of all time for a reason.
The Godfather Marlon Brando steals the show which hard to do from someone as dynamic as Al Pacino. This is superb movie-making.
North by Northwest Definitely the most action-packed of the Hitchcock films. Cary Grant is both humourous and debonair, a perfect hero.
One Flew Over the Cukoo’s Nest This film will make you see why Jack Nicholson deserves all his accolades. This film gets me every time.
Some Like it Hot Jack Lemmon in drag is truly a sight to behold. Fun stuff with Marilyn Monroe to top it off. This is Billy Wilder at his best.

The Rest: Apocalypse Now; Citizen Kane; Dr. Strangelove; It’s a Wonderful Life; Jaws; The Maltese Falcon; Modern Times; Mr. Smith Goes to Washington; On the Waterfront; Psycho; Raging Bull; Rear Window; Singin’ in the Rain; To Kill a Mockingbird; The Wizard of Oz

Foreign

This is a small list because I don't see too many foreign films.
Amelie Jean-Pierre Jeunet makes magic on the screen with this French film about a waitress who tries to help people find happiness. The visuals in this film are outstanding.
Cinema Paridiso This film demonstrates the true love for the movies. I wish our movie theatres had the same impact in our communities as they do in this quaint village.
Life is Beautiful Who would have thought there could be some humour found in the Holocaust? Roberto Benigni will amaze you with his talent.
The Passion of the Christ Mel Gibson takes his audience through a painful yet visually stunning journey to the cross. Just make sure you’re in the proper mood though. This is ain't a popcorn flick.
Run Lola Run A fantastic suspense that builds on “what if” statements. We see three different stories of Lola racing the clock or people will die.

Documentary

Okay, I cheated and put a couple of mockumentaries in here too. Another small list because I don't see too many documentaries.
Bowling for Columbine Michael Moore may be a little one-sided but he sure makes it entertaining. Not a big fan of his interviews with Canadians but the Brief History of America is a riot.
Murderball This documentary about wheelchair rugby beats March of the Penguins to a pulp. Both interesting and humourous with a touch of heart as any good documentary should be.
Super Size Me What a fun time watching Morgan Spurlock destroy his body with McDonald’s food. Check out his show 30 Days for more experiments.
This is Spinal Tap This is the ultimate mockumentary! The earnestness of these three buffoons will make you split a gut laughing. I guarantee it!
Waiting for Guffman If you’ve ever done or seen crappy community theatre, this is the film for you. Also check out Parker Posey’s 'terrible' audition clip in the DVD extras.

Animated

I like my animated films tobe clever and good for adults as well as kids. Call me picky.
Aladdin I think this Disney film has the catchiest songs from One Step to Friend Like Me. Robin Williams shines but Gilbert Gottfried steals the show as Iago the parrot.
The Incredibles Brad Bird wonderfully spoofs the superhero genre and the mid-life crisis And you can’t get a more entertaining character than Edna Mode. "And guest."
The Iron Giant I was introduced to this gem a few years back. The hyper Hogarth on espresso is sight to behold. It even manages to bring a tear to my eye at the end. Classic!
The Little Mermaid You can’t help but smile when watching this film. Fun songs, great side characters, and a smokin’ hot mermaid. What more could you ask for?
Toy Story The first full Pixar film set the bar really high. I loved the nostalgia of toys like Mr. Potato Head. Clever and entertaining. A perfect mix.

The Rest: A Bug’s Life; Chicken Run; The Emperor’s New Groove; Finding Nemo; Ice Age; The Lion King; Shrek; South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut; Toy Story 2; Who Framed Roger Rabbit

Just Fun

I had a hard time finding room for these very derserving films so I decided to shove them here. Hope you don't mind.
Catch Me If You Can A superb cat and mouse film with plenty of disguises to go around. Love the fun, upbeat opening credits too.
Charlie’s Angels This film is so over-the-top you can’t help but enjoy yourself. It’s vibrant and fun with Bill Murray to boot.
Matchstick Men I love me a good con movie. The father-daughter relationship is touching, Nicholas Cage is quirky fun, the con is genius.
Ocean’s Eleven I also love a con movie with a large cast that appears to be enjoying themselves. George Clooney and Brad Pitt are amazing together.
The Princess Bride I don’t know what category to put this film in because it seems to fit in almost all of them. A fun story with dynamic characters and memorable lines that will plague your thoughts forevermore. But in a good way... I think.

So there you have it. Feel free to comment if you’re wondering why a certain movie is on or off the list. I’ll probably respond. I stand by my choices and can defend them all. If your favourite movie in not on my list, maybe I haven’t seen it or didn’t think it reached the caliber of my choices. So I challenge you to respond. Bring it on!

The Movie Onslaught, Part I

It’s too bad the studios wait until the end of the year to bombard us with all the ‘intelligent’ movies slated for Oscar nominations. I’ve been making my way through lots of movie and still have more to get through by the end of the year. Instead of my usual long rants, I’ll have to reduce them to bite-size opinions in order to get them all online. So here we go.

Apocalypto shows us that Mel Gibson may not know what he’s doing behind the wheel but he certainly knows what to do behind a camera. This Mayan historical/adventure is beautifully shot and well choreographed with minimal subtitled dialogue to read. The story of the destruction of a civilization is tightly told despite the 2½ hour running time. And I do mean running time. Apocalypto features one of the best chase sequences I have ever seen. Of course, with Mel Gibson comes brutal torture scenes and extreme violence. It’s not for the squeamish. Of course, I cringe when I see people running through the forest in bare feet or get hit by foliage on shirtless bodies. I have a low tolerance for pain, I guess. But I still highly recommend this picture and suggest seeing it in the theatre; if not for the edge-of-your-seat chases, at least for the epic-scale vistas that Mel Gibson brilliantly captures.

The Fountain is a treat for the eyes but not for the brain. It has been a while since Requiem for a Dream, Darren Aronofsky’s previous masterpiece. There was a lot of expectation for The Fountain and its trailer made the film look even more intriguing. Unfortunately, the triptych storytelling of past conquistadors, the present day illnesses and surreal future bubbles made the plot ultra-confusing. While cleverly put together, I didn’t find myself caring too much about the demise of Rachel Weisz and Hugh Jackman, maybe it’s because I couldn’t get invested in the characters because the story kept jumping timelines. The film isn’t a total loss however, thanks to the captivating images Arornfsky weaves throughout the movie. I guess you could break into some spiritual discussion at the conclusion of this movie, but I would suggest renting it and watching the visual landscape with the mute button on.

I get worried when I am more amazed at the casting of a movie rather than the movie itself. It impresses me that Night at the Museum would get comedic giants like Dick Van Dyk, Robin Williams, Ricky Gervais, Owen Wilson, Steve Coogan and Ben Stiller to all appear in the same kiddie film. It reminds me of It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World or Rat Race. Unfortunately, all three films can only boast a well-connected casting agent and nothing more. Night at the Museum plays a lot like Jumanji, with creatures and history coming to life, only better. If I was a young kid, I would probably love this film but it doesn’t play as well for the adults. I did enjoy Owen Wilson and Steve Coogan as miniatures with an impulsive need to fight, as well as Ricky Gervais channeling his David Brent with trailing-off dialogue. In conclusion, bring your kids or elementary nieces and nephews to this film but don’t expect it to be as entertaining as The Incredibles or Pirates of the Caribbean.

One of the stupidest tags I’ve heard lately is the one calling The Good Shepherd “The Godfather of CIA movies.” Quick, name five CIA movies off the top of your head (and the Jack Ryan films only count as one). To call The Good Shepherd a Godfather movie is insulting to Francis For Coppola’s masterpiece. Maybe they said it because Robert DeNiro is in it and Coppola produced it, or maybe they are referring to the running time of three hours. I will say that the acting in this film is phenomenal. I am enjoying Matt Damon’s work more and more. He perfectly nails his role as a founder of the CIA who sacrificed everything for the good of the country. Alec Baldwin turns in another fine performance, as does William Hurt. Michael Gambon, has been in countless films, and shines in this one as a professor with some secrets up his sleeve. It’s clear that director, Robert DeNiro, gets the most out of his actors, but he doesn’t excel at telling a clear, tight story. The timeline switches back and forth between WWII and the Bay of Pigs and can sometimes get confusing with Matt Damon barely aging through the years. Okay, I’ll admit that I found this film hard to follow but maybe they did that on purpose because they’re dealing with the CIA. I found the pacing quite slow for a cloak and dagger movie, so I would suggest waiting for the DVD so you can pause, go the bathroom and make sure that everyone understands the plot.

The ads for Running With Scissors made this film look quirky enough to be compared to Wes Anderson’s The Royal Tenenbaums. Unfortunately the film is not quirky enough and lacks the heart that Anderson still places in his films. Ryan Murphy, the creator of Nip/Tuck directs this unusual memoir by Augusten Burroughs. Annette Benning does a fabulous job as Augusten’s self-involved nutso mom, but the true motherly presence comes from Jill Clayburgh, who steals the show with here ‘saneness’. Alec Baldwin is fun to watch while Evan Rachel Wood gets some nice scenes. The rest of the cast bored me to death. Brian Cox is way too cartoonish, Joseph Fiennes and Gwyneth Paltrow are dull and Joseph Cross is just mediocre as Augusten (I enjoyed his younger self more). The plot has some fun quirky moments, but there is not enough to make me interested or care about the people involved. I’d wait for it on TV, or just rewatch the good parts found in the movie trailer.

That's it for now. Part II coming soon. And the best of 2006 and the best of movie genres are also on their way. Stay tuned.

Casino Royale

A couple of days before Casino Royale came out, there was a poll ranking the best James Bonds. Sean Connery was number one, of course, with Pierce Brosnan snatching second from Roger Moore who was then followed by Timothy Dalton and George Lazenby. What struck me odd is that they would conduct this list even before seeing the new Bond film starring Daniel Craig. Now, after seeing this stellar installment, they have to change the list again. In my opinion, and I know I’m not alone; we have a new number two! Let’s start off by saying that no one is going to dethrone Sean Connery as the ultimate Bond. He created the character on screen for Pete’s sake. Connery is the benchmark for all future Bonds. Daniel Craig comes close. I could care less about his blond locks, this Bond can act! My only problem with the guy was his sudden monogamous nature, which is more of a script-writing problem. And to think that everyone was up in arms when they heard Craig was being named Brosnan’s successor.

I haven’t been overly thrilled with the action movie offerings this year, so it was a breath of fresh air to see this fast moving flick. The opening chase sequence alone is worth the admission price. I was on the edge of my seat watching this quick-thinking Bond try to get ahead of the extreme freestyling villain. After the intense chase, you get treated to the wonderful exchanges between snarky Bond and Judi Dench’s prickly M. The climactic poker game is nicely played with a rollercoaster of wins and losses. I have to agree with Richard Roeper’s assessment that these Texas Hold ‘Em deals are so monumentally unbelievable. I have never played round where there were so many face cards appearing in every player’s hand as well as the river. It was like the royal festival was in town or something. Watching this no-limit battle, I’m glad I spent all those hours watching the World Poker Tour. Unfortunately, the movie took a bad turn after the game.

One of the things I missed in this Bond story was Q and the use of cool gizmos. While I’ll admit that the invisible car that was introduced in the last Bond movie was retarded, I do enjoy seeing fully-functional cufflinks and jet packs and such. But I’m guessing they’ll reintroduce Q in the next Bond film, so I can forgive this oversight. What I couldn’t ignore however was the terrible last thirty minutes of this film. The writers didn’t know how to end the story. They went on and on like a run-on sentence. It was like watching the end of Lord of the Rings with its multiple endings. Bond is in love, there’s a kidnapping, torture, love scenes, double-double crosses, a collapsing building. It was during that last half hour that I kept checking my watching thinking, surely this must be over soon. A Bond film should never exceed two hours.

Regardless of the last thirty minutes, you should definitely see Casino Royale in the movie theatre. And if you have the guts, walk out after the triumphant poker scene and get someone to fill you in on what happens after that. Guys might be relieved to be spared the cringe-inducing yet oddly humourous torture scene. Anyway, I can honestly say that I am looking forward to the next James Bond film, and I haven’t said that in a long, long time.

Deja Vu

Every now and then I have the need to watch a film that I know won’t challenge me in the slightest and is just full of car chases and stuff blowing up. Déjà Vu is just one of those films. And surprise, surprise it’s produced by Jerry Bruckheimer. One of my friends likes to mock Bruckheimer (producer of Armageddon, Gone in 60 Seconds, King Arthur, Pirates of the Caribbean) by pointing out that Bruckheimer likes to pick a colour and paint the entire screen with it. (For Déjà Vu, he decided to broaden his palette by choosing green and orange.) This film is directed by Tony Scott (Spy Game, Domino, Man on Fire) so you know the camera is going to zoom around to try and make you dizzy, I mean ‘caught up in the action’. Tony brought his favourite actor, Denzel Washington on board so get ready for quiet impassioned speeches, yelled out threats and a light comic line or two. And I’m usually okay with all of this. I think this trio of powerhouses work great together, so why was I so disappointed with Déjà Vu?

I think this one comes down to the premise. Sure, there are a couple of moments of déjà vu. (A phemonenon that had to be overly explained in previews because the studio feared that we’re all a bunch of morons who are scared of French words or can’t look up the term in the dictionary. Raise your hand if you already knew what déjà vu is all about. Wow, I could crowd surf on that response.) But let’s face it, the movie really deals with time travel. And I would be fine with a time travel storyline, if they didn’t make it sound so stupid and unbelievable. Okay, I’ll grant you that Bruckheimer films are filled with completely unrealistic scenes. Gone in 60 Seconds has the laughably overdone car jumping scene on the bridge, King Arthur has those ‘smart’ Viking warriors running on a lake surrounded by those large mountains I often see in England geography. (Guess what happens when they reach the middle of the lake.) Armageddon puts an untrained drilling team in space where they would surely die due to the fact that their bodies would not yet be accustomed to space travel. Take your pick. But I can forgive these. Well, maybe not King Arthur. Hated that movie.

What bothered me in Déjà Vu was the way time travel was explained to a surprisingly clueless Denzel without mentioning films that have come before it. In Déjà Vu, the scientists draw a straight line on a piece of paper to indicate the passage of time. If Denzel were to go back in time and change something, that would create a new reality, which is then shown by another line branching off the original and going its own path. I believe I saw that exact same drawing in Back to the Future Part II where Doc Brown is explaining to Marty why Biff is the king of Hill Valley in this alternate reality. Are you trying to tell me that these scientists in Déjà Vu haven’t seen Back to the Future? Come on! Would it have been so bad if the dialogue went like this:
“Hey Denzel, you seen Back to the Future Part II?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, it’s just like that, but this time it’s real.”
Give credit where credit is due. No one is going to turn off the movie because they realize that you’re taking a gimmick from another movie. Ignoring it just makes it worse. The same thing goes for that Day Break show that’s taken over for Lost. Taye Diggs tries really hard to explain to this girlfriend that his day keep repeating. He should just say, “Have you seen Groundhog Day with Bill Murray, it’s like that but real.” Done and done.

I know it sounds like a dumb reason to dislike a movie, but oh well, that’s the way I feel. If you want a brainless popcorn action flick, go see the movie, but don’t be surprised if you leave feeling a bit insulted. I’m just surprised they didn’t spend the entire movie talking really slowly to make sure I understood all the big fancy words.

PS. Adam Goldberg was the only saving grace. His ‘more cowbell’ line made me laugh.

West Wing: Season Five

When I watch two or three seasons of a television series, I need to keep watching until the bitter end. I was one of those people who watched the X-Files limp over the finish line and managed to make it through the final moments of That 70’s Show. Both of these shows lost their lead character (Mulder and Eric) but the network kept trucking without them with less-than satisfying results. Watching West Wing’s fifth season, I felt the same thing happening; their lead character was MIA in season five. No, not President Bartlett, but Aaron Sorkin’s writing. You can really see Sorkin’s absence as the fifth season stumbles along. It seemed like show-runner John Wells was trying to make West Wing more like his floundering ER.

What I hated most about season five was all the yelling. Wells decided to make things more ‘dramatic’ by having all the relationships fall apart. The biggest travesty was the ‘promotion’ of Will Bailey out of the West Wing office. And while I sometimes enjoyed Toby’s bitterness, I missed seeing his passionate sparring with Josh Malina’s Will. While I didn’t mind seeing Josh in the doghouse, he was getting a little too pathetic as the season wore on. When it came to the Christmas episode, it was abundantly clear that Sorkin writes great Christmas episodes (First Season's Toby at the funeral, Second Season's Josh therapy session, last week’s fantastic Studio 60 Xmas show) and Wells does not. Who cares about Jed and the lighting of the Christmas tree or the son-in-law wanting to run for office? Boring. And finally, the war stuff kept me confused like I thought it would when I first starting watching the series. I’m hoping the last two seasons lighten up a bit.

Okay, so there were a couple great episodes found in season five, so not all was bad. I enjoyed the kidnapped Zoey storyline with John Goodman as the temporary prez, but that should be credited to Aaron Sorkin who started the story in season four. I liked the token all-CJ episode with its documentary-style format. Probably my favourite moment in season five was the redemption of Josh by convincing Bartlett to walk down the road to the capital building to meet with the slimy Speaker of the House, played brilliantly by Steven Culp. It reminded me again of the ‘Let Bartlett Be Bartlett’ motto that got me hooked on the show in the first place.

So now it’s onto season six with the arrival of Alda and Smits. I heard some good things about season seven , so I’ll continue to trudge through these bleak seasons and hope for a light at the end of the tunnel. It ain’t over till it’s over.

The West Wing: Seasons 3 & 4

For those who don’t know, I’ve been making up for lost time by racing through all seven seasons of The West Wing. Here’s my quick update on season three and four. I’ve been finding myself impressed with the casting and acting of The West Wing way more than the storyline themselves. Don’t get me wrong, I love the sharp dialogue and certain plots, but I have been finding the military actions as confusing as I assumed they would be.

Season three has been my least favourite of the four seasons I’ve seen so far, but it’s still heads and tails above a lot of television that was around at the time. I loved the revelation of Bartlet’s MS in season two but the trials were less interesting for me; and the Qumar situation only started getting interesting for me in season four. What I loved were the guest stars that appeared in season three. Oliver Platt as Babish continued to impress, especially in his dealings with the First Lady. Mark Harmon did a fine job as CJ’s secret service man. But the actress that was truly a delight to see was Mary-Louise Parker as Amy Gardner. Say what you will about Josh and Donna, but I love Amy more. Parker radiates on the screen and is wonderfully cute at keeping Josh befuddled. I am thrilled to still see her appearing in early episodes of season five. I can totally see why this actress was finally given her own series in the form of Weeds.

Season Four was great fun. Not only did it have some thrilling episodes like Batlet’s debate, the Air Force One trouble, Toby & Andy's pregnancy and Zoey’s kidnapping but it also brought the incomparable Joshua Malina as Will Bailey to The West Wing. I loved Malina work when he co-starred in Sports Night and I feel he has brought new life to The West Wing cast. To be perfectly honest, I really didn’t find myself missing Rob Lowe all that much. Season four also had its share of great guest stars like John Goodman as Speaker of the House Walken, Lily Tomlin as the new secretary and Matthew Perry as Joe Quincy the new lawyer replacing Ainsley. After seeing a bunch of Studio 60 episodes (picked up for the full season by the way, woo hoo), it was great fun to see Perry and Whitford have some one-on-one conversations. I think what impresses me most with the cast of West Wing is that they bring people back to make the show more credible. The fact that they can get Tim Matheson as VP Hoynes to appear in the background during the debate or have Harry Groener return as the Minister of Agriculture for only one line commenting on Walken getting sworn in, is a testament to the production in their efforts to make this presidential life seem real.

I’m wary about watching the upcoming Sorkin-less seasons but onto season five I go.

Stranger Than Fiction

“Fantastic!” That was the word going through my mind as the credits rolled. So far this year, my number one movie has been Thank You For Smoking; but I’m now thinking that Stranger Than Fiction deserves the top spot. While both films have superb acting, interesting characters and funky editing, Fiction has a better storyline with characters that I actually care about. I could see myself applauding an epic or action-packed movie as fantastic but what Stranger Than Fiction is missing in panoramic battles and explosions, it makes up for with subtlety and brilliance.

Stranger Than Fiction is a nicely-paced story of Harold Crick, a mediocre IRS agent who also happens to be a doomed character in an author’s next novel. When I first saw the trailer for this film, I was instantly intrigued with the fun concept of having someone narrating your life as you live it. At the same time, I worried that this device might get annoying after awhile. Fortunately, first-time writer Zach Helm knows what he’s doing and perfectly justifies why and when the narrator intrudes. Stranger Than Fiction does a great job exploring the fundamentals of literary genre with help of Dustin Hoffman’s character. I, myself, love breaking down genres and seeing what makes them tick. I also like how uplifting this story was with its carpe diem message; something you rarely get treated to in today’s day and age.

The acting in Stranger than Fiction is nothing short of amazing. Dustin Hoffman (Meet the Fockers, Finding Neverland) channels his role from I Heart Huckabees, as a literary professor, Emma Thompson (Love Actually, Angels in America) is oddly captivating as an author with writer’s block, Maggie Gyllenhaal (World Trade Center, Secretary) is unbelievably sweet as the baker with IRS problems, and Tony Hale (Arrested Development) is a breath of fresh air as Harold’s only friend. Of course, the standout is none other than Will Ferrell (Ricky Bobby, Elf, Old School) who is amazing to watch as a perfectly normal individual. With the help of director Marc Forrester (Monster’s Ball, Finding Neverland), Ferrell manages to play the character straight without being boring. There’s no mugging for the camera or take-offs on any of his SNL characters; it’s great material like this that allows me to forgive him for making the disastrous Bewitched last year. I would be overjoyed to see Will Ferrell get an Oscar nomination out of this, he’s that good.

The cool thing about Stranger Than Fiction and Thank You For Smoking is that these films are done by newcomers. Fiction’s writer had only written a TV episode and TV movie before, Smoking’s writer/director Jason Reitman had only done a couple of direct-to-video smalltime films. It’s nice to see some fresh blood being pumped into the Hollywood machine. I also enjoy how both movies used the new trend of titling on film to emphasis narration; I guess it’s true that great minds think alike.

To sum things up: SEE THIS FILM! Don’t wait for the DVD. Go to the crowded movie theatre and share in the laughter, the love and the life found in Stranger Than Fiction. I do apologize if I have made expectations too high, but I do believe that this is the best film of the year so far. Take that Borat.

Man of the Year

Man of the Year had potential but it fumbled the ball shortly after the opening credits. The premise was great. A Jon Stewart-like comedian runs for president. Fun stuff. With the impassioned speeches Stewart gives on The Daily Show, I bet many people have fantasized about this guy assuming the role of Commander in Chief. Unfortunately, we don’t get to see that much of the campaign or even the decision to run. It seems Barry Levinson (Wag the Dog) wants to bypass this stuff to get to this boring story of fixed elections and political intrigue. Yawn. Maybe that’s why the trailers for this movie revealed the fact that Williams wins the election. At least I was prepared for the sitcomy presidency that was done far better in the Kevin Kline film, Dave. And while I was disappointed with the bulk of the story, what bothered me more was the lukewarm dialogue given to the gifted comedians.

 To be perfectly honest, I don’t find Robin Williams all that funny. Give me Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock or Bill Cosby any day. I actually like Williams more when he plays serious roles in such films as Dead Poets Society and Good Will Hunting. Williams also brings creepiness to a whole new level in such films as Insomnia and One Hour Photo. Maybe it’s because in those dramatic films, he is forced to slow down. His mile-a-minute manic rants have begun to bore me and come off as a little desperate. It’s like he needs to keep talking in case no one laughs. There have been a few Robin Williams comedies that still make me laugh, but only three come to mind: Mrs. Doubtfire, The Birdcage and Good Morning Vietnam. The latter movie was able to incorporate his rants perfectly into his radio announcements. I don’t get that sense in Man of the Year. There are a couple of fun moments, but not enough to keep me laughing throughout. 

 What really made me cringe was watching gifted comic, Lewis Black spouting off lines that were only partially funny. If you didn’t know, The Daily Show has a recurring segment called Back in Black where Lewis Black rips into the latest trend found on the six o’clock news. His impassioned, angry, bitter sarcasm is a treat to watch and always makes me laugh. Too bad they didn’t tap into that brand of humour for Man of the Year. Black gets a few choice line but spends most of the film wondering if he’ll get to keep his writing job with Williams as president. It looked like Black was making a film he would have cruelly mocked in his own Back in Black segment. 

 In the film, Robin Williams makes an appearance on SNL’s Weekend Update, still hosted by Amy Poleher and Tina Fey. Watching that part of the movie not only dated the film but also made me miss Tina Fey’s presence on the struggling Saturday Night Live. But I digress. 

 So is Man of the Year worth your precious time? Not really. Should you rent it? Maybe, if you really like Robin Williams. I would suggest waiting for the film to show up as a movie of the week on network television. Or better yet, watch The Daily Show and The Colbert Report and just use your imagination. I guarantee you’d laugh a lot more.

Borat

Being a single guy, I sometimes find myself going to the movie theatre alone. Sometimes it’s because I’m a loser who can’t convince his friends to go see a movie with him, other times it’s because I’m a little ashamed that I want to see a particular film, so I’ll just go to a matinee and hope no one notices me. Borat was one of these particular films. I knew going into this film that it was full of crude humour, nudity, racial slurs, and all forms of offensive material. I usually warn my students to stay away from a film with that kind of content. I know friends of mine are probably surprised that I’d let myself be subject to this material. But Rotten Tomatoes has Borat sitting at 94%! Out of the 147 reviews, only 9 critics gave it a poor rating. Now I don’t always agree with critics but this was a landslide! I had to check it out and see for myself. I went to a Saturday matinee assuming that there would only be fifteen people in the theatre. I could not be more wrong. The place was packed. Future showings were sold out. The theatre was full. And laughing. Hard.

Borat: Cultural Learnings of America to Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan is one of the funniest movies of the year. Even the full title makes me chuckle. As most critics will agree, Borat is like Spinal Tap mixed with Andy Kaufman and sprinkled with Jackass. The guerilla-style mockumentary follows Borat as he travels across the USA to learn more about the country and find Pamela Anderson. Along the way, Borat interacts with individuals who show their true colors when prodded. While most of the conversations seem genuine and spontaneous, others seem to be played up for the camera. Larry Charles who has worked on Seinfeld, Entourage and Curb Your Enthusiasm directs the film. Being involved with Curb easily qualifies Charles to be documenting Borat’s every move whether scripted or otherwise.

What amazes me about Borat is the utter talent of Sacha Baron Cohen. I never watched Da Ali G Show, so this is my first exposure to Borat. No pun intended. I’m a big fan of improv and watching Cohen work his magic is sight to behold. He never breaks character or accent. In fact, he would only be interviewed in character when it came to the multiple talk shows on the press tour. I also heard that Cohen only wears one Borat suit that has never been washed. The smell is pretty bad. That’s commitment to character. With all of Borat’s anti-Semitic comments, I do find it comforting to know that Cohen is Jewish and not just a jerk. The true jerks in Borat are the Americans who don’t bother to censor themselves in front of this supposedly naïve foreigner. A gun shop owner doesn’t even flinch when Borat asks what gun is best to kill Jews. The owner suggests a Glock. Scary.

So do I recommend Borat? If you are easily offended, stay away. If you can take the offensiveness, go ahead and enjoy with caution. If you don’t want others to know you’re watching it, wait till the DVD. If you watch this film and not one thing causes you to squirm, I worry about you.

The Prestige

Okay, I know I’ve been slacking. To make up for it, I’ll try and do three movie reviews in a row. Actually, one of the reasons I am so behind is that I can’t make up my mind on The Prestige. There doesn’t appear to be anything wrong with the movie but I didn’t find myself enraptured with the film as much as I thought I would be. This film has everything going for it. Christopher Nolan is a brilliant director that gets the most out of his actors as well as the story. I must admit, however, is that I didn’t find the cinematography as beautiful as his previous efforts, like Insomnia or Memento. The story is carefully woven and keeps you guessing throughout the film. I had my suspicions midway through but it didn’t affect my enjoyment of the storytelling. I love learning the secrets behind magic tricks; I don’t really care that ruins my enjoyment of the wonder of illusion. Of course the tricks shown in The Prestige would not make it onto the stage today, especially the disappearing bird act. While the story is interesting and nicely paced, it’s the superb acting that got my attention. 

 Christian Bale is one of the best intense actors of this generation. It’s unfortunate that more people don’t know of his skill. He was fantastic in Batman Begins but he plays the villain even better. He had the perfect tone of smarm in the Samuel L Jackson remake of Shaft, but his crowning achievement comes in the form of Patrick Bateman in the dark but perversely entertaining American Psycho. If you can handle the disturbing sex and violence put to an eighties soundtrack, give American Psycho a try. Anyway, back to The Prestige, I think Christian Bale has another winning turn as a magician who has made the ultimate trick. But even with his superiority, he makes you sympathize with his plight. 

 I like to see Hugh Jackman fail. We’ve seen him as Wolverine and Van Helsing with his confident attitude, winning smile and sarcastic comebacks. In The Prestige, we see a more desperate side of Jackman that really shows off his acting ability. Rounding out the cast is the incomparable Michael Caine as another wise mentor with tricks up his sleeve, and Scarlett Johannson who always manages to bring the perfect mix of passion and grace. 

 So if it wasn’t the story or the acting, what is it that makes it hard for me to convince everyone to see this film? Maybe my expectations were way too high. Maybe it’s because I saw it on a Monday, which always feels kind of weird. Maybe it’s because I had already seen some of this magic done in The Illusionist. Maybe I’m just an idiot who’s over-analyzing again. It’s probably the latter. Go see The Prestige and judge for yourself. If anything you’ll get a greatly acted story, and what more do you really want from a film?

The Last Kiss

Don’t expect The Last Kiss to be like Garden State. In my opinion, that’s a pretty lofty expectation to place on this film. It’s understandable that people could make the assumption with Zach Braff in the lead role having romantic discourses with pretty actresses as emo music fills the background. But it is important to note that Braff neither wrote nor directed this film (well, he did write the final scenes which are wonderfully done); that credit goes to Paul Haggis (Million Dollar Baby, Crash) and Tony Goldwyn (TV guest actor who also played the chief of staff in The Pelican Brief). I guess I should also mention that this film is a remake of 2001’s L'ultimo Bacio. The critics are wondering why a remake was needed, I was wondering if any regular movie-goer had actually seen the original. I know I haven’t. But enough about giving credit where credit is due; let’s look at the film.

I am a big fan of Zach Braff. Ever since I saw him play with shaving cream in the opening seconds of the Scrubs pilot episode, I thought this is an actor I can get behind. For some strange reason, I find that I can totally relate to Zach Braff. Maybe it’s the dorky sense of humour. Maybe it’s the similar age. Or maybe it’s that sense that we feel like we’re living in a movie-world that is much more dramatic than it really is. Of course, Zach gets all the hot girls and me, not so much . . . not at all. In The Last Kiss, Braff plays Michael, a guy who has a hot, pregnant fiancée but is afraid to commit without seeing what else is out there. At times I can totally see where he is coming from even though I may not agree with his actions. Actually, Michael is pretty despicable at times. And he seems stupid as well. I agree that Rachel Bilson (The OC) is pretty good looking but his fiancée played by Jacinda Barrett (The Real World, School for Scoundrels) is no slouch. Barrett’s Jenna is also sweet and caring, making Michael even more stupid.

While the love triangle is at the center of The Last Kiss, this drama also looks at four other relationships filled with great acting from the likes of Casey Affleck, Blythe Danner and Tom Wilkinson. Unfortunately, these relationship trials aren’t fully fleshed out to the point that I’m really rooting for the characters to get back together. It is also unfortunate that I can’t get past the casting of Michael Weston as the rejected Izzy, since I will always remember him as Large’s cop friend from Braff’s Garden State. Another thing wrong with this film are the graphic sexual scenes that are completely unnecessary. The three scenes seemed out of place and served only for titillation purposes as the story could have easily been told without them.

Braff’s other contribution to The Last Kiss is the making of the soundtrack. As he did with the Grammy award-winning Garden State soundtrack, Braff picks the perfect emo songs to punctuate the movie and evoke the desired feelings. The opening track of Snow Patrol’s Chocolate puts the audience in the perfect state of mind for this romantic dramatic film. Looking over the track listing, it appears that Braff is giving Joshua Radin some time in the spotlight, much like he did with The Shins in Garden State. And with good reason.

In closing, wait for this film on DVD and fast forward through a couple of quick scenes. Oh, and don’t watch this film if you’re going to get married in the next couple of weeks. But if you want to support the film, buy the soundtrack. If Zach Braff likes it, that’s good enough for me.

New Show Update

Now that we’re fully into the new TV season, here’s my update on how the new shows are doing.

Shows You Should Be Watching
It’s a known fact that networks are impatient. They want instant success or else they’ll yank the show before you can say goodbye. This is especially true for new shows. It is unfortunate that networks have not heard about word of mouth or letting a show gather a following. Do they not remember Cheers or Seinfeld? Both shows failed their first year and then went on to become the most recognized super sitcoms of this present age. The Office did poorly it’s first season to now become a hit on NBC. It took three years for 24 to become the powerhouse drama Fox hoped it would be. All I am saying is give new shows a chance.

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip – I know a lot of people are watching but apparently not enough. It keeps losing to CSI: Miami. I hate that show. I hate David Curuso. I don’t know why Americans would prefer another procedural show instead of a witty, fast paced, intelligent drama by Aaron Sorkin. Because it airs on Sunday in Canada, I often find myself watching this show twice a week. And I don’t think I’m alone.

The Nine – I don’t understand what would keep people from turning the TV off after Lost instead of sticking around for one of the best new shows of the season. I loved the opening scene of Lost’s third season premiere, and don’t get me wrong, I also see the need for the inevitable “debriefing” after each episode but you gotta stick around for The Nine. It’s inventive, it’s mysterious, and it’s full of great characters played by great actors. Sound familiar? Don’t be left out of loop.

Heroes – Until 24 comes, there’s nothing else on at 9pm on Monday nights. It’s another great show with a large cast of colourful characters with incredible powers. And with this one, you know it’s not going to get yanked anytime soon since NBC has picked up the full first season (the first of any new series this fall). That kind of commitment has to say something.

Shows That Have Been Moved but Are Still Worth Watching

Justice – It’s fast and slick. That refers to the plot and Victor Garber’s lines. This show will be back in November and will be probably moved from it’s “opposite Lost” timeslot which is a relief. It’s a fun procedural without a serialized storyline. It helps take the pressure off.

Kidnapped – Because of poor ratings, NBC is moving this show to Saturday and making the producers wrap up the storyline in 13 episodes. At least the producers know this in advance (unlike Reunion’s fate last year) so expect a tight action-packed story. Also moving it to Saturday makes it easy to tape and watch later. I’m enjoying the show, I find the pace works well. NBC will probably re-air the first three episodes and then run down the series.

Show I’m Still Not Sure About

30 Rock – To be fair, I’ve only seen the pilot episode which was only so so. It seems to be in bad taste to start a sitcom with a major portion of it taking place in a strip club, but maybe that’s just me. Nevertheless, I’ll probably keep watching this show because I like the cleverness of Tina Fey and the hilarious line delivery of Alec Baldwin.

Shows I Tried and Gave Up On

Vanished – I didn’t care if the senator got his wife back. I found the dialogue cheesy and Rebecca Grayheart and Ming Na were a waste of airtime.

Six Degrees – I didn’t care about the characters or the coincidences. Apparently having JJ Abrams (Alias, Lost) as an executive producer doesn’t mean that much if he’s not writing it.

Jericho – Skeet Ulrich bothers me. I can’t stand him. The only intriguing character in this show is the black former cop who seems to know too much. Not intriguing enough, though.

Brothers and Sisters – Marti Noxon left, so did I. This show is too chick-flick for me despite its impressive cast.

Shark – I gave it an honest shot but it looks too much like House with lawyers. You have the grumpy guy with a soft heart teaching younger people how the world really works while barking orders at them. Not a fan of James Woods, don’t like is underlings. Like the daughter, but not nearly enough to stay.

Smith – I really wanted to like this show. I love heist films. Unfortunately, the cops and wife know too much already. Slow down the revelations. I’m obviously not alone, since Smith has already been yanked from the schedule.

Who will be the next to fall? Gotta prediction?

The Departed

Go see The Departed. The only reason not to see this film is if you have an aversion to violence. This film is gritty and raw but it does not seem out of place considering the subject matter. But what else would you expect form Martin Scorsese? This film has the panache of Goodfellas with even better acting. In fact, if this film doesn’t get a slew of Oscar nominations, I will be dumbfounded. Scorsese has been robbed of the Best Director statue in the past (he should have gotten it for Raging Bull), but it will be a true crime if he is denied the trophy this year. I was riveted, engrossed and not at all bothered by the two and half hour running time. This film has everything going for it.

I know people like to knock down Leonardo DiCaprio because of his pretty-boy turn in Titanic, but this guy can act. Before the film, I saw a preview of DiCaprio’s next film The Blood Diamond, and was blown away at how he is able to change his accent. In The Departed, Leo plays a Boston cop who is sent undercover to infiltrate Jack Nicholson’s mob. His moral dilemmas and constant fear are perfectly played in each scene. If you doubt DiCaprio’s chops, rent What’s Eating Gilbert Grape and see how great an actor he really is.

Matt Damon is starting to grow on me. Admittedly, I am one of the three people in North America who hated his roles in Good Will Hunting and The Talented Mr. Ripley. Legend of Bagger Vance didn’t win any points with me either. But with Dogma, Bourne Identity and Ocean’s Eleven, Matt Damon is shaping up to be a another great actor who should not be ignored. Damon is compelling in The Departed playing a mob soldier in a cop uniform. His intensity and two-facedness is a treat to watch.

Jack Nicholson is Jack Nicholson. Roles are written specifically for him. And I sometimes don’t think that’s a bad thing. I love watching Jack play. He’s both chilling and humourous all at the same time. Nobody does it better than Jack.

The cast is rounded out with some stellar acting from Mark Wahlberg, Anthony Anderson and Martin Sheen. My goodness, the mouth on Wahlberg. His foul vulgar-strewn tear down of diCaprio almost made me wince with its amount of profanity. But then again, I once worked in a warehouse, so it seemed to fit all the same. The only poor performance in this film is done by the only lead female in the cast, Vera Farmiga. She does not possess the skills to hold her own in scenes between Damon or diCaprio. This is a job better suited for Scarlett Johansson.

Apart from the fantastic acting, the cat and mouse storyline is compelling and inventive. I love how one reviewer called it Goodfellas with cell phones. Never has text messaging been so spine-tingling. I remember when I was watching Daniel Day-Lewis’ brilliant portrayal of Bill the Butcher in Scorsese’s Gangs of New York, I took note of Lewis’ breathing. Even his breathing was in character. In one gripping scene of The Departed, the breathing over a cell phone speaks volumes and keeps you on the edge of your seat.

In closing, watch this film. In the movie theatre. Now. It’s definitely in my top three, if not my number one movie this year (I’ll make that decision in December). And a note to Martin Scorsese, you should be working on your acceptance speech.

CTV Sucks!

Okay, I usually don't post mini blogs but this was too perfect to pass up. You know how I was complaining about how inept CTV was? Well, last night they played the wrong Grey's Anatomy episode. Instead of the anticipated season premiere (as seen on ABC), they played the second epsiode by mistake. Luckily I don't watch Grey's Anatomy, so it didn't affect me, but many Canadians are pissed! So to reiterate my point, watch American channels cuz Canadian affiliates suck!

The West Wing: Season Two

So I just finished the second season of The West Wing. And while the final moments of the season finale were so predictable that a third grader could see it coming, the rest of the season was top notch.

I remember hearing about the gunshots when the series first aired a few years ago; I didn’t know it was Josh who got shot though. So I was pulled right in when the season began. Of course, I knew he’d live based on his role for the rest of the seasons, but I was still engrossed. I’m glad they continued to bring Marlee Matlin in to amp up the relationship between Josh and Donna. And I though Aaron Sorkin did a brilliant job of ending the season with the confession of MS. Toby’s thought process and reaction, Oliver Platt’s interrogations, the fatal signature, and the surprise death in the second last episode, is what makes West Wing what it is. One of things I am most impressed with about The West Wing are its Christmas episodes. The majority of television Christmas episodes are filled with family stuff and learning the true meaning of Christmas. I usually find these episodes mediocre, as they seem to just go through the motions. The West Wing doesn’t go that route. Josh has a posttraumatic breakdown that is told in wonderful flashback form. The year before, Toby helped a homeless vet, which on the surface seems like a Christmas cliché, but I can still see Toby’s flinch reaction when the gun shots go off at the funeral. Sure there are some Christmasy things thrown in those episodes, but there is definitely more powerful stories being told.

Looking at the characters, I have enjoyed watching Charlie more and more. I love his quick comments and was pleasantly surprised when he was the one who figured out the president’s signature mistake. At first I didn’t like Emily Proctor’s Ainsley role. She just talked too fast and had these weird habits like eating other people’s food. But a few episodes later, I started to enjoy her spunkiness and her sparring with Sam, even though it's just ripping off the chemistry between Josh and Donna. Speaking of Donna, I love those episodes where Donna confronts Josh as an average American citizen so he has to justify himself and things he does as a government official. Its stuff like that that makes me learn more about American government. Of course, looking at the frenetic lives of the Senior White House Staff, it’s hard to imagine that the current Bush administration is anything like that.

There were only a couple of things that I didn’t like about this season of The West Wing, and all of them were minor. First, I missed Timothy Busfield’s Danny in the second half of the season. Second, I didn’t care about Bartlett’s fascination with Galileo. Third, I was annoyed that the filibuster episode didn’t have one reference to Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, even to point out how the filibuster rules have changed. And finally, the final moments of the finale, with the hands in the pockets, seemed way too obvious. But these are just small potatoes when compared to the rest of the stellar season.

I’m looking forward to season three. Let the re-election begin.

Essential TV

As I have said before, there is no way that I could expect anyone to keep up with my television viewing habits. So I have made a schedule for those who do not want to miss quality programs, yet can’t spend the time to watch them all. I’ve narrowed it down to eight shows. Eight must-see shows. Eight shows that are not playing during the same timeslot. If you only have time to watch eight shows, here is what I think you should be watching:

Sunday
8:00pm......................................Amazing Race (Sept 17)
Monday
8:00pm......................................Prison Break (running)
9:00pm......................................Heroes (Sept 25)
10:00pm.....................................Studio 60 (Sept 18)
Tuesday
9:00pm......................................Veronica Mars (Oct 3)
Wednesday
9:00pm......................................Lost (Oct 4)
10:00pm.....................................The Nine (Oct 4)
Thursday
8:30pm......................................The Office (Sept 21)

This schedule has a bit of everything; drama, action, mystery, comedy, reality. While I watch many other shows, these are the ones that I care about. Of course, some might think I am taking a risk on some of the new shows; namely: Heroes, Studio 60 and The Nine. You wouldn’t say that if you’ve seen the downloaded pilots.

The Nine literally kept me captivated for the full hour. The first act (after the first commercial) is riveting. My mouth was open in stunned silence as the story frenetically unfolded before me. If they can keep this up, we are in for a treat. This was by far, the best pilot of the fall.

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip has such clever writing and fantastic characters; it’s almost impossible to dislike this show. My only issue with the pilot is that they have shown a large chunk of it during its extensive promotion campaign. I can’t wait to hear what Aaron Sorkin will write next, especially with his challenging diatribes on Christianity.

Heroes has definitely peaked my curiosity. They have a lot of interesting stories to tell with some of them being downright creepy. The last minutes of the pilot pleasantly surprised me and made me want a whole lot more. It was great even without Greg Grunberg making an appearance yet.

I am definitely excited about the upcoming TV season. I think it’s mainly because there are some smartly written shows that networks are giving a chance to. It’s nice to not be insulted with cliché programs of canned laughter, formulaic plots and cardboard characters. It’s getting to the point, where it feels like I’m watching a bunch of mini-movies each week without leaving the comfort of my couch. It’s about time.