Summer Movie Wrap Up/Fall Preview

For me the summer is pretty much over. School is just around the corner; and so ends the summer movie extravaganza. Here’s my movie favourites of the year so far:

PreSummer Top Five
1. Children of Men
2. 300
3. Hot Fuzz
4. Zodiac
5. Grindhouse

The Summer Top Five
1. Knocked Up
2. 1408
3. Live Free or Die Hard
4. Transformers
5. The Simpsons Movie

Of course there are a lot more movies to come. The rest of the year is filled with big budget holiday movies, Oscar-bait dramas and independent movies galore. This is the trickier time of year where I often take more stock in what critic have to say about a given film. Simply from looking at trailers and reading descriptions, these are the films that got my attention: Shoot ‘Em Up, Brothers Solomon, I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With, Good Luck Chuck, Run Fatboy Run, Across the Universe, The Kingdom, The Heartbreak Kid, The Darjeeling Limited, Michael Clayton, Dan in Real Life, Slipstream, Lars & the Real Girl, Sleuth, Enchanted, American Gangster, Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium, Steven King’s The Mist, August Rush, No Country for Old Men, Crossing Over, Lions for Lambs, Bee Movie, Fred Claus, Pathology, I am Legend, The Golden Compass, Charlie Wilson’s War, The Bucket List, Leatherheads, Sweeny Todd, Youth Without Youth, Juno, and Walk Hard.

Some of these films are in limited release so they won’t be making their way out to the local Cineplex. Some of these films will be released in January after limited engagements in LA and New York. And some of these might suck. Here are the ten films I am most looking forward to (in order of release date):

Across the Universe (Sept 24): Trippy and visually awesome. Only 30 minutes of dialogue, and 30 reworked Beatles songs.
The Darjeeling Limited (Oct): It’s a Wes Anderson film. I love his work. It also has Owen Wilson and Jason Schwartzman. I’m there.
American Gangster (Nov 2): Denzel. Crowe. Ridely Scott. The ads look pretty sharp. Denzel is in Training Day mode.
Bee Movie (Nov 2): Jerry Seinfeld brings observational humour to the bee world. I also hear they don’t have a bunch of lame bee puns.
No Country For Old Men (Nov 9): It looks like another Cohen brothers masterpiece. It looks creepy and well shot.
Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium (Nov 16): The writer Stranger Than Fiction did this. I like Natalie Portman.
I Am Legend (Dec 14): Will Smith as the last man on Earth. The shots of empty New York look pretty cool. So is Will Smith.
Sweeny Todd (Dec 21): Tim Burton directs Johnny Depp in a musical about a killer barber. Sounds darkly wonderful.
Walk Hard (Dec 21): From the guys who made Talladega Nights, 40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Superbad. Need I say more?
Charlie Wilson’s War (Dec 25): Tom Hanks. Julia Roberts. Aaron Sorkin script. Mike Nichols directs. Gotta see it.

So that’s what’s coming up. Even though a lot of movies will be opening soon, I’m going to be taking a break from movie reviews and start focusing on the new television season. I’ve got some scoop on upcoming new shows, a look at some returning ones and there’s the Emmy Awards. Let the Fall Television Season begin!

Superbad

I have a running list of films that I’ve enjoyed but can’t recommend to most people. I don’t want young kids going to R rated films, even though most will find a way regardless. I love American Beauty, but there are some scenes that are a little disturbing. I laugh a lot during Kevin Smith films but the movie contains too many lewd or extreme scenes for the casual viewer. Superbad, like Knocked Up and The 40 Year Old Virgin before it, is another one of these movies. The film is rated 18A; and for good reason. Surprisingly enough, there is not much nudity; unless, of course you count the illustrated kind, in which there is a disturbingly large amount. The rating is clearly connected to the language, especially the descriptions of sex and other sexual activities. While it is somewhat shocking to hear that kind of talk for major chunks of the film, it wouldn’t surprise me to learn that many teenage guys talk this way regularly. The makers of Superbad are shooting for some sense of realism, which is probably heightened a bit for maximum laughs.

What makes this film work so well are the performances of the gifted young actors. In previous blogs, I have complimented the fine work of Jonah Hill (Accpeted, Evan Almighty, Knocked Up), and he again does not disappoint. Hill plays the part of Seth passionately as he tries to get some sex before graduation. His determination is a little scary at times, but he offsets it beautifully with some great comedic timing. Hill is definitely the most crass of the bunch; most of the crude descriptions come pouring out of his mouth at an exponential rate. What’s even better than watching Hill, however, is seeing Michael Cera take the spotlight. Cera played George Michael on Arrested Development and was great at throwing in some hysterical quiet lines amidst the chaos while maintaining his geeky awkwardness. Those qualities are put centerstage in Superbad. Cera plays Evan, a kid who does not seem comfortable in his own skin. He plays the awkwardness like a pro but also manages to have an innocent playfulness about him. It is great fun to watch this kid try to be the mature and moral center of this group of outcasts.

Along with Hill and Cera, we get the B-story involving newcomer Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Fogell who gets busted using his McLovin fake Id and spends the night riding along with two inept cops played by Bill Hader and Seth Rogen. The scenes are over-the-top and nonsensical but are still funny thanks to these gifted comedians. Rogen plays his usual bumbling character and Hader is tapping into his stupidly cocky persona but Mintz-Plasse steals the show with his energy and great one-liners as the geekiest of geeks trying to play it cool.

Superbad is basically a raunchier version of American Pie and Dumb & Dumber. The audience has seen these types of storylines before but Superbad puts a fresh spin on the material. The Dumb & Dumber police story is not all that inventive but the American Pie-style party story is a bit different in that it has some heart. Superbad is produced by Judd Apatow who insists on adding some seriousness and morality to his crude comedies. In 40 Year Old Virign, Steve Carrell waits til marriage, in Knocked Up, Seth Rogen learns responisibility, and in Superbad, sex and drunkenness do not go hand in hand. Of all these recent comedies, I would say that Superbad has the least heart; the producers try for the moral highground, but you have to wade through a lot more rude jokes to get there. However, the relationship between Seth and Evan is well-written and does evoke some empathy as the film progresses. You do find yourself invested in their relationship, which is a good thing.

So should see this movie? If you’ve enjoyed 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up, I don’t see why you wouldn’t like Superbad. If you are easily offended by crude sexual talk, you should probably avoid this movie like the plague. This one is definitely going on my running list. If you love the movie, you’re welcome; if you’re offended, you were warned.

Rush Hour 3

I believe Rush Hour 3 is the last of the summer threequels. It’s unfortunate that it fell a week after the critically-adored Bourne Ultimatum. I’m sure the comparisons have hurt the film a little, but Rush Hour 3 is not as bad as critics would have you believe. It does have the same humour and storyline as the previous two films; so if you liked the first two Rush Hours, there’s no reason why you wouldn’t like the third.

The only reason to watch this franchise is to see the chemistry between Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan, and watch some well-choreographed action. Well, Rush Hour 3 delivers these elements again. The chemistry is still there, though not as funny as the first one. Their bond is stronger now but the film continues with its racial profiling especially in a lame montage where they order food from their partner’s ‘culture’. Their singing and dancing is mined for laughs yet again; some parts fun, some parts predictable, and some parts bizarre. The action is intense at times, especially on the Eiffel Tower; but you can tell that Jackie Chan is not as limber as he was nine years ago.

The nice addition to Rush Hour 3 is a French cab driver, played by Yvan Attal, who longs to be an American action hero. His first interaction with Chris Tucker’s Carter is a bit annoying but the character definitely grows on you. It was also nice to see the Soo Yung character (the singing kidnapped girl in Rush Hour) all grown up to give some connection to the first film.

There are some disappointments with this film as well. The first is the predictable bad guy. If you can’t figure out who it is early on, I would be shocked. Also, Roman Polanski (director of The Pianist & Chinatown) as a detective who enjoys giving full cavity searches is tired and sad. The dance off into the sunset is also atrocious.

What probably amazes me most about Rush Hour 3 is that we haven’t seen Chris Tucker do anything since Rush Hour 2. I don’t know if Tucker is patient or just lazy. In any case, you have to be impressed with his salary hikes. In 1997, Tucker made three films (Fifth Element, Money Talks and Jackie Brown) then went on to do Rush Hour for three million. Then he did nothing for three years and managed to increase his salary to twenty million for the sequel. Again he did nothing from five years, then signed on to Rush Hour 3 for 25 million, which is one of the biggest paychecks an actor can get. I’m impressed. And I still like Chris Tucker and his fast-talking ways. I would like to see him do something else though. Rush Hour is over.

So should you see it in the theatres? Sure. It does have some great action sequences but I’m guessing most people will wait for the DVD. Can’t really blame them. This isn’t a must-see film, but it still entertains most of the time.

Stardust

Is Stardust the next Princess Bride? That’s the question everyone has been asking ever since they saw the first trailers for this movie. I challenge you to find a well-known critic who reviewed Stardust without mentioning Princess Bride. It’s too obvious to pass up. And can you blame them? Stardust has such a light-hearted fairy-tale atmosphere with roaming adventures, sharp wit and quirky characters played by big-name actors. Even so, it seems kind of unfair to make the comparison; Princess Bride is a genuine classic that is next-to-impossible to duplicate. Critics similarly made unreasonable comparisons of Anthony Hopkins’ villain in Fracture (just released on DVD) to Hannibal Lecter. In any case, is Stardust the next Princess Bride? No. But it tries really hard.

Stardust has a lot of things going for it. The first is the work of newcomer Charlie Cox who plays our hero, Tristan. Cox is able to light up the screen with his comedic timing and lovelorn innocence; he is a treat to watch. I’m really hoping he doesn’t take the Orlando Bloom path but instead heads in the John Cusack’s direction. Ricky Gervais (The Office (UK), Extras) is his perfect bumbling self in the small role of a salesman, and Michelle Pfeiffer is perfectly evil as a witch trying to regain her youth. At 49, she can still look hot. The other thing that Stardust has going for it is the wonderful story. Based on the novel by Neil Gaiman, this story is enchanting and has a pretty good pace. While I think a couple of things are not explained fully, there is still a flow that takes the audience on a wonderful adventure.

I’m still divided on a couple of things in Stardust. The first is the cross-dressing work of Robert DeNiro. While I think it is brave for him to do such a fruity, flamboyant role, I wonder if he feels like he has to prove himself. I mean, this guy did Taxi Driver, Deer Hunter and Raging Bull; he has nothing to prove. We know he’s a good actor. Maybe he made this one for the kiddies. Who knows? I just know I’m not quite sure what to make of his over-the-top role in this movie. I am also not sold on the love interests in this film. Sienna Miller plays a selfish beyotch who toys with the affection of Tristan. I have no idea what he sees in her. Claire Danes is the falling star, Iyvaine, who also seems pretty moody. Daines does have her moments but I preferred her work in Romeo + Juliet, My So-Called Life and even Terminator 3. Another thing that confused me in Stardust, is the role of the dead brothers who are entertaining with their bystander commentaries but woefully underused. I’m still surprised someone like Rupert Everett would take such a small role. I guess the story is not about the dead brothers and giving them more would only lengthen the already two-hour storyline but I did think there was more potential. Finally, the special effects were not that great; it seemed kind of old school, but maybe that’s what they were going for.

The only thing that really bothered me while watching Stardust was the giggling gaggle of girls in our row. They laughed a little too hard at lines that were only moderately funny; they loudly swooned every time Charlie Cox appeared on screen. I wouldn’t have been surprised if a pillow fight had broken out. Isn’t that what happens at slumber parties? I guess the film is directly aimed at that demographic so I can’t complain too much. So should you see Stardust in the theatre and risk the interactive female responses, I would say no. I think this film has a lot of great things in it but you can get the same experience at home. Maybe if the special effects were more special I would suggest the big screen, but this film fits perfectly on DVD. It’ll be a great movie to distract the kiddies during Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Rescue Dawn

You need to be in the proper mood to watch a film like Rescue Dawn. It’s not a popcorn film. Like Schindler’s List or The Passion of the Christ, it seems almost disrespectful to be wolfing down popcorn while historical figures are being tortured on the screen. For those who don’t know, Rescue Dawn is the based on the real-life story of Dieter Dengler, a German-American pilot who was shot down over Laos during the start of the Vietnam War and held as a POW before his daring escape with Duane Martin. This is a story of survival both physically and mentally. The audience is put through the ringer as we see Dengler and Martin break down trying to get rescued.

The survival story is compelling enough but the real reason to watch this film is to revel in its magnificent acting. Christian Bale stars as Dengler and despite his situation, still manages to be charismatic on the screen. Bale is able to go from seriousness to contemplation to joy to frustration and finally to madness in a matter of seconds. Why has this guy not been nominated for an Oscar? Bale’s turns in American Psycho, Batman Begins, The Machinist, and The Prestige should be ample for an Oscar nod. Hollywood is wondering too. But I’m thinking Rescue Dawn might give Bale the recognition he so richly deserves. This man is one of the greatest actors working in the industry today. Feel free to quote me on that. But Bale doesn’t give the only powerhouse performance in this movie.

Steve Zahn’s riveting portrayal of POW Duane Martin shocked me to the core. I expect greatness from Christian Bale, but I didn’t think Zahn was capable of this caliber of acting. Zahn is usually relegated to the sidekick or comic relief in films, just look at Sahara, Saving Silverman, Joyride and Daddy Day Care. In Rescue Dawn, Zahn’s emotional turmoil is almost too much to take. His pain and madness almost overshadow Bale’s performance, which is pretty impressive. Jeremy Davies (Saving Private Ryan) is also chilling as Gene, a gaunt POW who has his own agenda. Rounding out the fine acting is Toby Huss (Carnivale, Reno 911) who provides some fun audio commentary for a survival film early on in the movie.

I found Rescue Dawn to be very compelling. I rarely watch films having to do with the Vietnam War, so I am intrigued with the politics and even the concept of POWs. The action also plays nicely throughout the film. The beginning is like The Fugitive with all the running, then it goes into a primitive Prison Break, and it wraps up with a kind of Tears of the Sun vibe. But of course, the content is much more serious and life-altering in this story. The film was written and directed by Werner Herzog, a well-respected director, who seems to have an uncanny ability to remain calm in stressful situations. During an interview for Grizzly Man, Herzog was shot by a sniper but continued his interview saying, “It was not a significant bullet. I am not afraid". He also made a film of himself eating a shoe called Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe making good on a bet he made with a young filmmaker named Errol Morris. After hearing about these incidents, Herzog seems like the perfect director to capture the determined attitude of Dieter Dengler.

If you like to see great acting, go see this film in the theatre. But, I wouldn’t blame you if you waited until the DVD. At least make sure you see this film before Oscar time, cause I’ll be shocked if Rescue Dawn doesn’t get some nominations. C’mon Bale and Zahn!

Hot Rod

You have to be an Andy Samberg fan in order to enjoy Hot Rod. His sketches on Saturday Night Live are often humourous but odd; he is not yet in the realm of Will Ferrell or to a lesser degree, Jimmy Fallon. Samberg’s greatest talent on SNL is bringing his warped Digital Shorts to the masses. Trying to find the original content on YouTube is next to impossible thanks to the overflowing Samberg spoofs. Most people have heard his Narnia rap, Lazy Sunday and swooned to the Emmy-nominated Dick in a Box duet with Justin Timberlake, but check out the strangeness of Dear Sister (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ys5LqfEO1Y) which matches gun shots to Imogen Heap’s 'Hide and Seek' in an overblown OC homage. Even more bizarre is Andy Popping Into Frame (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRU2gLpBm68) which is just like it sounds. And don’t get me started on Laser Cats. If this is your type of humour, I think you’ll find Hot Rod moderately funny.

Hot Rod is basically like twenty SNL sketches about the same character, with five of them being very funny, five of them amusing and the rest a one-joke wonder. Andy Samberg plays Rod Kimble, a pathetic stuntman who tries to raise money to help his dying stepfather so he can kick his ass later and prove himself a man. Samberg is great at playing a sweet character whose priorities are in the wrong place. You can’t help but root for him and pity him at the same time. The stunts are both terrible and funny but have been used in the trailers for the movie, so if you’re still laughing at his jump over the truck (like I am) then you’ll enjoy the stunt aspect of this film. The parental storyline is atrocious. Ian McShane, of Deadwood fame, is wasted as Rod’s stepfather who keeps belittling his son and fighting dirty in the basement. The friends, played by Bill Hader (SNL, Superbad), Danny R. McBride, and Jorma Taccone (co-writer of SNL Digital Shorts along with director, Akiva Schaffer), have fun moments but are not given much depth. The ultra-hot Isla Fisher (Wedding Crashers) is the unlikely female friend of the group and love interest for Rod. Will Arnett (Arrested Development, Blades of Glory) and Chris Parnell (Anchorman, SNL) put in some fun cameos but it’s a shame they couldn’t get a walk on by Evel Knievel or at least Super Dave Osborne.

While most of the jokes in Hot Rod are juvenile, there are some extremely funny scenes. Rod’s Footloose homage and subsequent mountain fall kept the audience laughing long after it was over. Also the cheesy inspirational walk to John Farnham’s 'You’re the Voice' takes a dark but funny turn, much like the escalating brawl in Anchorman. Unfortunately, these wonderfully crafted scenes are mixed with odd moments like the too-long run of the phrase “cool beans”. This movie was originally intended for Will Ferrell but when he passed, it was Samberg-ized. The film was retooled by the SNL Digital Short team of Samberg, Taccone and Schaffer, so it’s not surprising how hot and cold it turned out.

Hot Rod is a movie you can wait for on DVD. I’m sure many of you would not want to waste your money on this one. But like I said, if you’re a big Andy Samberg fan, you are going to like a lot of this film. I know I’ll be re-watching some of the scenes when they get around to airing it on TBS.

Upcoming reviews: Rescue Dawn, Rush Hour 3

The Bourne Ultimatum

I’m still torn as to whether The Bourne Ultimatum is the best of the trilogy. After seeing this superb action flick, I went home and re-watched the first two installments. The Bourne Identity has the most plot of the three. It introduces us to the character of Jason Bourne and the eventual love of his life. It contains the most dialogue and acting on Matt Damon’s part as he struggles with learning who he is. Chris Cooper is the great villain, Franka Potente is engaging and hot, Clive Owen and Lost’s Mr. Eko put in appearances, and Julia Stiles is sorely underused. The first film was made by the amazing Doug Liman (Swingers, Go) who brilliantly jumpstarts the franchise. Unfortunately, the studio wasn’t a fan of his creative/chaotic technique, so he wasn’t asked back for the second one. And in stepped Paul Greengrass.

The Bourne Supremacy is the worst of the three in my opinion. While there are some great action sequences, there are too many shadows that keep the audience in the dark. The plot twists can be seen a mile away in this film especially when it comes to the bad guy. The saving grace in the second film is the addition of Joan Allen and the larger role for Julia Stiles. What bothers me most in The Bourne Supremacy was the cinematography. Greengrass prefers to keep things handheld and therefore shaky on the screen. In action scenes, the shakiness provides a sense of immediacy and puts the audience into the situation, much like Spielberg’s storming of the beaches in Saving Private Ryan. However, I get annoyed at the shakiness when it’s used in simple scenes of Damon’s Bourne writing in a book or buying fruit. Luckily, the shaky camera work benefits the last of the Bourne trilogy.

Paul Greengrass (United 93) is back at the helm for The Bourne Ultimatum. The opening handheld shots worried me but were thankfully used more skillfully in this installment. Basically, this movie centers on renegade operative, Jason Bourne, trying to figure out who made him into this super-assassin. After watching Supremacy again, I found it weird that Joan Allen’s Pamela Landy had already told Bourne his real name and birthdate at the end of that film and yet it gets repeated as if it’s new information in Ultimatum. That and it seems special that Bourne is coming home again even though Supremacy ends with Bourne walking the streets of New York. Maybe they’re hoping fans forgot. Regardless, the plot seems to be incredibly minor in this Bourne outing, I hear it’s not even close to Robert Ludlum’s novel of the same name. But people should know by now that the reason to watch this film is for the non-stop action.

The Bourne Ultimatum is full of Red Bull energy. While the previous two films take some time to slow down and reveal some plot, this one just keeps humming. The race is on and Greengrass keeps you on the edge of your seat with action sequence after action sequence. One of my favourite scenes involves Bourne guiding a newspaper reporter through a train station without getting caught. It’s a wonderful way for the audience to get some insight as to what goes on in Bourne’s brain as he surveys each situation. Greengrass does borrow some things from the previous films including vehicles on stairwells and bumper cars in tunnels, but the audience doesn’t seem to care. Because of all the action, there is not much dialogue in Ultimatum. I do find it sometimes serves the film better. I like the fact that Bourne doesn’t give some pithy comeback after beating an opponent, he just looks intense and you can see that he has no desire to hurt people but will if he needs to. Damon does well as an action-star. It was also nice to see the return of Joan Allen and Julia Stiles. The addition of David Strathairn, as the new CIA jerk, is fun to watch. Ever since Good Night and Good Luck, I’ve been enjoying the gravitas Strathairn brings to his roles.

If you want to be a part of the action, see The Bourne Ultimatum on the big screen. If shaky cameras make you queasy, you may want to wait for the DVD. While I think The Bourne Identity is still my favourite, Ultimatum sure gives it a run for its money. Here’s hoping that the studio has the good sense to end this series on a high note instead of dragging Bourne back out of retirement.

Upcoming Reviews: Hot Rod, Rescue Dawn, Rush Hour 3

Top Ten Episodes: The Comedies

So I’ve picked four great television comedies and wrote down my ten favourite episodes of each. Again, I’m sure people will agree and disagree with me. I did find it harder to rate comedies than dramas, I guess it depends on the mood you’re in. Anyway, here they are:






Basic plot: Watch the antics of the regulars in a Boston bar.
Seasons: Eleven
Best Season: Eight
Creators: Les Charles, Glen Charles, James Burrows (the people behind Newhart & Taxi; Burrows is one of the best sitcom directors around)
Top Ten Episodes
1. An Old Fashioned Wedding (Season 10, Episode 25)
Woody and Kelly’s new found lust delays an already disastrous wedding
2. Bad Neighbor Sam (Season 9, Episode 8)
Sam can’t stand his new landlord, John Hill
3. Show Down, Part II (Season 1, Episode 22)
Sam and Diane hit a crossroad when Sam’s brother proposes to Diane
4. Abnormal Psychology (Season 5, Episode 4)
Frasier debates an old flame on a television show
5. One Hugs, the Other Doesn’t (Season 10, Episode 16)
Lilith can’t handle the fact that Frasier was once married to Nanny G
6. Loathe and Marriage (Season 11, Episode 15)
Carla doesn’t want her ex husband to walk her girl down the aisle
7. One More For the Road (Season 11, Episode 25)
Diane finally returns and Sam decides to move to LA to be with her
8. Bar Wars (Season 6, Episode 23)
Cheers takes on Gary’s Old Towne Tavern in the ultimate prank war
9. Indoor Fun with Sammy and Robby (Season 8, Episode 19)
Sam and Robin compete in childish games on Robin’s first day off ever
10. Bar Wars V: The Final Judgement (Season 10, Episode 7)
Sam may have scared Gary to death, literally






Basic plot: The prissy Crane brothers deal with their down-to-earth dad
Seasons: Eleven
Best Season: Seven
Creators: David Angell, Peter Casey, David Lee (the people behind Wings)
Top Ten Episodes
1. The Matchmaker (Season 2, Episode 3)
Frasier accidently sets up Daphne with his gay station manager
2. The Two Mrs. Cranes (Season 4, Episode 1)
Everyone plays a different roles when Daphne’s ex-fiancée visits
3. Room Service (Season 5, Episode 15)
Niles spends the night with Lilith, causing problems when Frasier shows up
4. Out With Dad (Season 7, Episode 15)
Martin pretends to be gay in order to get away from Frasier’s date’s mother
5. Daphne Does Dinner (Season 10, Episode 14)
Daphne needs Fraiser’s help when her dinner plans go horribly wrong
6. Three Valentines (Season 6, Episode 14)
Niles ironing is a disaster, Fraiser isn’t sure if he’s on a date
7. The Doctor is Out (Season 11, Episode 3)
Fraiser thinks Roz’s guy is gay but ends up ‘outing’ himself in the process
8. The Innkeepers (Season 2, Episode 23)
The Crane brothers open a disastrous restaurant together
9. Merry Christmas, Mrs. Maskowitz (Season 6, Episode 10)
Frasier meets an attractive woman who mother thinks he’s Jewish
10. Caught in the Act (Season 11, Episode 15)
Fraiser tries to avoid the advances of the married Nanny G






Basic plot: Jerry and his friends in a show about nothing
Seasons: Nine
Best Season: Three
Creators: Jerry Seinfeld & Larry David (you gotta see David's work in Curb Your Enthusiasm, imagine a more extreme George Costanza)
Top Ten Episodes
1. The Contest (Season 4, Episode 11)
The gang is in a contest to see who can remain master of their domain
2. The Soup Nazi (Season 7, Episode 6)
Jerry has a cuddly girlfriend, Kramer's robbed, Elaine fights the soup nazi
3. The Opposite (Season 5, Episode 22)
George succeeds when he does the opposite, but Elaine keeps failing
4. The Chinese Restaurant (Season 2, Episode 11)
Jerry, George and Elaine wait 22 minutes for a table
5. The Burning (Season 9, Episode 16)
Puddy is religious, George leaves on a high note, Kramer acts out illnesses
6. The Bizarro Jerry (Season 8, Episode 3)
Kramer gets a job, Jerry dates ‘man-hands’ and Elaine finds Jerry's opposite
7. The Yada Yada (Season 8, Episode 19)
Jerry is an anti-dentite, Kramer & Mickey fight over girls
8. The Pick (Season 4, Episode 13)
Jerry scratches his nose, Elaine’s nipple is showing on her Xmas cards
9. The Parking Garage (Season 3, Episode 6)
The gang loses their car in a parking garage
10. The Betrayal (Season 9, Episode 8)
A backwards episode about Sue Ellen’s India wedding






Basic plot: The lives and loves of six New York friends
Seasons: Ten
Best Season: Seven
Creators: David Crane & Marta Kauffman (Dream On, Veronica's Closet & Jesse; Crane did The Class)
Top Ten Episodes
1. The One Where Everyone Finds Out (Season 5, Episode 14)
Phoebe hits on Chandler to make him crack; Ross finds the perfect apartment
2. The One With the Embryos (Season 4, Episode 12)
Monica, Rachel, Chandler & Joey play a high stakes game
3. The One With the Prom Video (Season 2, Episode 14)
Joey gives Chandler a bracelet; an old prom video stirs feelings
4. The One Where Ross Got High (Season 6, Episode 9)
Rachel makes a trifle; Chandler is blamed for Ross’ drugs
5. The One With the Morning After (Season 3, Episode 16)
As Ross & Rachel break up; the rest of gang is trapped in Monica’s room
6. The One With the Thanksgiving Flashbacks
(Season 5, Episode 8) A knife in the toe, a turkey on the head and a blown off arm are among the disastrous thanksgivings
7. The One Where Joey Dates Rachel (Season 8, Episode 12)
Joey gets feelings for Rachel; Ms PacMan causes some problems
8. The One With Chandler in a Box (Season 4, Episode 8)
Chandler does penance in a box; Monica dates Richard’s son
9. The One Where No One’s Ready (Season 3, Episode 2)
Joey steals Chandler’s chair; Rachel takes too long to get ready
10. The One Where Monica and Richard are Just Friends (Season 3, Episode 13) Monica reunites with Richard; Phoebe dates a jock; Joey and Rachel switch books

So there you go. Did I miss your favourite episode? Do you agree with my selections? Feel free to let me know. I love to get feedback. I'll probably do a few more of these with shows like Night Court, Wings, Newsradio, Just Shoot Me, Sopranos, Six Feet Under and more at some point. But don't hold your breath.

The Simpsons Movie

I don’t know what people were expecting from The Simpsons Movie. Were they hoping for the Citizen Kane of animated movies? Or The Godfather of animated movies? Were they expecting jaw surgery from laughing so hard? Were they expecting to see a story so brilliant that it would be discussed and taught in schools for years to come? I wasn’t. The Simpsons Movie was meant to be an episode that was too big to fit on the small screen. The movie should be able to please long-time fans with various inside jokes while being stand-alone enough to attract new people. The animation should look sleeker, the emotion should be deeper and the language a little saltier. The Simpsons Movie does all of this. I left the theatre satisfied. I laughed, I choked up, and I got annoyed when a couple people in the crowd said it sucked.

I know I shouldn’t spend time explaining things to those who disagree with me. It seems like a waste of breath, but I’ve been a fan of The Simpsons since they first started on The Tracey Ullman Show. I have seen every episode. I did a school report on The Simpsons in Grade 9 explaining how this irreverent show was the most groundbreaking thing on television. It bothers me when some critics write off The Simpsons by saying that their long running series is already dead in the water. It’s easy to say that the episodes are not as funny and original as the season four heyday, but I have a hard time believing that these critics have watched anything from season eighteen. They must have missed The Haw-Hawed Couple, Springfield Up, Yokel Chords, Crook & Ladder and 24 Minutes to say that The Simpsons have lost it. It bothers me when The Simpsons Movie gets compared to the genius of the South Park film. Bigger, Longer and Uncut was made after two seasons and 35 episodes of the series. It was still fresh. Just imagine if The Simpsons made a movie after season three like they intended to do with Kamp Krusty.
It also bothers me when they say the story of The Simpsons Movie wasn’t original enough. Sure, it borrows elements from previous episodes, but you try writing four-hundred stories and then come up with something earth-shattering and mind-blowing. The fact that eleven screenwriters were able to come up with a cohesive story at all is simply amazing. I know there aren’t that many people who hate this movie, but I had to get these things off my chest. Now onto the rest of the review.

The Simpsons Movie made me laugh pretty hard. Ralf Wiggum’s one liner is classic. The changed identities works like a charm. And even though it has been overused in the recent ad campaigns, Spider-Pig is still funny. I found myself laughing and chuckling consistently, much like I do when watching an episode. The film takes shots at politics, the environment and hot-button issues just like it always does. The movie also shows some stuff that they would never get away with on network television. But what surprised me most was the heart found in the story. We have seen this family torn apart and brought back together many times over their seventeen-year history, but Marge’s heart-felt speech was actually moving. Showing this emotional side keeps us rooting for these characters and grounds the entire story. A show like Family Guy would have ruined the speech by adding a fart at the end or saying, “which reminds me of the time . . .” and then break into some non-sequitur parody of an old eighties sitcom. The Simpsons Movie has its seemingly random moments, but there are many elements that get paid off at the end. If you are a Simpsons fan or even a first-timer, I think you’ll appreciate what this movie has to offer.

So should you see it on the big screen? As it is said in the movie, why would you pay for something that you can see for free at home? I would say, give the creators of The Simpsons their due. See this movie as a tribute. It's crazy, I currently teach students who have never known the world to be without The Simpsons. This show changed the face of television and deserves some of your money. They have earned it. They have entertained us for over seventeen years and don’t plan to stop any time soon. Enjoy the fruits of their labour on the big screen. I know I’m going to see it again. And as I watch, I’ll be thinking about the same thing that is said in the closing credits. Sequel?