Wednesday, December 31, 2008

TOP 10 of 2008

It's time for my annual Top 10 lists. I love lists. I'm a geek that way. For movies, it was sure hard this year. I didn't see as many movies as in the past, and I wasn't too impressed with what I saw. Nevertheless, there were some stand outs.
TOP 10 MOVIES of 2008


1. The Dark Knight
4 Heath Ledger’s tour-de-force performace as Joker. The eyes, walk, cadence and licking of lips. Wow! Give this guy an Oscar. 4 Strong supporting cast that adds gravity to the film, especially Aaron Eckart and Gary Oldman. Talk about fully-fleshed out characters 4 Christopher Nolan brings us great action sequences and a great story with some powerful messages about anarchy and the human condition 2. Wall-E 4 The beginning of the film is like a stylish silent film reminiscent of Chaplin’s early work. A brave idea for a family cartoon. 4 Some spot-on commentary on consumerism, the environment and survival. 4 So cute! The beautiful intimacy of holding hands still makes me smile and little misty eyed. A nice change of pace from our oversexualitzed culture.

3. Slumdog Millionaire 4 You can’t go wrong with an uplifting, inspirational tale that teaches that love will always be better than money. 4 The superb child acting, especially Ayush Mahesh Khedekar. You wanna take the kid home with you. 4 Danny Boyle’s cinematography and editing is captivating from beginning to end. 4. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button 4 David Fincher makes three hours fly by with compelling storytelling and beautifully dark visuals in this fantasy-driven epic. 4 Brad Pitt does amazing work as Button but don’t forget Taraji P. Henson as the only person who truly accepts Ben from the start. 4 Compliments to the make-up crew for aging Pitt & Blanchett and then making Brad look like his Thelma & Louise days. Such an important aspect for a film with a running commentary on aging. 5. Cloverfield 4 An ingenious concept of filming a monster movie from only the protagonist’s point of view. Less is sometimes more. 4 While the camera work is shaky, it’s completely justified and keeps you in each dizzying moment. Much better than The Blair Witch Project. 4 TJ Miller does an excellent job of providing comments that are filled with both sarcasm and dread. I was rooting for him the whole time. 6. Forgetting Sarah Marshall 4 Jason Segel plays the perfect everyday schlub you want to root for, even if you have to look at his penis for a couple of minutes. 4 Segel wrote a very funny script with some great jabs at relationships and the media, but there is still an emotional anchor to the story. 4 The supporting cast from the Judd Apatow gang and various TV comedies bring lots of flavour to this already rich script. 7. Iron Man 4 Robert Downey Jr’s natural charisma makes this movie what it is. He embodies the fun and emotional sides of Tony Stark. 4 Surprising great work from Gwyneth Paltrow, with some fun sexual tension. The helping robots are pretty fun too. 4 Jon Favreau does a great job of making Iron Man accessible to those who don’t know much about the superhero. 8. Frost/Nixon 4 Frank Langella is captivating as Nixon. Michael Sheen is impressive as Frost. Talk about power-house performances! 4 The interviews are a beautifully choreographed boxing match of dialogue. Not only the words but also the stares. 4 A stellar supporting cast of Oliver Platt, Sam Rockwell and Kevin Bacon. It’s all about the acting people! 9. Horton Hears a Who 4 Stunning animation from Blue Sky Studios, the guys behind Ice Age. The field of clover flowers is amazing. 4 Excellent voice acting from Jim Carrey, Steve Carell and Will Arnett who make sure their antics serve the story over getting laughs. 4 Appreciate an animated film that is directed at kids without having to result to more adult situations to please older audiences. 10. Yes Man 4 A fun concept that may not be Liar, Liar worthy but works well, nonetheless. 4 Jim Carrey is back to form and Zooey Deschanel holds her own with a fun performance. Nice chemistry. 4 Plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, especially during a scene that involves a favourite Third Eye Blind song.

TOP 10 TV SHOWS of 2008

I’ve talked about most of these shows before. I thought this year I’d list three stand out episodes of 2008 that prove why they belong on this list. Download them or watch them online and see what I mean. 1. Lost 4 The Constant (Season 4 : Episode 5) Time travel jolts! 4 The Shape of Things to Come (S4:E9) Ben in the Desert! 4 There’s No Place Like Home, Part III (S4:E14) Sun screams! 2. The Office 4 The Dinner Party (S4:E9) Terrible charades! 4 Business Ethics (S5:E2) Battlestar Galactica talk! 4 Customer Survey (S5:E6) Trial phone call! 3. Pushing Daises 4 Circus Circus (S2:E2) Talking mimes! 4 Bad Habits (S2:E3) Religious fun! 4 Comfort Food (S2:E8) A vengeful Olive! 4. Chuck 4 Chuck vs the Seduction (S2:E2) Smarmy John Laroquette! 4 Chuck vs Tom Sawyer (S2:E5) Asteroid Kill Screen! 4 Chuck vs the Ex (S2:E6) Mouth-to-Mouth! 5. Mad Men 4 The Gold Violin (S2:E7) You’re garbage! 4 A Night to Remember (S2:E8) Joan’s disappointment! 4 Meditations in an Emergency (S2:E13) Pete now knows! 6. 30 Rock 4 MILF Island (S2:E11) What a reality show! 4 Believe in the Stars (S3:E2) Oprah and a Princess Leia costume! 4 Reunion (S3:E5) Liz’s flashbacks! 7. How I Met Your Mother 4 Sandcastles in the Sand (S3:E16) Cheezy music video! 4 Intervention (S4:E4) English accent intervention! 4 The Naked Man (S4:E9) The poses! 8. House 4 House’s Head (S4:E15) The piecing together! 4 Birthmarks (S5:E4) Road trip! 4 Last Restort (S5:E9) Hostage situation! 9. Eli Stone 4 Something to Save (S1:E6) Defending Eli! 4 Waiting for the Day (S1:E12) Golden Gate Bridge collapse! 4 The Path (S2:E1) Eil cured?! 10. Dexter 4 The Lion Sleeps Tonight (S3:E3) Protecting his young! 4 Go Your Own Way (S3:E10) Miguel yelling!
4 I Had a Dream (S3:E11) Trunk of the car!
There you go. Hope you enjoyed the lists. Did your favourites make it on my list? What's in your top ten? Feel free to let me know. Happy New Year!

Film: Valkyrie

STARRING: Tom Cruise (Lions for Lambs, The Last Samurai); Bill Nighy (Love Actually, Pirates 2 & 3); Tom Wilkinson (Michael Clayton, Batman Begins)
DIRECTOR: Bryan Singer (The Usual Suspects, Superman Returns, X-Men)
WRITERS: Christopher McQuarrie (The Usual Suspects) & Nathan Alexander
PLOT: The dramatic account of an unsuccessful plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler at the height of WWII.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS
4 I was pretty excited to see Singer and McQuarrie together again. I love The Usual Suspects. I didn’t expect the same quality of story but was ready for an nicely complex conspiracy film. I thought they delivered. It was well put together and nicely paced. I knew the ending (knowing that they failed their mission) but I was intrigued by the first attempt and how far these soldiers got with the second try. It was a good time at the movies. Wonderfully shot and choreographed.
4 It was interesting to see serious turns for some of the supporting actors who I’m usually accustomed to seeing in comedic roles. Bill Nighy often has roles with tongues placed firmly in cheek. He was highly effective as the waffling General Olbricht. Eddie Izzard is known for his comedy specials, in Valkyrie, he is almost unrecognizable as General Fellgiebel, an officer who reluctantly helps out. Nice job men.
4 I don’t know why people have such a problem with Tom Cruise. Sure, he did some stupid things a couple of years back, but he’s a darn good actor. I don’t know why people were giggling during previews when they saw his Claus von Stauffenberg character wearing an eye patch. He inhabited the role well. I don’t know what audiences are expecting from Cruise.
4 Tom Wilkinson continues to blow me away with his acting skill. He brings so much depth and gravitas to his roles. He can play intelligent, ruthless roles so well. I’m glad this film was filled with high quality actors. On that note, I wish Kenneth Branagh was more in the movie. He was gone far too soon.

4 The end of The Usual Suspects has this beautifully sound edited scene that goes through snippets from Verbal’s story. I don’t know if editor John Ottman is to be credited for that. In Valkyrie, there is this wonderfully sound edited scene a top of the film, where the audience hears the German language morph into English so we can understand what is being said. It’s smartly done and makes the audience aware that while we may hear English, German is being spoken and written throughout the film. A simple, yet clever, concept that works beautifully.

RECOMMENDATION
See it in the Theatre
(It’s a fun time at the movies, though the
content probably won’t interest younger people.)

COMING SOON
Film review of Revolutionary Road

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Film: Doubt

STARRING: Meryl Streep (Devil Wears Prada, Lions for Lambs); Philip Seymour Hoffman (Capote, Charlie Wilson’s War); Amy Adams (Junebug, Enchanted)
DIRECTOR: John Patrick Shanley (Joe vs the Volcano)
WRITER: John Patrick Shanley (Congo, Alive, Joe vs the Volcano)
PLOT: A nun confronts a priest after suspecting him sexually abusing a student.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS
4 Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman give power-house performances. Not only when they are yelling at each other but also in the quiet times. Streep’s glances, rolling eyeballs and stern demeanor are chilling; way more than her Prada role. Hoffman’s facial expressions leave you guessing and truly instills doubt. Watch the film to revel in their talent.
4 The supporting actors are no slouches either. Amy Adams often plays happy individuals who seem a little too naïve. She fits perfectly in this cast as the nun who brings up the charges, and Adams holds her own with Streep and Hoffman. Viola Davis (Law & Order: SVU, Jesse Stone) gives a remarkable performance as the black student’s mother. She is only in about ten minutes of the film but her emotions are on her sleeve as she discusses the issue with Streep’s Sister Aloysius. It’s a great scene to watch.
4 The dialogue is fantastic. The quick paced interchanges mixed with accusatory stares pull you into each scene. The writing is fantastic. I would have loved to see the play on Broadway, the following observation explains why.
4 John Patrick Shanley can write but he’s a terrible director. There was no rhyme or reason to a lot of the shots in the film. He did okay with his high and low angles but made too much use of the Dutch angle (usually 45 degrees). The Dutch angle is used to create uneasiness and tension. The dialogue does plenty of that, so we don’t need to be beaten over the head with a shot that takes us completely out of the scene. Amateur hour. Also there’s this feather scene which is poorly put together. The movie should have opened with the scene so that when is gets referenced, the audience could remember the opening shot’s significance. This way it was done here was lame. Again, amateur hour. Stick to the writing Shanley.

4 The music was odd in Doubt. For many of the scenes, there was no soundtrack (much like a play), but every now and then you could hear hymns in the background. For most of the time this effect worked well. Sadly, the last scene squandered its subtlety. 'The First Noel' is played over the final sequence which is severely misplaced. 'It’s Beginning To Look a Lot Like Christmas' or 'Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring' would have been a bolder choice.

RECOMMENDATION
Wait for the DVD
(Terrible visuals but the acting is compelling)

COMING SOON
Film review of Valkyrie

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Film: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

STARRING: Brad Pitt (Babel, Fight Club, Ocean’s 11); Cate Blanchett (Babel, Indy 4, Elizabeth)
DIRECTOR: David Fincher (Zodiac, Fight Club, Seven)
WRITER: Eric Roth (Forrest Gump, Munich, Good Shepherd)
PLOT: The life story of Benjamin Button, a man who is born old and ages backwards which creates some issues for his love life.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS
4 I’m a big fan of David Fincher movies. I love the way he tells stories and the beautifully dark way he shoots them. Fincher often films with a dark palette of grays and darker colours. He also peppers the narrative with mind-blowing visuals that enthrall the audience (Zodiac’s bridge scene, Fight Club’s Ikea scene, Panic Room’s through the coffeepot handle shot). Button is no exception. In fact, even the opening of the Warner Brothers logo is masterfully done with buttons.
4 It’s no shock that Benjamin Button gets compared to Forrest Gump. Eric Roth did write both screenplays. Both stories are also epic in scale. Button moves at a slower pace but the three hour running time is hardly noticeable. At least for me. The story is captivating and full of heart-breaking moments. There are also some great insights on the process of aging. I’m not sure if that’s thanks to Roth or F. Scott Fitzgerald, whose short story this film is based on.
4 I’ll be shocked if Benjamin Button doesn’t get an Oscar for make-up. Part of the fun in this film is seeing Brad Pitt get younger and younger. Through special effects, Pitt’s aged face was placed on a scrawny wrinkled body and it works surprisingly well. Near the end, Pitt actually looks twenty years younger than his present 45-year old mug (something that Milk had a hard time accomplishing with Sean Penn). The aging backwards and forwards is essential in this film, and the make-up crew does a fine job of making it seamless.
4 Of course, Brad Pitt does an amazing job as Benjamin Button. He plays the ages effectively and pulls you in almost instantly. His accent seems more pronounced at the end of the film, but may have just been me. Cate Blanchett also does great work, but the standout for me was Taraji P. Henson as Button’s adoptive mother, Queenie. She had the perfect mix of motherly love and sass.

4 There’s this great running gag about a guy who gets hit by lightning seven times. Funny stuff amidst all the heart-ache and drama. A welcome distraction.

RECOMMENDATION
See it in the theatres
(Go to the bathroom beforehand)


COMING SOON
Film reviews of Valkyrie, Doubt

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Film: Frost/Nixon

STARRING: Frank Langella (Good Night and Good Luck, Dave); Michael Sheen (The Queen, Blood Diamond )
DIRECTOR: Ron Howard (Apollo 13, Da Vinci Code, Beautiful Mind)
WRITER: Peter Morgan (The Queen, The Last King of Scotland)
PLOT: A dramatic retelling of the post-Watergate television interviews between British talk-show host David Frost and former president Richard Nixon.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS
4 I just saw the play (also written by Peter Morgan) performed a couple of months ago at The Vancouver Playhouse. And while the story is still captivating, and the performances extraordinary, there’s something about seeing live theatre. There’s more intimacy and immediacy associated with plays that cannot be captured in film. So the movie was at a slight disadvantage in my eyes.
4 The things a movie can do, that live theatre cannot is show more impressive visuals and backdrops. It can also stir emotions with a compelling musical score. Ron Howard failed in this attempt. Some of the settings work well enough, but there was nothing really visually stimulating in this movie. Howard tries different things like using quick camera pans and focusing on different details but not enough to applaud the cinematography. Same goes for musical score. The beginning had some almost conspiracy-tinged elements but it very quickly falls by the wayside. It’s too bad really. So much potential.
4 Of course, the reason to watch Frost/Nixon is to see the amazing work of Frank Langella as Nixon and Michael Sheen as Frost. Langella sure has come along way from playing Skeletor in The Masters of the Universe. He commands the screen as Nixon and does a great job impersonating without becoming a caricature. There is such depth to his performance. He should win the Oscar. Sheen is also impressive as the charismatic Frost. He perfectly plays the role of a charming host who is in over his head. Both actors do a fantastic job of showing and covering their true emotions. It’s a treat to watch.
4 The supporting cast is also stellar. Oliver Platt (A Time to Kill, Don't Say a Word) channels his Oliver Babish character from West Wing as Bob Zelnick, one of the researchers. Sam Rockwell (Matchstick Men, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind) also gives a fine performance. I find Kevin Bacon (every other movie) plays military roles very well. He reminded me of his character from A Few Good Men. It’s amazing how intimidating Bacon can look when he wants to be.

4 Along with acting, the story takes center stage. The lead up to the interviews are filled with great moments of tension and posturing. The interviews themselves are a well-choreographed boxing match of dialogue. If I had the time, I’d go and look at the real footage from the interviews. Colour me intrigued.

RECOMMENDATION
See it in the theatres
(Just for the Oscar worthy performances.

Visually you can wait for DVD)

COMING SOON
Film review of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Film: Yes Man

STARRING: Jim Carrey (Liar,Liar, Bruce Almighty); Zooey Deschanel (Elf, The New Guy); Bradley Cooper (Alias, Wedding Crashers)
DIRECTOR: Peyton Reed (The Break-Up)
WRITERS: Nicholas Stoller (Fun with Dick & Jane); Jarrad Paul & Andrew Mogel (newcomers)
PLOT: Carl Allan changes his whole life around when he begins to say ‘yes’ to absolutely everything.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS
4 They had me at the concept. A man who has to say yes to everything. Jim Carrey excels in these outrageous comedies based on simple but fun concepts. A lawyer can’t lie for 24 hours. A newsman becomes God for a little while. Granted the other two films are far superior to Yes Man, but this one still has a great positive message and it’s nice to see Jim Carrey back to form after his disastrous Number 23.
4 Zooey Deschanel works great with Jim Carrey. They have surprising chemistry and Deschanel has some great comedic timing up her sleeve. In fact, this movie seems a lot more like a romantic comedy than a straight-up comedy thanks to her endearing presence. I do find it funny that they pair Carrey (age 46) with someone like Deschanel (age 28) to make the rubber-faced actor appear younger.
4 The supporting roles in Yes Man are not given much to work with. Rhys Darby is pretty funny as Carl’s nerdy, desperate boss who throws monthly costume parties. But the character is almost exactly like his Murray role from Flight of the Conchords. Funny but not much of a stretch. Bradley Cooper just comes off lame. It’s a weird on-screen friendship. Danny Masterson (That 70’s Show) seems miscast in this movie, but it’s nice to seem him working. Terrence Stamp and John Michael Higgins are funny as the mentor/disciple of the ‘yes’ philosophy but they’ve played these kind of roles countless times before.
4 While some of the critics are blasting this movie, I found it pretty funny. There is consistent humour. Some predictable, some not. Some of the initial yes responses seem random but there is a nice pay-off, especially in the airport. There’s also this fantastic scene that uses a beloved Third Eye Blind song that left me laughing pretty hard at the lunacy of it all. This movie is chock-full of laugh-out-loud moments.

4 Unfortunately, there is one pretty gross scene in the first third of the movie. You’ll know it when it comes. It is reminiscent of a Van Wilder gag and kind of makes this film a little bit harder to recommend to everyone. Although, it is still easier to recommend than the likes of Superbad and Knocked Up.

RECOMMENDATION
See it in the Theatre
(A perfect pick-me-up during the holiday season. However, there

is nothing ‘big screen’ worthy so you can also wait for DVD)

COMING SOON
Film review of Frost/Nixon

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Film: Milk

STARRING: Sean Penn (I Am Sam, Mystic River), James Franco (Spiderman, Pineapple Express), Emile Hirsch (Into the Wild), Josh Brolin (No Country for Old Men)
DIRECTOR: Gun Van Sant (Good Will Hunting, Elephant)
WRITER: Dustin Lance Black (Big Love)
PLOT: The true story of California’s first openly gay elected official, Harvey Milk, whose fight for civil rights was tragically cut short.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS
4 I’m not a big Sean Penn fan. I liked him in I Am Sam, but that’s about it. So I went in a little biased, but I have to say Sean Penn rocks this film. He’s the reason to watch Milk. His performance is solid and full of life. I did notice, however, that Penn has a wrinkly face when animated. In his opening scene with Franco, you can count at least ten wrinkles around his eyes (39 years old, I don’t think so!). But that’s a minor thing compared to his stellar performance.
4 While Penn steals the show; the supporting actors are not too shabby. Brolin gives a conflicted essence to assassin Dan White; much different than his Bush role in W. Hirsche plays Cleve Jones pretty flamboyantly, it at first seems overdone but it works pretty quickly. It was nice to see James Franco in a strong role at Milk’s lover Scott Smith. A daring move for an up and comer. Alison Pill, Victor Garber and Joseph Cross all give fine performances. The only actor I couldn’t stand was Diego Luna (The Terminal) as Jack, Milk’s codependent leech of a rebound guy. What was Milk thinking?
4 I didn’t like the way Gus Van Sant shot this movie. He tries to make the film look authentic in it’s seventies portrayal but that means grainy film and boring camera movement. The only two shots that worked for me were shot on location in San Francisco’s city hall using its beautiful indoor staircase.
4 The pacing of the story is well-done. The film captures a lot of the highlights and lowlights of Milk’s aspirations and career. What’s clunky is the narration done by Milk via tape recorder. In the beginning, it’s kind of obtrusive and then thankfully peters out as the film progresses. Its only saving grace is the message of hope that it gives after the brutal assassination.
4 As a Christian, the film got my guard up. Not with the homosexual behaviors shown on film (although some shots were a bit much), but with the way the church compared gay teachers to pedophiles. I hate being lumped in with a group of intolerant, judgmental religious zealots who have no love for their neighbors. It puts a bad taste in my mouth.

RECOMMENDATION
Wait for DVD
(No need to see grainy footage on the big screen, unless

you want to watch Sean Penn go for another Oscar.)

COMING SOON
Film review of Frost/Nixon

Wednesday, December 03, 2008

TV: How I Met Your Mother

STARRING: Josh Radnor (newcomer), Jason Segel (Freaks & Geeks), Alyson Hannigan (Buffy), Neil Patrick Harris (Doogie Howser) Cobie Smulders (newcomer from Vancouver)
CREATORS: Carter Bays & Craig Thomas (Late Show, MTV Movie Award parodies)
PLOT: Ted is telling his children how he met their mother. It’s a really long story and it involves his close friends. (Why would he be telling his children about his sex life and times he got drunk? Little creepy.)

FIVE OBSERVATIONS
4The cast is so natural together. These are people you would want to hang out with on a regular basis. Even more so than the cast of Friends. They all have great chemistry together and play off each other extremely well.
4The writing is very quick paced and non-linear. This jumping around is perfect for the ADD folks out there. The storylines often feel very different from each other but manage to be linked thematically. Almost like Seinfeld or Scrubs.

4After four seasons, Neil Patrick Harris’ Barney still manages to steal every scene he is in. He mixes smarm with charm quite beautifully. His theories, his put downs, his clever phrases are the secret ingredient to this already well-written show. Give this guy an Emmy already! He’s definitely paid his dues.
4They reward faithful viewers of the show with references to earlier installments. Their ongoing slap bet (two to go!) is one of the greatest inside jokes known to series television.
4Being from Vancouver, I am often rooting for Cobie Smulders who is both sexy and extremely funny. They have definitely played up her Canadian heritage by making her backstory include hockey practices, ‘weird’ Canadian phrases and traditions, and making her a teen star (ala Tiffany or Debbie Gibson) named Robin Sparkles who sings about hanging out in the mall and building sandcastles in the sand. These cheesy music videos are hysterical and worth looking up on YouTube.

RECOMMENDATION
Must See (not enough people talk about it, but they should)

COMING SOON
TV reviews of 30 Rock, House

Saturday, November 29, 2008

Film: Slumdog Millionaire

STARRING: Dev Patel, Freida Pinto, Irfan Khan, Anil Kapoor
DIRECTOR: Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, Millions, 28 Days Later)
WRITER: Simon Beaufoy (Full Monty, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day)
PLOT: Jamal, a boy from the slums is accused of cheated on Who Wants the be a Millionaire. Flashbacks of his life show how he got the answers and we see his real reason for being on the show.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS
4 This is the ultimate underdog story, but not in a cheesy sports movie way. Because of the hardships experienced, the love lost, the family torn and the unwavering desire for a better life, the audience is rooting for Jamal from beginning to end. Sometimes even vocally. This is an inspirational tale that shows that love is greater than money. It was truly uplifting.

4The characters and the actors who played them pull you into the movie almost immediately. Ayush Mahesh Khedekar as the youngest Jamal is so endearing, you almost want to take him home with you. The child acting, in particular, is nothing short of superb. It probably helped that I didn’t recognize a single actor in the cast; as I found I was easily able to lose myself in their rich performances.
4 The cinematography and editing was captivating. Danny Boyle finds beauty everywhere, even in the slums of India. He also makes great use of the dutch angle (camera tilted almost 45 degrees), especially in a scene where Jamal gives a beggar child a large donation. Slumdog Millionaire is visually stimulating.

4 The driving soundtrack kept my heart pounding. Great song/music choices. One of the opening songs used for a chase sequence was so Trainspotting that I had a big smile on my face the whole time.
4 Even the subtitles were well done! They had color behind them and could be found in different places on the screen. I’m tired of the plain yellow subtitles at the bottom and testing my peripheral vision.

RECOMMENDATION
See it in the Theatre (this has Oscar written all over it!)

COMING SOON
Film review of Milk

Monday, November 24, 2008

TV: Eli Stone

STARRING: Jonny Lee Miller (Smith, Hackers), Victor Garber (Alias, Justice), Natasha Henstridge (Species, Commander in Chief), Julie Gonazlo (Veronica Mars)
CREATORS: Greg Berlanti (Everwood, Brothers & Sisters, Dirty Sexy Money) & Marc Guggenheim (Law & Order)
PLOT: Eli Stone is a lawyer who keeps having visions from God that sometimes include musical numbers. Some of the lawyers are starting to believe.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS
4Another show with a great cast. Miller is wonderful as Eli mixing continuous surprise and stellar lawyer skills. The supporting cast is equally strong.
4 I love a good underdog story now and then. Every episode makes you want to root for Eli and the meaningful cases he brings in.
4 The first season faltered with Eli believing his visions were more a brain aneurysm than visions from God. This season, he has embraced the images and things are going much better on the show.
4 I love Victor Garber. His skepticism in the first season was pitch-perfect and his sudden belief this season is endearing. I still find it strange to see him sing and dance though (even though he started off as a Broadway actor).
4 I wish the visions were a little more spectacular. I guess the budget doesn’t allow for it. Some of the digital effects look very digital.

RECOMMENDATION
Schedule It (unfortunately, it’s also getting cancelled soon)

COMING SOON
TV review of How I Met Your Mother

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Film: Quantum of Solace

STARRING: Daniel Craig (Casino Royale), Judi Dench (5 Bond films), Mathieu Amalric (Munich, some French films)
DIRECTOR: Marc Forster (Kite Runner, Finding Neverland)
WRITERS: Paul Haggis (Casino Royale, Crash), Neal Purvis & Robert Wade (Casino Royale, Die Another Day)
PLOT: M wants info on a new organization but 007 keeps killing people while avenging the death of Vesper (from Casino Royale).

FIVE OBSERVATIONS
*DISCLAIMER: I did watch Casino Royale the same night as Quantum of Solace so the judgments may seem more harsh due to the inevitable comparisons.

4 Daniel Craig is still the man. I like Connery’s better but Craig is doing an amazing job as James Bond. He has some great lines, some great facial expressions and some great action moments. Great all around. I also enjoyed his scenes with M.
4 I was not a fan of the action sequences in this Bond film. It’s all Jason Bourne-style which doesn’t work well for 007. I like to know where Bond is jumping, how far away the villain is, what are the obstacles. There are too many close-ups. Casino Royale was much better. I did like the scaffolding/pulley sequence near the beginning of the film. That one rocked!
4 You could tell this film was directed by Marc Forster. The studio made a bad choice. Bad MGM. Forster tried to get all artsy with action scenes paralleled with operas and horse races. I like artsy, but not in a James Bond film.
4 The villain was not villainous enough. Whatever happened to supervillains like Goldfinger? Also this Bond film didn’t have a torture scene. Bond needs to get tortured. Slow-moving laser, dipped in something, rope swing to the balls. Something!
4 This seems minor but I hated the fonts that were used to introduce each locale. It was a like a little kid making a poster using twenty different styles of writing. Put the location in one of the corners and leave it at that. I was offended as a video editor.

RECOMMENDATION
Wait for Movie Central (unless of course you’re a die-hard Bond fan)

COMING SOON
Film review of Slumdog Millionaire

Saturday, November 22, 2008

TV: Dirty Sexy Money

STARRING: Peter Krause (Sports Night, Six Feet Under), Donald Sutherland (JFK, Time to Kill), William Baldwin (Forgetting Sarah Marshall),
CREATOR: Craig Wright (Six Feet Under, Brothers & Sisters)
PLOT: Nick George becomes the lawyer for the filthy rich Darling family while trying to keep his home life together and solving his father’s murder.


FIVE OBSERVATIONS
4This show has an amazing cast. Even though it’s fun to watch heavy-hitters like Sutherland and Krause, I am more captivated by the lesser-known actors Seth Gabel, Natalie Zea and Glenn Fitzgerald. These three ‘siblings’ get to exhibit the most outrageous behavior. It is very fun to watch.
4 There are some nice twists and turns with the storytelling. The end of each episode usually has some sort of reveal of who is working for whom. It has a very Dynasty feel to it with a bit more edge.

4 Nick’s indecisiveness between his wife Lisa (Zoe McLellan) and Karen Darling is starting to get annoying. Make a decision already!
4 The addition of Lucy Liu and full cast member Blair Underwood has been good for the show. They needed more villainous people. I do miss Samaire Armstrong (The OC), although they didn’t give her much to work with last season
4 With the large cast and the many twists, it is a little too much to fit in an hour long show. They should focus on two or three stories at a time instead of six or so.

RECOMMENDATION
Casual View (unfortunately, it’s probably getting cancelled soon)

COMING SOON
TV reviews of Eli Stone, How I Met Your Mother
Movie review of Quantum of Solace

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Winter Movie Preview

You might have noticed this year that I have not seen as many movies as I have in the past. Part of this is because of my blissful relationship but another greater part is the fact that many movies have sucked this year. There haven't been many films that have had me standing in long lines on opening nights. Sure there was Dark Knight and Wall-E, but not much else. This is why I am looking forward to the Christmas movie season, where the Oscar-bait films live and thrive. Here are the top movies that I am eagerly anticipating.

4The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Dec 25)
David Fincher & Brad Pitt. Awesome. They rocked Seven and Fight Club, bring on a third. I'm even hearing Oscar potential. Let's see how Fincher handles love stories. Pray it doesn't drag.
4Slumdog Millionaire (Nov 12)
Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, 28 Days Later) does an endearing underdog story. If you've seen Millions (and I think you should) this one looks like a great companion film. I could be wrong.
4Frost/Nixon (Dec 5)
Loved the play. Can't wait for the movie. I'm hearing all kinds of Oscar buzz. Looking forward to seeing the chemistry between Frank Langella and Michael Sheen.
4Yes Man (Dec 19)
Jim Carrey is at his best when he has a great premise to work with. Look at Liar, Liar and Bruce Almighty. In this film, he can't say no. Neither can I.
4The Spirit (Dec 25)
At first, I thought this was the sequel to Sin City but then found that it just shot in the same style by Frank Miller. I'm game for another graphic novel turned film. Looks ultra-cool and visually awesome.
4Valkyrie (Dec 26)
I don't care about Tom Cruise's personal life, I think he's a pretty good actor. I don't know why people are laughing at his performance. The thriller aspect looks compelling enough.
4Revolutionary Road (Dec 26)
DiCaprio and Winslet together again. It looks like a movie in the same time period vein as Mad Men. It's also directed by Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Jarhead), so it'll be great and well shot.
4Seven Pounds (Dec 19)
Will Smith reunites with his Pursuit of Happyness director for this drama. Don't know what the seven pounds refers to but it looks Pay It Forward-ish. I'm intrigued.
4Doubt (Dec 12)
The play is supossed to be amazing. So putting Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman together on screen seems like a win-win situation. There's Oscar buzz.
4Quantum of Solace (Nov 14)
Liked Casino Royale. I'm liking Daniel Craig as Bond (still like Connery better). I know the reviews are mixed but I'm game for another round of action.
4Milk (Nov 26)
Not a big Sean Penn fan. The trailer is pulling me in though. It seems well put together even though I find Gus Van Sant a little hit and miss. I'll probably give it a try.

So that's what I'll be watching this winter. Hopefully some of these will make it into my year end top 10. Hopefully, I'll be able to find the time to watch them all.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

TV: The Office

STARRING: Steve Carell (Daily Show, Get Smart), John Krasinski (Leatherheads), Jenna Fischer (Blades of Glory) Rainn Wilson (Six Feet Under)
CREATORS: Ricky Gervais & Stephen Merchant (Extras, BBC’s The Office), Greg Daniels (King of the Hill, Simpsons, SNL)
PLOT: Awkwardness abounds in the cubicle offices of a paper supply company. The show is shot documentary-style.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS
4What’s most amazing about this show is the fact that they still are able to get loads of laughs from relatable office experiences. The phone call practice between Jim and Dwight that happened a couple of weeks ago (directed by creator Stephen Merchant no less) was some of the best comedy I’ve seen and heard in a long time. Keep these masterful scenes coming!
4 Absolutely loved the Michael Scott-in-love storyline this season. Holly was the perfect girl for him. It just made the breakup in the truck (with Darryl driving) all the more awkward and sad.

4 Separating Jim and Pam made their relationship more realistic but it’s nice to have them back together again.
4 I’ve been half and half on the Dwight-Anglea-Andy love triangle. Dwight is getting some great stuff but Angela is coming off almost too mean. I’m starting to feel sorry for Andy and his utter cluelessness.
4 I’ve been missing some of the supporting characters this season. Kevin had way more one-liners last year. Him and Kelly have the best talking head segments. More please.

RECOMMENDATION
MUST SEE (We quote it at work the next day)

COMING SOON
TV reviews of Dirty Sexy Money, How I Met Your Mother
Movie review of Quantum of Solace & Winter Movie Preview

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Midseason is Coming!

Starting in January, we see the long-awaited return of some great television shows. Here is the run down so far.
4 Damages - Season 2 (January 7)
(This is on the States FX channel, so Canadians can either
download or wait until Showcase decides to air them.)

4 24 - Season 7 (January 11)
(They start off with their 2day/4hour premeire again. And
don't forget about the 24 TV movie Redemption 11/23)

4 Battlestar Galactica - Season 4.2 (January 16)
(These are the final episodes of the series. I'll catch up with
Battlestar after these epsiodes air; view the complete season.)

4 Lost - Season 5 (January 21)
(I've got a few more people addicted to the show since last
season. Unfortunately, my play's dress rehearsal is this night.)
4 Dollhouse - Series Premiere (February 13)
(My most anticipated new show of the season. Joss Whedon is back.
Need I say more? It's move to Friday may be a good thing afterall.)


No word yet on the return dates for Scrubs (Season 8) or Reaper (Season 2). As for current shows I'm watching. My Own Worst Enemy has been cancelled (thank goodness). Pushing Daisies, Dirty Sexy Money and Prison Break are all on the bubble. I hope the networks keep these ones around. Even though Prison Break has been better this year, I can easily let that one go, but Daisies and Money need to stick around. C'mon ABC, give them more time.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

TV: My Own Worst Enemy

STARRING: Christian Slater (Heathers, True Romance), Alfre Woodard (Desperate Housewives), Mike O’Malley (Yes Dear)
CREATORS: Jason Smilovic (Kidnapped, Bionic Woman)
PLOT: By day, Henry is an average guy who goes to work and has a wife and kids. By night, Henry becomes Edward the spy. They never knew the other existed. Until now! (Yeah, it’s a Jekyll & Hyde thing.)

FIVE OBSERVATIONS
4 They have made this show so much more confusing than it needs to be. The producers insist on giving almost everyone in Henry’s life a double personality. Should have just stuck with one, maybe two.
4 Way too much focus on sex. Yes, we get the fact that Edward now has access to Henry’s wife and no one’s the wiser. Is it cheating? Should we be concerned that Angie enjoys what Edward/Henry does to her at night. Who cares? Get with the spy stuff.
4 Four episodes in an they are still trying to prove to the powers-that-be that Henry/Edward isn’t broken. This is going nowhere fast. It’s a lot more interesting when clueless Henry appears and has to get out of tough jams. It should be like Chuck but way more intense. It isn't.
4 Christian Slater is only so-so in the lead role. He pulls the good/bad stuff off okay but I don’t find his character at all engaging.
4 The only character I enjoy watching is Mike O’Malley as Raymond/Tom. It’s a far departure from his bland Yes Dear role. He looks like he’s having fun even though he’s playing a frustrated agent who has to babysit Slater’s character.

RECOMMENDATION
Pretty much Avoid At All Costs.
(As I was writing this, I heard that NBC just cancelled the series.

So. . . yeah.)

COMING SOON
TV reviews of Dirty Sexy Money, The Office.
Movie review of Quantum of Solace

Saturday, November 01, 2008

TV: Heroes

STARRING: Milo Ventimiglia (Gilmore Girls), Masi Oka (Scrubs), Adrian Pasdar (Judging Amy), Greg Grunberg (Alias), Hayden Panettiere (Guiding Light)
CREATOR: Tim Kring (Crossing Jordan)
PLOT: Ordinary people are developing incredible abilities such as stopping time, flying, reading minds, being indestructible. Havoc ensues.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS
4The first season was pretty good. The second season was terrible. This third season is mediocre so far. I’m being far more generous than the writers at Entertainment Weekly.
4 The cast is ginormous. There are about 13 main characters to keep track of, a dozen or so supporting characters (almost all with special abilities too) and they’re still introducing more heroes and villains to the mix. With such a large cast, we hardly get to invest in any of the characters. (Puppetmaster we hardly knew thee.)
4 Suresh is the most infuriating character on series television (even more than Peter Petrelli talking out of the side of his mouth). Suresh’s narration is grating to listen to. Suresh is often working for the bad guys and doesn’t realize it. Suresh is supposed to be this genius scientist who pulls the whole show together, but he has become the anchor that drags the show down. Kill this character please!
4 This show makes me appreciate Lost all the more. Heroes goes for quick fixes no matter how convoluted or unearned. Lost rewards those who stick around. Heroes overuses time travel to confuse the audience while Lost uses it flashbacks/flashforwards to illuminate and pull in its viewers. The characters on Lost are consistent from episode one to present. Watch the pilot of Heroes, Mama Petrelli as a mastermind of good/evil? I call bullshit on that one; there is absolutely no hint of her powerful position.
4 One of the episodes I liked this season was the pairing of HRG & Sylar to foil the bank job. A silly premise but fun to watch. It was like a buddy-cop show. But alas, Sylar was back to the brig at the end of the episode. Or is he out now? Or was that in the future? Or in the past? I really don’t know anymore.

RECOMMENDATION
Casual View (becoming Avoid at all Costs
if it doesn’t change its tune soon)

COMING SOON
TV reviews of The Office, Entourage,
My Own Worst Enemy (waiting for the fifth episode)

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

TV: Chuck

STARRING: Zachary Levi (Less Than Perfect), Yvonne Strahovski (newcomer), Adam Baldwin (Firefly, Daybreak, The Inside, X-Files)
CREATORS: Josh Schwartz (The OC, Gossip Girl) & Chris Fedak (newcomer)
PLOT: A computer geek is accidentally implanted with all the government’s secrets and now must be protected while living out his regular retail life.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS
4 This show just keeps getting better and better. Zachary Levi is superb as Chuck, and nicely balances geeky, freaked out and grounded. He holds the show together beautifully.
4 I understand that many wrote off Chuck based on his best friend, Morgan. True, he was annoying, but this season he is just a minor character along with the rest of the Buy More staff. Their side stories are highly entertaining and usually link nicely with the main plot.
4 The writing is fantastic. All the storylines come together well. The love story is moving along pretty nicely. The one-liners are frickin’ hilarious, and usually given to Casey.
4 Adam Baldwin steals almost every scene he’s in. I’m glad Baldwin found a role reminiscent of Jayne from Firefly. Give this guy an Emmy.
4 Chuck is a much “funner” version of Alias mixed some Office antics. Not bad company to be with.

RECOMMENDATION
Must See

COMING SOON
TV reviews of Heroes, My Own Worst Enemy

Sunday, October 26, 2008

TV: Life on Mars

STARRING: Jason O’Mara (Men in Trees), Harvey Keitel (Reservoir Dogs), Michael Imperioli (Sopranos), Gretchen Mol (Rounders)
CREATORS: Josh Appelnbaum, Andre Nemec, Scott Rosenberg (Alias, October Road) & based on a BBC series
PLOT: In 2008, Detective Sam Tyler is hit by a car and wakes up in 1973. Now he continues to solve crimes while trying to figure out why he’s stuck in the seventies.


FIVE OBSERVATIONS
4 Jason O’Mara plays the lead role perfectly. He is totally believable with his confusion of being in this time warp while still being the tough-guy cop who knows how to get his man.
4 The ‘outdated’ prejudices and procedures demonstrated by Keitel and Imperioli are really fun to watch. As are the clothing and hairstyles; Imperioli’s moustache rocks!
4 Talk about a kickin’ soundtrack. There are plenty of tunes to choose from and they really keep the show movin’ with perfect song choices time and time again.
4 The first two episodes has Keitel punching his own officers a little too much. The third ep. he's toned down a bit. Thank goodness.
4 The crimes-of-the-week are compelling enough and the mystery of why Tyler is stuck in 1973 is even more intriguing. I’m curious to how it will play out.


RECOMMENDATION
Casual View (for now)

COMING SOON
TV reviews of My Own Worst Enemy, Chuck, Heroes

Film: W.

STARRING: Josh Brolin (No Country for Old Men), Elizabeth Banks (Definitely, Maybe), James Cromwell (The Queen)
DIRECTOR: Oliver Stone (JFK, Nixon, Alexander, Wall Street, Platoon)
WRITER: Stanley Weiser (Wall Street)
PLOT: While focusing on George W Bush’s ultimate decision to go to war, we see his rise from college years to the presidency.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS
4Good and bad impressions. Thandie Newton (Crash) is terrible as Condoleezza Rice. She’s trying too hard to do an impression, which doesn’t work and doesn’t display any realism. Richard Dreyfuss (Jaws) and Jeffrey Wright (Shaft) do great jobs as Cheney and Powell; they also seem to be the smartest of the bunch. James Cromwell doesn’t even bother to do any George Bush Sr. mannerisms.
Almost wished they cast Dana Carvey.
4 Josh Brolin is fantastic as W. While sometimes a dead-ringer and sometimes not, he manages to create a multi-layered character which commands the screen every time he’s on it.
4 I thought Stone would be more brutal but he basically makes George W look quite pathetic and even sympathetic at times.
4 The story tends to drag too many times and is a bit long. I wouldn’t expect much more from Oliver Stone though.
4 The soundtrack was awful. It’s like he was going the Michael Moore route using songs like “Robin Hood” and “Yellow Rose of Texas” ad nauseam.

RECOMMENDATION
Wait for Movie Central

COMING SOON
Film reviews of Blindness, Role Models

Saturday, October 18, 2008

TV: Pushing Daisies

STARRING: Lee Pace (Wonderfalls), Chi McBride (Boston Public), Kristin Chenoweth (West Wing, Wicked)
CREATOR: Bryan Fuller (Dead Like Me, Wonderfalls, Heroes)
PLOT: A pie maker, who has the ability to bring people back to life for one minute, solves murder cases with a private investigator who knows his secret.


FIVE OBSERVATIONS
4 Hands down the strongest returning show of the season. There is no sophomore slump for this show.
4 Emerson Cod and Olive Snook have been given some of the most funny lines and emotional moments this season. They both possess an astounding range.
4 Its rich musical score and high-production cinematography make Pushing Daisies seem like a mini fantasy fairy-tale film, every week.
4 I’m loving how the mystery of the week is often a metaphor for what is happening in the main characters’ lives.
4 For some strange reason, the viewership for this show is down this season, which may get it cancelled. What’s up with that? This is the perfect escapist show after a hard day at work.

RECOMMENDATION
Must See (people might not be talking about it, but you could)

COMING SOON
TV reviews of My Own Worst Enemy, Life on Mars
(I need at least three episodes to properly review them. Stay tuned.)

Thursday, October 16, 2008

TV: Fringe

STARRING: Anna Torv (newcomer), Joshua Jackson (Dawson’s Creek), John Noble (Lord of the Rings)
CREATORS: JJ Abrams (Lost, Alias), Alex Kurtzman & Robert Orci (Alias)
PLOT: A female FBI agent works with a former institutionalized scientist and his genius son in order to rationalize a string of unexplained phenomena (called The Pattern) using fringe science.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS
4 Pretty good X-Files substitute. They need to have a little more humour to pull it off though.
4 The show has an interesting mythology, unfortunately, they are having trouble naming things within the mythology (The Pattern, The Observer)
4 Joshua Jackson isn’t given much to work with as he is consistently annoyed with his father and never believes him. Cut him some slack.
4 John Noble is pretty awesome as Walter Bishop. He gets to have some fun crazy lines in every episode.
4 I’m a big fan of the seriousness and intrigue brought to the series by Lance Reddick (The Wire, Lost)

RECOMMENDATION
Casual View (for now, unless the mythology begins to pick up)

COMING SOON
TV reviews of My Own Worst Enemy, Life on Mars

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Film: Hamlet 2

STARRING: Steve Coogan (Tropic Thunder), Catherine Keener (Being John Malkovich), Elisabeth Shue (Leaving Las Vegas) DIRECTOR: Andrew Fleming (Nancy Drew) WRITER: Pam Brady (Hot Rod) PLOT: A clueless, yet passionate teacher tries to save the drama department by putting on his own controversial musical. 


FIVE OBSERVATIONS 4 Steve Coogan's awkward teacher role reminded me of Steve Carrell's Office performance, but more painfully pathetic than funny. 4 There's a point when the Dangerous Minds-type students suddenly stick up for their teacher with zero justification. 4 As a drama teacher, I took great joy in the symbolism of filming the announcement of the cancelled drama program in front of the athletics trophy display. 4 The final musical is sacriligious, silly and fun. I also loved the simple set of scaffolding. 4 During the performance, an audience member sitting on a couch shows his appreciation. Very funny. RECOMMENDATION Wait for Movie Central COMING SOON TV reviews of Fringe, My Own Worst Enemy, Life on Mars

Friday, October 10, 2008

New Blog Format

So, I’ve decided to make my blog entries shorter. If I look back at how much I’ve written about certain movies, I could have had a book made by now. Due to time and energy, I’ve decided to streamline the review process. It’ll be a lot shorter so you don’t have to read as much. Of course, if you want to discuss a movie a more length, feel free to add a comment or two, I usually respond to direct questions concerning films and television.

The new format will include the names of who are responsible for the media in question, a one line plot summary, five observations (good or bad) about the piece and a recommendation if you should watch it or not.

The film recommendation categories are:
4 See in Theatre (You need to experience it on the big screen)
4 Wait for DVD (Watch at home where you can pause it)
4 Wait for Movie Central (Canadian’s HBO, longer wait, still unedited)
4 Wait for TBS (Movies on network TV, do others thing while you watch)
4 Avoid at all costs (Don’t waste a single second of your life on this)

The television recommendations categories are:
4 Must See (Watch it the night of, people will be talking the next day)
4 Schedule It (If you miss an episode, you’ll miss a lot)
4 Casual View (Watch it if it’s on, missing one or two won’t make a difference)
4 Avoid at all costs (Don’t waste a single second of your life on this)


By doing the reviews in this format, I hope to write a lot more entries in consistent intervals. Hope you still tune in.