Double Oh My!

Okay, I will admit that I was not really a James Bond Fan until Casino Royale. I guess I just found the Pierce Brosnan ones (even though he was really hot) to be a bit preposterous. I mean, the stunt where he chases down a pilotless plane on a motorcycle, the plane and motorcycle go off a cliff into a ravine, yet he manages NOT ONLY to get into the plane but pull it out of a nosedive? REALLY? But the trailers for Casino Royale looked so good that I was there opening night and was instantly won over by Daniel Craig as Bond. There was something...grittier about him. His Bond is a man who will be kicking ass one second then sitting in the shower comforting you the next. Mmmmmhmmmmm.

Anyway, for those who haven't seen it, the new teaser for Craig's second outing as Bond has hit the net. Check it:



Am SO there opening night.

My main wish for the movie? That Bond will spend 40% of the movie shirtless/naked, 40% in a Tux, and the other 20%...naked? ;-)

Wall-E!!!

Pixar can really do no wrong in my eyes. I love all their films so much that I can forgive the slight misstep (for me) that was Cars (which while spectacularly animated didn't really do it story wise for me). Well, I am happy to say that Pixar's newest offering, Wall-E, is right on par with Pixar classics like Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, and Toy Story. Run, don't walk, to the theatre to see it.

What's wonderfully refreshing about Wall-E is that the first half of the movie plays like a silent movie, heavily dependent on visuals and music. The animation, as always, is first rate. Thomas Newman's score is wonderful. And you can't help but fall in love with this curious, adorable little robot who only wants someone to connect and spend life with.

What makes Pixar movies so great is that beneath all the animation and the laughs, there is always a message. And unlike the dreck that was The Happening, which warned us that if we don't stop ruining the environment, the plants will band together and kill us (I still can't get over that), Wall-E shows us what we are doing to the Earth in a softer and more relatable way that even the youngest child can understand. The humans in Wall-E live in a world of complacency, over taken by their dependence on technology, fast food, and big corporations telling them exactly what to do. It takes two robots, and one little seedling of hope, to shake the humans out of their slumber. And of course, being Pixar, there are clever nods to space epics like Star Wars and 2001. I laughed, I cried (even though I KNEW it was a Disney movie and a happy ending WAS eminent), it was just an overall wonderful afternoon at the movies. If you miss it, you will be missing one of the finest movies of the summer, if not the year. A+

On a side note, Joe and I hit the ten dollar sale at Virgin in between Mimosa Brunch (divinity) and the movie. I found that cheesalicious 80's Classic Girls Just Want to Have Fun in the bargain bin. Between that, the brunch, Wall-E, and the Olympic Swim Trials on TV tonight, I can't really ask for a better entertainment day. :-)

Oh, to be an Emmy Voter...

Today, the Television Academy announced their top ten finalists in Comedy and Drama Series. This list will be whittled down to five this weekend, when voters go to screenings of submitted episodes. The nominees are announced on July 17th by my imaginary BFF Neil Patrick Harris and Minnie Driver.

And of course, being me, I have some issues with some of the inclusions and exclusions in these top tens. How I WISH I could vote! Let's take a look at the lists:

Top Ten Best Comedy Series:
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Entourage
The Family Guy
Flight of the Conchords
The Office
Pushing Daisies
30 Rock
Two and a Half Men
Ugly Betty
Weeds

1) Will someone PLEASE explain the appeal of Two and a Half Men to me??????? Seriously, I don't think I know anyone who watches it, yet it is the number one sitcom on TV. I do not get it, and I really wish someone would explain to me why it's funny, cause the snippets I have seen do nothing for me.
2) Hand in Hand with that...WHY do they not show any love for my beloved How I Met Your Mother?!?!?! Are they not submitting the right episodes? I think it (along with the Office) is among one of the best comedy ensembles on television, and has definitely filled the void that Friends left when it went off the air. It certainly deserves to make at least the Top Ten comedy series on the air. And you will hear me screaming in agony on July 17 if NPH doesn't get his supporting actor nod.
3) A HUGE snub definitely goes to Desperate Housewives, which in my opinion had a season equal to its much ballyhooed first season. I was watching with fervor again, and the show and Actresses had their mojo back. What happened?
4) Two much buzzed about new sitcoms failed to make the cut as well: The Big Bang Theory (which I do not watch, but hear is great) and the delightful Samantha Who. I would imagine both shows submitted their pilot episodes, as many new series do. Samantha Who should at least pick up a leading actress nom for Christina Applegate, who is just incandescent as Sam.
5) Um, it is QUITE huge that an animated series made the top ten.

My final five predictions: 30 Rock, The Office, Entourage, Pushing Daisies, and (UGH!! WHY?!) Two and a Half Men. Weeds could be a spoiler, but never has a non-HBO cable show gotten a series nom. Will that change this year?

Top Ten Best Drama Series:
Boston Legal
Damages
Dexter
Friday Night Lights
Grey's Anatomy
House
Lost
Mad Men
The Tudors
The Wire

1) Remember what I just said about non-HBO cable series? Yeah, that is probably going to change this year, with 4 of the 10 nominees being non-HBO cable shows. Golden Globe winning Mad Men has a great shot, as well as the buzzy Dexter, which got a nice fan boost by being aired on CBS during the writer's strike.
2) The oft-nommed too much Sopranos is finally gone, which most likely leaves a slot open for a new show to come in. I think 4 of the slots are locked pretty solidly. More on that in a moment.
3) WHERE IS BROTHERS AND SISTERS?!?!?!
4) Very nice to see ratings challenged Friday Night Lights make the cut. It really is a wonderful show, especially the first season. The second season was hampered a bit by some silly subplots that were a ploy to get ratings (they didn't work). But the acting on the show, especially by leads Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton as Coach and Mrs. Taylor, is probably what got this show through. Yay for them.
5) Lost better effing make the final 5, which it hasn't done since WINNING in its first season. Season 4 was spectacular, and they submitted the instant classic episode "The Constant", so I have to figure it's chances are pretty solid.
6) Grey's Anatomy submitted their two hour season finale, which was classic Grey's in top form. It should also pick up a handful of acting nominations, especially in the supporting categories.

My Predicted Final Five: I am pretty certain that Lost, House, and Grey's Anatomy are locks. Mad Men looks good after it's Globe win, and I expect some love to finally be shown to Dexter.

Tom O'Neill, who writes for the LA Times, usually finds out the acting top tens and posts them. If he does, I will be blogging about those. I have some faves I am dying to see make the cut. We shall see...

A Great Show You May Not Be Watching

In television there are shows known as mid-season replacements, which can basically be pinch hitters when another show fails to connect in the ratings. They can either be inane reality/game shows (which they often are) or...they can turn out to be quite the little gem. Lest we forget that such TV titans as Grey's Anatomy and The Office both premiered in January. Well this past January, I discovered another Gem in ABC's Eli Stone. Not only was it a good show, it was like an Oasis of Scripted Television in the midst of the reality soaked writer's strike. Check out the Promo below:



The reason I am blogging about Eli Stone now is that ABC is repeating the first season starting this Saturday at 10/9 central. Set your DVR...or go to abc.com, where I believe the whole season is still available online. It's a fun and quirky show that really grew with every episode, and I am VERY excited to see where they take it in the second season. I am not going to say too much about the plot, cause you can get the basic premise of the show from the promo, and I would rather you take the same journey with Eli that I did. But I will give you 5 reasons why you should watch...

1) Jonny Lee Miller (aka Angelina's first husband) is hot and immensely likable as Eli.
2) Any show that features George Michael in a recurring role has got to be worth a look.
3) It's from Greg Berlanti, the current exec producer and show runner of Brothers and Sisters. If you love THAT show as much as I do, you can get a good idea of what to expect as far as writing and family drama from Eli Stone.
4) It features Broadway Vets Victor Garber and Loretta Devine (aka Adele on Grey's). Yay for the Broadway Peeps working on TV.
5) Characters often break out into song and dance. If you love musicals like me, you gotta check out some of the numbers on the show. See reason #4 and expect awesomeness.

I think what I like most about this show is its recurring theme that it is NEVER too late to change what direction your life is going in; no matter how much you may dislike about the person you are, you ARE capable of change if you wish it; and the very thing that you THINK could be your life's tragedy could be the very thing that saves it. Comforting thoughts, no?

People...eat the turkey and shut up.

So we are now 5 days away from the end of the current SAG agreement...with no new agreement in sight. 5 days away from another potential strike that will bring the entertainment business to its knees. 5 days away from potentially halting the new TV season and driving this TV junkie to watch the inane reality TV that the networks will inevitibably put up in How I Met Your Mother's time slot.

Personally, I feel a bit fed up with both sides of the negotiating table in this one. On one hand, the producers wouldn't be making as much money without the likes of a Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, and George Clooney (all of whom who have been VERY vocal in not wanting a strike and supporting AFTRA's pending agreement, which has become a nasty bone of contention with SAG). But on the other, Hanks, Meryl and Cloons are not going to be the ones overly affected by this. If there is a strike, Clooney will probably just go to his Italian Villa and soak up the sun and wine. It's the rank and file members, who SAG is claiming they are trying to protect, who are ultimately going to lose. Cause really, let's face it...the Producers are gonna win this. If you can call losing millions of dollars in work stoppage winning.

And it's just not the actors who will suffer. It's everyone from the directors to the craft services people to the cleaning crews who come in at the end of the day. No one wants another strike. So why can't both sides bend a little instead of being so obstinate?

I work for a union. I understand the need for trying to get more money for DVD residuals and new media streaming. We discuss it all the time in regards to taping Broadway shows, and how does an artist get paid from DVD sales or having their show aired on MTV. It's a whole new world out there as far as media accessiblity goes. But how can you control it? I have no idea.

I just find it hard to beileve that SAG thinks they can get a better deal than the DGA, WGA, and AFTRA. I know they are the biggest union, but did they not see how long the writer's strike went on? From what I read, it seemed the DGA and WGA both got pretty decent deals...not everything they wanted, but a decent deal. So why can't SAG model their new agreement after those?

Clearly, I don't have any answers. These are just musings. Because ultimately, I am a fan. I don't want my TV season affected. I don't want my summer of 2010 to have no good movies. I just want everyone to come to a fair deal that gives both sides pieces of what they want. That is why it is called negotiating.

Last week, I read on my favorite website ew.com a quote from Terry Crews, a cast member in Get Smart and the TV show "Everybody Hates Chris". Crews seems to me like more of a Rank and File member of SAG. Yes, he is working, but he is not making the big bucks. It's actors like him who are going to feel this the most. And his thoughts are as follows:

"Other actors like Get Smart costar Terry Crews (Everybody Hates Chris) can't help but show their impatience with the protracted negotiations. 'I gotta get my jobs. I gotta look out for Terry Crews and family. I got bills to pay. It is ridiculous that anyone would think that we should go through all that s--- again in the same year. This is a good living if you can make it work; this is not drilling holes in sheet metal for a living. So, people, let's all realize how lucky we are and work s--- out. It is like watching your family in a fight. What are you going to do? They keep fighting over something stupid. Or, worse, nothing, and, meanwhile, no one gets to eat the Thanksgiving turkey until they're done. The turkey is getting cold. People eat the turkey and shut up.'"

Best Analogy ever. Eat your turkey and shut up.

(This non-entertainment crime related entry is just for Kelly)

Bones and The Perils of YouTube

Okay, this post was originally going to be one of a series called "The Best Show You May Not Be Watching". And well, it still kinda is.

Towards the end of the Writer's Strike, I decided to get all caught up on shows I felt I should be watching. I plowed the American version of The Office in about two weeks. Love it. But when I got all caught up, I was sad. What show would I marathon now? Well, thanks to hulu.com (best site ever, btw), I rediscovered Bones. Now, I had casually watched Bones in its first season, and had always liked it, but it often conflicted with other shows I watched thanks to Fox constantly shuffling its time slot. Well, Hulu had the entire first season online, and I dove right in...and became obsessed. I netflixed Season 2...and then realized that not all of the current season 3 was online. What to do?! I could NOT wait for the DVD to come out. I needed my Bones NOW! Well, that is where my lovely friend Nate came in handy. Being a bit of a computer whiz, he got all of season 3, put it on a memory stick, and mailed it to me. (THANK YOU NATE) And really people, I don't think any of my other friends watch, and you really should.

Why is this show so great, you might ask? Isn't it just your standard procedural show, ala CSI? No. It's CSI with character development...I would put Bones in the same vein as House and The X-Files. Yes, there is always a crime/mystery to be solved, but there is also great humor and characters you actually care about. And David Boreanaz and Emily Deschanel have RIDICULOUS chemistry. Booth and Brennan are the new Mulder and Scully...you are just dying for them to get together, but the whole thrill is in the will they or won't they element. And we all love that, don't we (um, Jim and Pam anyone? I thought so.)? Plus, they are just great as partners, the characters just complement each other very well, and you care about their back stories and what happens to them. The supporting cast is just as likable as the leads. And the science of the show is just freaking cool (and has a high gross out factor for anyone who might be squeamish). The show really came into its own in the second and third seasons, and is now definitely on my must see list for the fall...which throws a wrench into my viewing schedule, but that is another blog. Anyway, check out this clip from season 3, which I feel captures the essence of Booth and Bones perfectly:



Okay, the perils of youtube...in my search for the perfect clip from Bones to put on this blog, I stumbled upon the many fan videos made for the show. You've all seen things like this before. Someone takes their favorite characters from a show and basically creates a music video with scenes from various episodes. These exist for just about ANY show with a central couple...Grey's Anatomy, The Office, Dawson's Creek, etc. And what I find is that when you watch one, you cannot help but watch another...and another...and another...

Until you realize that you have spent most of your evening watching them. Yes, friends, this is how I spent my Tuesday Night. Watching Booth and Brennan videos on youtube. Here are the two best ones I found:





I can't decide which is worse...the fact that people take that much time to make the "perfect" video or the fact that I sat and watched said videos all night? Thoughts?

In the Meantime, lessons I have learned from tonight:

1) Youtube is the biggest time sucker on the planet.
2) David Boreanaz is DELICIOUS. And under appreciated. I mean, the man has been working for pretty much ten years straight on television between Buffy, Angel, and now Bones. And he always seems to have amazing chemistry with his leading ladies. So gold star to him. He's creeping towards the top 5.
3) I need to own Bones on DVD. My birthday is in December. Just keep that in mind. :-)

Skadoosh and Smash

My name is Kim and I am a pop culture junkie.

Whew. It's good to say that outloud. Many of you know, I used to regularly maintain a blog on myspace that revolved around various entertainment related top tens, thoughts on TV shows, and celebrity gossip in general. After a few months of silence I started getting the questions of "Why don't you blog anymore?". Well, I guess I got a bit burned out...not that I didn't have anything to say (cause I always have an opinion on everything), I just ran out of the energy to actually say them on a blog. Well, no more my friends. I am back and back with a vengeance. So look forward to my thoughts on Movies, TV, Music, Books, Celebrities...basically anything entertainment related :-) I hope you enjoy it. I know I do.

What is a better thing to do on a Sunday where scattered storms are predicted than to go to the movies? And what is better, I had a free movie pass from my Regal Crown Club rewards...and the Kaufman Astoria theatre is one of the easiest theatres to movie hop in, so I decided to catch up on some of my summer movie blockbusters by double featuring Kung Fu Panda and The Incredible Hulk. For Free. Hey, I see enough movies, I am owed some free ones every once in awhile!!

Kung Fu Panda is just delightful. The animation is top notch, and some of the fight sequences are more thrilling than many live action sequences I have seen this year (please refer to the second movie I saw today). Stand out sections include villain Tai Lung's escape from prison and when the Five battle Tai Lung on a suspended bridge. Truly breathtaking, and right on par with Pixar level animation.

The trend with many animated flicks these days is to rely on celebrity voice casting. This isn't always a good thing, as while a celebrity voice may be recognizable, it may not be a good animated character voice. This is not the case in Kung Fu Panda. Great voicing all around. Jack Black is made for this kind of thing. He infuses Po with both great humor and great empathy. But the real standout voice to me was the inspired casting choice of Dustin Hoffman as Kung Fu Master Shifu. He's gruff and cantankerous, yet lovable and hilarious. The sequences with Shifu training Po are great.

The story itself has a great message of self acceptance and the importance of believing in yourself. The only thing I would say negatively about this movie is that unlike Pixar films like Finding Nemo and The Incredibles, it lacked some of the sophisticated wit that made those movies enjoyable for both the kids and adults. But that is a minor quibble, considering that it has what may possibly be the catchphrase of the summer in "Skadoosh". All in all I really enjoyed it, and highly recommend it. A-

As soon as the credits rolled, I scurried into an adjourning theatre to check out The Incredible Hulk. I will admit that I never saw the much maligned first film, and have never really cared for the Hulk as a character in general, so I may be a bit biased. I found the movie to be mediocre at best. Now, I love me some Ed Norton, but I wasn't buying what he was selling in this role. I know Bruce Banner is supposed to be a mild mannered scientist, but Norton lacked all of his usual charisma in this role. And there is just something about how he looks that doesn't gel with being a comic book character. Perhaps it's the soft jawline and chin and his sloping eyes? (Don't get me wrong, I think Norton is attractive just not really for this movie. I like him better circa "Keeping the Faith") He just didn't work for me...and when your lead doesn't work, you know you are in trouble. Liv Tyler has never been more beautiful, but she had little more to do in the movie than whisper "Bruce" and gaze up at the Hulk with tears in her eyes. But I am very glad to see her back up on the screen again after she took a few years off to start a family.

What I disliked most about Hulk was the fact that it lacked most (if not all) of the gravitas, heart and wry humor of good comic book movies like Iron Man and the first two Spidermans (I prefer to think the third Spidey never happened). I just didn't care as much. Sure there were lots of things blowing up and being Hulk smashed, but what is that without some heart behind it? Just a bunch of explosions. So if that is your game, you'll love it. Perhaps it was the director? Would it have been different in the hands of a Jon Favreau, Sam Raimi, or Bryan Singer? I think so. Or was it the script? It was known that Norton contributed heavily to the script (but was not given credit for it) and also clashed heavily with the Studio as to whether to focus more on character development or action. The studio won, resulting in Norton doing little to no publicity for the film. Would Norton's version have been better? We'll never know.

I also feel that in the era of Gollum in Lord of the Rings, Davy Jones in Pirates, and Kong in Peter Jackson's King Kong, the CGI character of Hulk was very lacking. Unlike Gollum and Davy Jones, where you can clearly see the actor behind the CGI, I saw very little of Norton in the Hulk. Yes, yes most of the time you aren't supposed to see any of Bruce in Hulk, but in those moments when we are supposed to see Bruce coming through, I just didn't see any of Norton's emotion in the animation. And like I said, we know that there are CGI characters capable of that. Plus there was a shot of Hulk and Betty on a cliff that was a clear ripoff of a shot in Jackson's King Kong.

It's really sad when the highlight for me was the short cameo by Robert Downey Jr's Tony Stark is the highlight of the movie. Now THAT, my friends, was inspired casting. Maybe it is just because Stark is a more enjoyable character, but Downey had more charisma in 2 minutes than Norton did for the whole film. And MAN, he looks hot in those power suits.

Clearly, they leave the movie open-ended for a Hulk 2 (or is it 3? or are we just pretending Ang Lee's version didn't exist?). Will I go see? Maybe...for free. C-

That's all for today. We've got a big movie weekend coming up: Wanted and Wall-E. I want to see them both...