Film
Public Enemies (2009)
The Final Destination (2009)
Keith (2008)
TV
Paranormal State
60 Minutes
Amazing Race
Weeds (Season 5 on DVD)
Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains
The Winter Olympics (some)
About the kindest thing I can write about the Olympics this year is that it will end tonight with the Gold Medal hockey game between USA and Canada. GO USA (Visa-Suck It!) Now, the networks can go back to first run programming instead of repeats.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Film Shorts
"The Convincer" is still casting, but I'm anxious to see this film. Greg Kinnear, Alan Arkin, Billy Crudup, Lea Thompson, Michelle Artur, Bob Balaban and David Harbour are signed on. It's about a desperate Midwest insurance salesman scheming to get a rare violin. This brings about unforeseen consequences. Since "As Good As It Gets" has Kinnear put out a bad film? Can't wait! I'll update as warranted.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
My Viewing Journal, Week 6 of 2010
Film
We Own The Night (2007)
The Final Season (2007)
Julie and Julia (2009)
Red Dawn (1984)
Transsiberian (2008)
TV
Two and a Half Men
Paranormal State
Survivor, Heroes vs. Villains
Medium
We Own The Night (2007)
The Final Season (2007)
Julie and Julia (2009)
Red Dawn (1984)
Transsiberian (2008)
TV
Two and a Half Men
Paranormal State
Survivor, Heroes vs. Villains
Medium
Thursday, February 18, 2010
"Amexicano"
In the course of viewing low budget indie films, we are often subjected to one or all of: poor editing, poor sound quality, poor picture resolution, and a lack of substance in story. "Amexicano" gives relief to the tiresome indie experience. I was grateful to watch talented actors be the characters they are supposed to be. Furthermore, that Actor/Writer Carmine Famiglietti wrote the story without a political axe to grind.
When one is accustomed to brash, coarse, hard edge films, "Amexicano" feels too soft. But, when I relaxed into the pace of the movie I learned the point of his story. That even in tough economic times one can find joy. The joy that these characters find is friendship.
Amexicano is a term coined by Ignacio (Raul Castillo) when Bruno (Carmine Famiglietti) joins the day laborers on a street corner in Queens New York. Out of work yet again, Bruno takes odd jobs with his new friend and finds a place to belong with Ignacio and his "wife."
The story takes a few turns, but no leaps of fantasy. When you want to be entertained by story rather than over-the-top excitement, find "Amexicano" and pay to rent either on-line or on DVD.
When one is accustomed to brash, coarse, hard edge films, "Amexicano" feels too soft. But, when I relaxed into the pace of the movie I learned the point of his story. That even in tough economic times one can find joy. The joy that these characters find is friendship.
Amexicano is a term coined by Ignacio (Raul Castillo) when Bruno (Carmine Famiglietti) joins the day laborers on a street corner in Queens New York. Out of work yet again, Bruno takes odd jobs with his new friend and finds a place to belong with Ignacio and his "wife."
The story takes a few turns, but no leaps of fantasy. When you want to be entertained by story rather than over-the-top excitement, find "Amexicano" and pay to rent either on-line or on DVD.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Idea Put Into Action: IFC
Jim Hamilton loved indie films so much, that he started an independent film club. Showing films in his living room in October, 2009. As of February 4th, he has 80 members! With a group that size, you'd have to have a big living room. Or, contract with a local theater to accommodate your group.
That's exactly what Jim did. So, starting Feb 21st, a theater in Oceanside, CA is showing indie films that the group has selected. One doesn't have to be a member to attend a viewing. But membership has it's privileges, and so members get a discount opportunity.
Jim and his North County Film Club are hoping that this will give indie films more attention and encourage theaters other than downtown art houses to show true indie films.
If you do not live in the So. Cal. take a page from Jim and start your own indie film club. From time to time, you'll good indie films reviewed here for suggestions. A good one to start with would be "The Lookout" starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Jeff Daniels posted in January, 2010.
That's exactly what Jim did. So, starting Feb 21st, a theater in Oceanside, CA is showing indie films that the group has selected. One doesn't have to be a member to attend a viewing. But membership has it's privileges, and so members get a discount opportunity.
Jim and his North County Film Club are hoping that this will give indie films more attention and encourage theaters other than downtown art houses to show true indie films.
If you do not live in the So. Cal. take a page from Jim and start your own indie film club. From time to time, you'll good indie films reviewed here for suggestions. A good one to start with would be "The Lookout" starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Jeff Daniels posted in January, 2010.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
My Viewing Journal, Week 5 of 2010
Film
"Our Very Own" (2005)
"Ghost World" (2001)
"Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" (1997)
TV
"The Office"
"The Middle"
"Modern Family"
"Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains"
"Two And A-Half Men"
"Paranormal State"
"Ghost Adventures"
"The Mentalist"
"Our Very Own" (2005)
"Ghost World" (2001)
"Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" (1997)
TV
"The Office"
"The Middle"
"Modern Family"
"Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains"
"Two And A-Half Men"
"Paranormal State"
"Ghost Adventures"
"The Mentalist"
Thursday, February 11, 2010
"Freaks and Geeks" (2000)
Long before Judd Apatow was "knocking-up" Hollywood. Before James Franco was sharing the big screen with Tobey McGwire. Before Linda Cardellini was running through "E.R." stat! Before Jason Segel gave us all something to forget about in "...Sarah Marshall." Before Seth Rogen was pumping out movie after movie, Busy Phillips was prowling "Cougar Town", and John Francis Daly was recurring on "Bones" and then hired to co-write New Line's updated version of the "Vacation" series of movies. They all had one thing in common. NBC's "Freaks and Geeks."
F&G was the best show ever canceled by the network. I don't think they gave it much of a chance. They moved from nights week to week, making it difficult for even the most rabid fan to find. Airing 16 of the 18 episodes taped. Yes, I'm still very bitter. This was truly a great show.
F&G was creator Paul Feig's semi-auto bio show about a group of geeks and a separate group of burn-outs growing up in 1980 small town Michigan. Feig said that growing up a geek, he was often teased with the pajorative "fag". So, he gave the character who would most closely resemble his experience the name Sam Weir (rhymes with queer). He intended this slur to be a runner to torment Sam through the series. NBC stopped it after one use. Guess it was too real.
Sam (John Francis Daly) was a 14 year old freshman geek with best friends Neil (Samm Levine) and Bill (Martin Star). The three clung together with their common interest of: "Star Wars"; "Star Trek"; Bill Murray; Steve Martin; girls and how to interact with them; and how to stay safe from bully "Allan"
Lots of kids are teased as freshman and freshman geeks get the worse. Sam had it from all sides, except from his older sister Lindsay (Linda Cardellini). In the pilot, Lindsay began a cross over from straight "A" student and mathlete to a freak. Wearing her father's drab Army jacket, doubting the existence of God, and pulled away from everyone that once was in her confidence.
The burn-outs of Daniel (Franco), Kim (Phillips), Neil (Segel), and Ken (Rogan) each had their own baggage in life that seemed to point to their apathy for school and a need for escapism.
F&G could have easily of gone 100 episodes without breaking a sweat. Story lines were rich in subtext, characters real depth with back story. These people were so relatable that you either were them or knew them growing up.
Superbly casted. Allison Jones(casting) was hired to cast "The Office" by EP Greg Daniels because, as he said, "I thought Freaks and Geeks was the best casted show ever." Seeing all the success that almost all the players have had since F&G, who could disagree?
This dramedy was as touching a show as TV could ever make. One can not help but to love the kids even when they are being selfish punks. When NBC canceled F&G they deprived us of something really special. You can however still get it on DVD. Or rent it legally online.
F&G was the best show ever canceled by the network. I don't think they gave it much of a chance. They moved from nights week to week, making it difficult for even the most rabid fan to find. Airing 16 of the 18 episodes taped. Yes, I'm still very bitter. This was truly a great show.
F&G was creator Paul Feig's semi-auto bio show about a group of geeks and a separate group of burn-outs growing up in 1980 small town Michigan. Feig said that growing up a geek, he was often teased with the pajorative "fag". So, he gave the character who would most closely resemble his experience the name Sam Weir (rhymes with queer). He intended this slur to be a runner to torment Sam through the series. NBC stopped it after one use. Guess it was too real.
Sam (John Francis Daly) was a 14 year old freshman geek with best friends Neil (Samm Levine) and Bill (Martin Star). The three clung together with their common interest of: "Star Wars"; "Star Trek"; Bill Murray; Steve Martin; girls and how to interact with them; and how to stay safe from bully "Allan"
Lots of kids are teased as freshman and freshman geeks get the worse. Sam had it from all sides, except from his older sister Lindsay (Linda Cardellini). In the pilot, Lindsay began a cross over from straight "A" student and mathlete to a freak. Wearing her father's drab Army jacket, doubting the existence of God, and pulled away from everyone that once was in her confidence.
The burn-outs of Daniel (Franco), Kim (Phillips), Neil (Segel), and Ken (Rogan) each had their own baggage in life that seemed to point to their apathy for school and a need for escapism.
F&G could have easily of gone 100 episodes without breaking a sweat. Story lines were rich in subtext, characters real depth with back story. These people were so relatable that you either were them or knew them growing up.
Superbly casted. Allison Jones(casting) was hired to cast "The Office" by EP Greg Daniels because, as he said, "I thought Freaks and Geeks was the best casted show ever." Seeing all the success that almost all the players have had since F&G, who could disagree?
This dramedy was as touching a show as TV could ever make. One can not help but to love the kids even when they are being selfish punks. When NBC canceled F&G they deprived us of something really special. You can however still get it on DVD. Or rent it legally online.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
"Sex Drive"
Rarely will I recommend a goofy sex crazed romp. And rare is now. "Sex Drive" is yet another tormented-teen, trying to lose his virginity, cookie-cut-out movie. And I'm recommending that you see the unrated version.
So many times we have heard DVDs advertised "Get the unrated version with scenes we couldn't show you in theaters." You watch it only to find out that the unrated scenes were edited by producers because they suck. Not by censors because they were too racy. "Sex Drive,Unrated" is filled with nudity more for broad comedy, less for sex appeal.
Ian (Josh Zuckerman) is an 18 year old virgin getting girl advise from his very experienced best friend Lance (Clark Duke). Lance tells Ian to be a jerk because people always want what they can't have. Ian practices the advice via the Internet since he's not comfortable doing it for real. Lying about his looks and hobbies, Ian finds a girl that tells him her parents are out of town and if he travels the many miles to her town, they can "go all the way." So Ian, Lance and their friend Felicia (Amanda Crew) steal Ian's brother's car for the trip.
As is typical in this genre, the trip is the most eventful part and many laughs and problems occur. Including finding Ezekiel (Seth Greene), an Amish guy who seems to know everything there is to know about cars. Just a little something he picked up during Rumspringa. David Koechner is a funny and a touch psychotic hitchhiker. Everything comes to a head in the city of the appointed hook-up.
The casting is probably the second most critical choice when making a film, and I think they got it right at every turn. Clark Duke is an against type choice for the "player" role of Lance, which plays along with the theme of the character. Also, Charlie McDermott and Mark L. Young (both auditioned for "Ian" and wisely not given the role in that they would simply be too cool) stole the scenes they were in. "Andy" and "Randy" are these two uber confident teens whose only problem is, "They can't close." These two will have a long career in entertainment, should they choose.
"Sex Drive, Unrated" is a very funny DVD, with a few blunders left in for us to laugh at. If you are in the mood, this will be a good time.
So many times we have heard DVDs advertised "Get the unrated version with scenes we couldn't show you in theaters." You watch it only to find out that the unrated scenes were edited by producers because they suck. Not by censors because they were too racy. "Sex Drive,Unrated" is filled with nudity more for broad comedy, less for sex appeal.
Ian (Josh Zuckerman) is an 18 year old virgin getting girl advise from his very experienced best friend Lance (Clark Duke). Lance tells Ian to be a jerk because people always want what they can't have. Ian practices the advice via the Internet since he's not comfortable doing it for real. Lying about his looks and hobbies, Ian finds a girl that tells him her parents are out of town and if he travels the many miles to her town, they can "go all the way." So Ian, Lance and their friend Felicia (Amanda Crew) steal Ian's brother's car for the trip.
As is typical in this genre, the trip is the most eventful part and many laughs and problems occur. Including finding Ezekiel (Seth Greene), an Amish guy who seems to know everything there is to know about cars. Just a little something he picked up during Rumspringa. David Koechner is a funny and a touch psychotic hitchhiker. Everything comes to a head in the city of the appointed hook-up.
The casting is probably the second most critical choice when making a film, and I think they got it right at every turn. Clark Duke is an against type choice for the "player" role of Lance, which plays along with the theme of the character. Also, Charlie McDermott and Mark L. Young (both auditioned for "Ian" and wisely not given the role in that they would simply be too cool) stole the scenes they were in. "Andy" and "Randy" are these two uber confident teens whose only problem is, "They can't close." These two will have a long career in entertainment, should they choose.
"Sex Drive, Unrated" is a very funny DVD, with a few blunders left in for us to laugh at. If you are in the mood, this will be a good time.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
TV Bits
NBC is filming a pilot for new comedy show "Outsourced." The show picks with a recently demoted manager of a novelties company is shipped off to India to manage a group of customer service representatives.
Ken Kwapis (Freak and Geeks; The Office) will Executive Produce and that gives me a lot of reason to expect great things from "Outsourced."
HBO is working again with the team that gave us "Entourage." Mark Walhberg, Stephen Levinson, and "Entourage" creator Doug Ellin will Executive Produce a show currently being written by Ben Schwerin about a young political aide and his relationship with the former President of the United States. Walhberg has EP'd a few made for cable shows now, and all have been expectational. I have no reason to think this will be different.
Check back for updates on these shows as they come.
Ken Kwapis (Freak and Geeks; The Office) will Executive Produce and that gives me a lot of reason to expect great things from "Outsourced."
HBO is working again with the team that gave us "Entourage." Mark Walhberg, Stephen Levinson, and "Entourage" creator Doug Ellin will Executive Produce a show currently being written by Ben Schwerin about a young political aide and his relationship with the former President of the United States. Walhberg has EP'd a few made for cable shows now, and all have been expectational. I have no reason to think this will be different.
Check back for updates on these shows as they come.
Film Shorts
Have you heard of musunahi.com? I hadn't until I read in Film News Briefs that DreamWorks has made a deal with the Museum of SuperNatural History blog site. hollywoodreporter.com reported that they are still in the script phase and trying to figure out how to write about the "lunatic-fringe material." In any case, I think this will be fun. Check back for updates as they develop.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Showtime's, "The United States of Tara"
Every now and then, I 'm a late arrival for a really good show. "The United States of Tara" is one such case. Already in it's second season, I recently watched season one of Showtime's program on DVD in about a day.
This is Diablo Cody's (Juno; Jennifer's Body) brilliant creation about Tara, a wife and mother of two dealing with Dissociative Identity Disorder (short explanation, think of multiple personalty disorder).
In the Pilot, Tara (played by Toni Collette- Little Miss Sunshine; The Sixth Sense) has gone off her medication that helps to prevent transitions into other personalities. A decision that will cost both her children some pride and each a relationship. The problem with this approach is the chaos that the alters T, Alice and Chuck bring to their home. Max (John Corbett) is Tara's husband is placed in a typical male quandary of, "How do I help fix this?" Meanwhile, being told not to try. The US of Tara is funny, clever, and a heartache. I both hate what Tara is doing to her family and love watching it.
In the same vein of Juno, Diablo Cody created teenage characters that are more sophisticated than their ages suggest. Daughter Kate (Brie Larson) is devious in her poor attempts at coping and occasionally acts out sexually. Son Marshall (Keir Gilchrist) is a bookish old soul who listens to Billie Holiday, wears a neck tie to school and full pajamas to bed, and happens to be gay. One of the more interesting choices producers made was how to write about this aspect of Marshall.
Not the typical "coming out" story or the marching and protesting for equal rights they way every other story would. Instead Cody gave layers to Marshall and allowed the show to hit the ground running with his family already knowing and treating him for who he is. Among other things, a kid who cooks and loves movies.
Of all that is good with the series, it does have it's problems. All the episodes are filled with cursing and that's a bit hard on my ears. My biggest beef is the lack of boundaries, even among the sane. It's hard for me to watch such rough language between parent and child and the crudeness in which they talk about sex. For me, it cheapens the human relations down to two dogs humping on the front lawn and no one having the decency to turn on a hose. Still, every episode has a eye widening surprise. And not all good surprises.
I have not yet watched any of the second season. But, that's not for a lack of want. "The United States of Tara" is funny, then nerve racking, then funny again. "Always leave them wanting more" is an adage clearly understood by Cody and company (which includes EP Steven Spielberg) and it's skillfully applied.
This is Diablo Cody's (Juno; Jennifer's Body) brilliant creation about Tara, a wife and mother of two dealing with Dissociative Identity Disorder (short explanation, think of multiple personalty disorder).
In the Pilot, Tara (played by Toni Collette- Little Miss Sunshine; The Sixth Sense) has gone off her medication that helps to prevent transitions into other personalities. A decision that will cost both her children some pride and each a relationship. The problem with this approach is the chaos that the alters T, Alice and Chuck bring to their home. Max (John Corbett) is Tara's husband is placed in a typical male quandary of, "How do I help fix this?" Meanwhile, being told not to try. The US of Tara is funny, clever, and a heartache. I both hate what Tara is doing to her family and love watching it.
In the same vein of Juno, Diablo Cody created teenage characters that are more sophisticated than their ages suggest. Daughter Kate (Brie Larson) is devious in her poor attempts at coping and occasionally acts out sexually. Son Marshall (Keir Gilchrist) is a bookish old soul who listens to Billie Holiday, wears a neck tie to school and full pajamas to bed, and happens to be gay. One of the more interesting choices producers made was how to write about this aspect of Marshall.
Not the typical "coming out" story or the marching and protesting for equal rights they way every other story would. Instead Cody gave layers to Marshall and allowed the show to hit the ground running with his family already knowing and treating him for who he is. Among other things, a kid who cooks and loves movies.
Of all that is good with the series, it does have it's problems. All the episodes are filled with cursing and that's a bit hard on my ears. My biggest beef is the lack of boundaries, even among the sane. It's hard for me to watch such rough language between parent and child and the crudeness in which they talk about sex. For me, it cheapens the human relations down to two dogs humping on the front lawn and no one having the decency to turn on a hose. Still, every episode has a eye widening surprise. And not all good surprises.
I have not yet watched any of the second season. But, that's not for a lack of want. "The United States of Tara" is funny, then nerve racking, then funny again. "Always leave them wanting more" is an adage clearly understood by Cody and company (which includes EP Steven Spielberg) and it's skillfully applied.
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