Movie of the Week – Braveheart

This week’s movie is Braveheart (1995).

The pseudohistorical action drama is about William Wallace, a Scottish commoner who unites 13^th Century Scots in the battle to overthrow tyrannical English rule. The film is directed by and stars Mel Gibson (for which he won an Oscar), and features an iconic score from James Horner (one of my favorites from the 90s), brilliant cinematography from John Toll (probably not as good as his work on The Thin Red Line, but close – and he won as Oscar for it) and good production design from Thomas Sanders. As a teenager, I utterly loved this movie – every part of it – it was my favorite movie of all-time. Now, having seen a lot more stuff and grown up a bit, I still really like the film and find it wholly entertaining, but its overbearing Hollywood narrative structure lessens my overall admiration of it. Gibson and screenwriter Randall Wallace (and if you have seen any of his other films, it is abundantly clear that he buy into the Hollywood structure mind-body-and-soul) craft the film to elicit and dictate the audiences emotional interaction with the film, manipulating the audience (something great directors do as well, but here it is far more blatant). Now having seen more films from better filmmakers, I find it heavy handed and a bit forced. It is also hard to take Gibson serious now, which hurts the film as well – given he is in almost every scene. All that aside, it is still among my favorite films (especially among action/war). Gibson is good in the film, among my favorite work of his as an actor (but again, his antics since have hurt the film in the present). The supporting work of James Cosmo, Sophie Marceau, Patrick McGoohan, David O’Hara, and especially Brendan Gleeson and Angus Macfadyen (who I to this day still call The Bruce) is fantastic. Braveheart won the 1996 Best Picture Oscar and personally has a ton of nostalgic appeal for me. It is a must see for fans of historical dramas (though, much of the history in the film is wrong), war movies and action films. Check out the trailer.

Available on Blu-ray, DVD, Streaming and to Rent

The-Dream – 1977 Mixtape (2011) – Review

The-Dream – 1977

The-Dream, delaying his new album The Love; IV (Diary of A Madman) for a second time due to label trouble, decided to give his fans a mixtape, that he reportedly made in a week or so. While the album is not mixed as well as his studio albums (which is often the case with mixtapes), it is still a typically good sonic outlay from The-Dream. His style of falsetto singing mixed with heavy synthesizers creates a great unique sound. The album is a little uneven (especially the pointless and not very good song featuring his recent signee Casha, Silly), but when it is good (which is for the most part is) it is just as good as The-Dream’s albums (which is amazing considering he made this so quickly). The three features (not counting Silly which is sung solely by Casha) are all good; I particularly like Pharrell’s work. If anything, 1977 shows just how talented The-Dream is – an album he made in a week is better than most of the other R&B albums to come out this year. I have very high expectations for The Love; IV (Diary of A Madman). This is definitely worth downloading for his fans. 3/5

Editor’s Song Picks:

1)      Wake Me When It’s Over – Produced by The-Dream

2)      Ghetto – Featuring Big Sean, produced by The-Dream

3)      Real – Featuring Pharrell, produced by The-Dream

Available on Digital Download

The Weeknd – Thursday Mixtape (2011) – Review

The Weeknd – Thursday

Canadian singer The Weeknd burst onto the scene earlier this year with his first mixtape House of Balloons (available here), which was probably the best album of the first half of 2011. His second mixtape Thursday is also very good. The Weeknd has a similar sound to another wonderful modern R&B artist, The-Dream, but much rawer – which is one of the most compelling aspects of his songs. There is so much emotion, mostly coming across as sadness. The brilliant production by Doc McKinney & Illangelo gives the album such a dark atmospheric feel. House of Balloons caught the attention of fellow Canadian Drake, who is featured on this album and is working with The Weeknd on his own forthcoming album Take Care. Picking three tracks above the rest is difficult as the whole album is very good and has such a great flow and build to it. Both House of Balloons and Thursday are breaths of fresh air and are both musts. I cannot wait to hear his third mixtape Echoes of Silence. If you have not heard Thursday yet, go download it, as there has not been too much music better this year. 4/5

Editor’s Song Picks:

1)      Lonely Star – Produced by Doc McKinney & Illangelo

2)      The Zone – Featuring Drake, produced by Doc McKinney & Illangelo

3)      Life of the Party – Produced by Doc McKinney & Illangelo

Available on Digital Download

Our Idiot Brother (2011) – Review

Review: Our Idiot Brother is funny, but plays much more like a character piece and a drama than what the marketing would suggest. The film does not work at all if you go into it expecting an R-rated comedy (similar to the work Paul Rudd has done with Judd Apatow), because that is not the type of film it is at all. Rather, it is a light drama (that is also funny at times) centered on Ned and his three sisters and how he kind of exists on a different wavelength and interrupts their lives when he falls on hard times and needs their help. Director Jesse Peretz does a terrible job with the tone and structure of the film, ultimately ruining the good performances from the great cast. The film is clearly not a straightforward comedy, but Peretz tries to make it work as if it were with his tone – and thus many of the conversations seem as if they are supposed to be funny but are not (I am not sure they were really intended to play that way in the script). The tone is very lighthearted and happy-go-lucky (much like the character Ned), creating a world in which nothing bad can possible happen, yet the story is about the struggles that each character has with their relationships (and the contrast of Ned in the real world would have been more compelling). The tone does not fit the material at all. Peretz also has no cohesive story structure. The film is about Ned trying to get money so he can move back to his old home so he can be closer to his dog, but it is more about the relationship he has with his sisters and their relationships with their significant others. As is, the story just sort of meanders around clumsily touching on story elements, but nothing really feels important or engaging, because the structure is not defined (and really the narrative is not defined; it is just sort of vague), and thus the resolution is fairly meaningless. All that said the film still manages to be somewhat enjoyable purely from a performance and character standpoint, as many of the actors (especially Rudd) do very good work. While Our Idiot Brother is a failure of narrative filmmaking, the actors still make it a little funny and dramatically engaging (somehow). By the end, the audience actually cares about Ned (and that is solely due to the work of Rudd and the other actors).

Technical, aesthetic & acting achievements: Jesse Peretz can add yet another horribly directed film to his resume (and honestly, I have nothing against him, but I just hate to see talented actors wasted by poor filmmakers). The original songs and score by Eric D. Johnson and Nathan Larson are fairly good and fit the film well. The found music is also good (here is an example). Yaron Orbach’s cinematography has a straightforward indie style to it, which also fits the picture, but Inbal Weinberg’s production design is probably the most interesting technical/aesthetic work in the film, as he contrasts each character against the others with their unique living spaces. The cast is wonderful in the film, and are really the only reason it is not terrible. Rashida Jones and Adam Scott shine among the smaller supporting roles, while the three sisters Elizabeth Banks, Zooey Deschanel and especially Emily Mortimer bring a lot to their characters (when really the script does not give them too much, but the actresses do a great job fleshing them out). Paul Rudd continues to show that he is not just a funny guy, but a fantastic dramatic actor. He completely goes for the character of Ned, and is lovable, heartfelt and sincere (when many actors would not have been able to pull it off, or made a joke of him).

Summary & score: The brilliant cast saves the film from sheer awfulness (and for many viewers, they probably do not), but I also think Our Idiot Brother works a lot better if you go into it thinking it will be a character piece, as that is what it is meant to be. 6/10

Fright Night (2011) – Review

Review: Fright Night is yet another film in which Hollywood (in this case Disney) tries to cash in on the current (and maybe fleeting) vampire craze – and not only that, it is also a remake. But, much like last year’s Let Me In (a remake of Let the Right One In), this version of Fright Night is just as good as the original. Director Craig Gillespie’s film has fun action, a wonderful dark aesthetic and sort of a mix between a dark and light tone (dark in terms of visual, narrative content and the amazing score and light in terms of the Marti Noxon’s jovial spirit of the script and the fun the actors have with their characters), leading to a film that works quite well – being both entertaining and scary. It exists in a grey area between being a comedy adventure and a horror adventure, but seems to focus more on the horror aspects. The comedy works for the most part (mostly centering on two characters: Peter Vincent and Ed), but the film is not nearly funny enough to really be deemed a comedy. It is much more an action horror adventure (that also has funny moments, similar to say Raiders of the Lost Ark, minus the horror genre). Thus, those looking for laughs as the primary reason for seeing it may be left feeling a bit disappointed (and that is really only a critique on the expectations of viewers). Going in cold (as in knowing nothing) or expecting a horror film, it plays much better. To a degree (and I feel this is true about many films with characters that are not quite fleshed out enough or have potential for more – aka the narrative is not tight or strong enough to make the film feel fully complete or sufficient as is), Fright Night may have worked better with everyone involved as a miniseries. The characters have a lot of rich potential and the narrative feels very rushed, having to get through the whole story in less than two hours. Since there is so much plot to get through, the characters do not have enough depth (for my liking). That said, the story is good enough, Gillespie’s narrative does not stall or drag and viewers want to see the resolution and are thus kept interested despite the weaker characters (though, I imagine the film does not work as well on repeat viewings). All in all, Fright Night is a fun and enjoyable horror adventure (in a genre that seldom delivers anything but crap) that is worth seeing.

Technical, aesthetic & acting achievements: Craig Gillespie seemed like a good choice coming into the film from a comedy perspective (having a drama/indie style of comedy), but really what worked the best was the horror aesthetic he created for the film (it is my favorite of his three to date). The great aesthetic look of the film also has a lot to do with the excellent work by cinematographer Javier Aguirresarobe (who in a weaker year than this, as this year has featured a lot of really well shot films, his work might be up for a yearend LeapBackBlog award) and production designer Richard Bridgland (Las Vegas and the cookie-cutter residential development made for a great setting). Ramin Djawadi’s score is pitch-perfect. It is menacing, has sort of a classic horror throwback to it and fits the material very well (definitely among my favorite scores of the year, here is a suite). Gillespie (et al.) also did a fantastic job casting the film. Toni Collette, Christopher Mintz-Plasse and Imogen Poots (a star to watch) are great in their supporting roles, but David Tennant is brilliant (very funny and charismatic). As good as Tennant is, Colin Farrell steals the movie. Jerry the vampire seems to be a part that is just right for him – brooding good looks, an ironic sense of humor and yet still able to come across as frightening and dangerous. Anton Yelchin is good in the lead, but a bit overshadowed.

Summary & score: Horror films are rarely good these days, but Fright Night is a funny and action packed adventure horror. 7/10

Movie of the Week – L.A. Confidential

This week’s movie is L.A. Confidential (1997).

The crime drama is about three LA policemen who investigate the shooting of another officer at an all night diner. It takes place in the 1950s and is sort of a noir throwback. The film features a wonderful group of filmmakers and actors. Curtis Hanson directs (one of his best films; I also like In Her Shoes and Wonder Boys), Jerry Goldsmith provides a great score, Dante Spinotti’s cinematography is always at its best when he is shooting crime films, and the design work by Jeanine Oppewall is also very good. All in all, this is a very well made film. Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe and Guy Pierce are fantastic in the leading parts, while James Cromwell, Kim Basinger (who won an Oscar), Danny DeVito, and David Strathairn are good in support. L.A. Confidential was nominated for Best Picture at the 1998 Academy Awards and is one of the best films of the decade. Hanson is able to create a narrative that mixes both elements of hardboiled detective films and good action set pieces with great character work. It is a must see of fans of crime dramas and film noir. Check out the trailer.

Available on Blu-ray, DVD, Streaming and to Rent

TV Preview 2011/2012 – Most Anticipated New Series

Here are a few of the new shows that I am most looking forward to this season.

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New Girl

Genre: Comedy

Network: Fox

Creator(s): Elizabeth Meriwether

Cast: Zooey Deschanel, Max Greenfield, Jake M. Johnson, Lamorne Morris, and Hannah Simone

Premier Date: September 20, 2011

Plot Summary: The series is about a girl who moves in with three guys delving into the sexual politics of men and women.

Why It Made the List: New Girl seems very generic and uninteresting – then why is it on the list? Well, the people involved are fantastic, which means it has a lot of potential to be fun. Creator Liz Meriwether wrote No Strings Attached, which is very funny, and has worked on Children’s Hospital, which is also funny. Series regular Max Greenfield has potential, while I have never seen Ugly Betty and very little of Greek he was good in Veronica Mars. I am excited about Jake Johnson getting a comedy role on a sitcom, because he has great delivery. He was funny in No Strings Attached, Ceremony and Get Him to the Greek. And finally, the series star is played by Zooey Deschanel. She is funny and completely adorable and awesome – if there was ever a reason to give a sitcom a chance, her involvement is a very good one.

Trailer: Here

Alcatraz

Genre: Mystery

Network: Fox

Creator(s): J.J. Abrams and Elizabeth Sarnoff

Cast: Sarah Jones, Jorge Garcia, Sam Neill, Parminder Nagra, and Robert Forster

Premier Date: 2012

Plot Summary: The series is about the unlikely team of San Francisco Police Detective Rebecca Madsen and Alcatraz expert Dr. Diego Soto, who come together when former prisoners of Alcatraz who disappeared decades ago begin to reappear.

Why It Made the List: The show is executively produced by J.J. Abrams and we all know his TV credentials. Elizabeth Sarnoff is also a great writer coming from Lost and Deadwood. The cast looks to be a good group. Alcatraz seems to be yet another shot at recapturing the magic and formula of Lost (and at least this time it is by the guy who brought us Lost). I will give anything Abrams does a chance (I mean, he is four for five so far), but based on the previews this looks interesting and could be quite good.

Trailer: Here

Person of Interest

Genre: Action Mystery Crime Drama

Network: CBS

Creator(s): Jonathan Nolan

Cast: Jim Caviezel, Michael Emerson and Taraji P. Henson

Premier Date: September 22, 2011

Plot Summary: The series is about Reese, a former CIA agent who is hired by a mysterious billionaire, Mr. Finch, to stop crimes from happening (sort of a pre-crime type thing).

Why It Made the List: For me three names made this a lock for me definitely watching: J.J. Abrams (who producing), Jonathan Nolan (Chris Nolan’s brother and co-writer of The Dark Knight) and Michael Emerson (Ben from Lost, my favorite character on the show). CBS claims that it tested better than any other show they have tested in the last fifteen years. It sort of has a Fringe vibe to it (based on the trailer, and that is a good thing as Fringe is fantastic). It is like TV Christmas with two new shows involving J.J. Abrams coming this season.

Trailer: Here

House of Lies

Genre: Comedy

Network: Showtime

Creator(s): Matthew Carnahan

Cast: Don Cheadle, Kristen Bell, Dawn Olivieri, Ben Schwartz, and Josh Lawson

Premier Date: January 8, 2012

Plot Summary: The series is about a self-loathing management consultant who is not above any means to get what he wants and what is necessary for his clients.

Why It Made the List: While the show’s creator Matthew Carnahan’s last series was the unsuccessful (critically and commercially) Dirt, House of Lies has a great cast. Finding almost nothing worth her time film wise, Kristen Bell is back on TV (which for fans of Veronica Mars, like me, is awesome). Don Cheadle is a wonderful actor, so of course his involvement is a plus and Ben Schwartz is hilarious on Parks and Recreation as Jean-Ralphio (cannot wait to see what he does with a bigger role). On paper, House of Lies has a lot of potential to be a good comedy, and Showtime has done well with the genre with shows like Weeds (at least in the first four seasons) and Californication.

Homeland

Genre: Psychological Thriller Drama

Network: Showtime

Creator(s): Howard Gordon, Alex Gansa and Gideon Raff

Cast: Claire Danes, Damian Lewis, Mandy Patinkin, and Morena Baccarin

Premier Date: October 2, 2011

Plot Summary: The series is about Marine Sergeant Scott Brody, a prisoner of war who returns home after eight years missing in Iraq, and CIA officer Carrie Anderson, who suspects that Brody might be a sleeper agent plotting an attack on America.

Why It Made the List: Homeland features two of my favorite TV (and film) actors in Claire Danes (who is amazing in Temple Grandin) and Damian Lewis (Band of Brothers and Life), and Mandy Patinkin (The Princes Bride) and Morena Baccarin (Firefly) have been great in past projects as well. The writers are also great for the genre. Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa executively produced and wrote on 24, while Gideon Raff comes from a horror background. With such good leads and the psychological thriller premise, Homeland has the potential to be the best new show. Plus, being on Showtime gives it a lot of flexibility to go as dark as it need to go, or as gritty. I am really excited for this show.

Trailer: Here

Life’s Too Short

Genre: Comedy

Network: HBO

Creator(s): Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant and Warwick Davis

Cast: Warwick Davis

Premier Date: 2012

Plot Summary: The series is about a fictional portrayal of Warwick Davis and his day-to-day showbiz life.

Why It Made the List: If you love The Office, Extras, Cemetery Junction, and The Ricky Gervais Show, chances are you are as excited about this project as I am. Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant will also make cameos as fictionalized versions of themselves. More than likely this is going to be brilliant and really funny. I cannot wait to see it.

Trailer: Here

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TV Preview 2011/2012 – 25 Must See Series, Part 5: 5-1

Has television programming ever been better than it is right now? Not in terms of great individual shows, but in terms of lots of really great shows (many of which did not make this list, and I had some tough decisions) on the air right now. This is a list of the best twenty five series in the upcoming 2011/2012 season.

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Community

Rank: 5

Genre: Comedy

Network: NBC

Creator(s): Dan Harmon

Cast: Joel McHale, Chevy Chase, Donald Glover, Alison Brie, and Gillian Jacobs

Premier Date: September 22, 2011

Current Season: Third

Plot Summary: The series is about a smartass lawyer whose falsified education records are discovered and is disbarred pending his completion of college credits. Thus, he enrolls at Greendale Community College looking to coast through and quickly return to his great life as a lawyer. But, while at Greendale, he meets friends who become life his family.

Why It Made the List: (In the ‘Cast’ section I am limiting myself to listing five names so it does not get out of hand, but I need to list the other three regular cast members here because they are all wonderful: Danny Pudi, Yvette Nicole Brown and Ken Jeong). Community is the funniest show on TV. Everyone in the cast is brilliant, each doing their own thing and style of comedy (I love that each has their own moments and style, the show does not confine them to specific generic jokes like most comedies seem to do). Creator Dan Harmon also is not afraid to take the show to crazy awesome places – the paintball episodes, for example, are among the most amazingly great things on TV (creativity and fearlessness like this reminds me of another TV auteur Joss Whedon). There are a lot of great, very funny comedy sitcoms right now – Community is simply just the best.

Dexter

Rank: 4

Genre: Crime Drama

Network: Showtime

Creator(s): Jeff Lindsay and James Manos Jr.

Cast: Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Carpenter, Lauren Velez, David Zayas, and James Remar

Premier Date: October 2, 2011

Current Season: Sixth

Plot Summary: The series is about Dexter Morgan, a likable Miami police forensics investigator, specializing in blood work. But Dexter has a secret – he is a serial killer. He also lives by a code, to kill only those who deserve it and escape justice.

Why It Made the List: Dexter is a wonderful mix of horror, comedy, drama, mystery, suspense, and action. At its best, there is not a show that it better. Michael C. Hall is outstanding in the title role and is really what makes this show so great – plus the excellent writing. Season six has a couple challenges facing it: first, new showrunner Scott Buck is taking over the reins (but he is a veteran of the show and has written many of the great episodes), and second can the show stay fresh, when each season arc is more or less the same. Colin Hanks has joined the cast and is rumored to be the season’s big bad. I love this show, the blood and violence may not be for everyone, but I highly recommend it for those that enjoy Showtime and HBO style dramas.

Game of Thrones

Rank: 3

Genre: Adventure Drama

Network: HBO

Creator(s): David Benioff and D.B. Weiss

Cast: Sean Bean, Lena Headey, Jack Gleeson, Emilia Clarke, and Peter Dinklage

Premier Date: April 15, 2012

Current Season: Second

Plot Summary: The series is about the many plots of kings, queens, knights, and renegades to gain the throne.

Why It Made the List: How good is Game of Thrones? Well it is a new show and is already in the top three. Fans of adventure and fantasy genre films have been waiting for a series this good – and one of HBO at that. The cast is fabulous, and is only getting better for season two with the additions of: Stephen Dillane, Carice van Houten, Liam Cunningham, Natalie Dormer, Gwendoline Christie, and Hannah Murray. The visuals and writing are equally as fantastic. The show reminds me a little of Rome, with the larger than life characters and all the scheming. Game of Thrones was the most talked about show of last season, and one you should not miss out on.

Breaking Bad

Rank: 2

Genre: Crime Drama

Network: AMC

Creator(s): Vince Gilligan

Cast: Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn, Dean Norris, and RJ Mitte

Premier Date: July 17, 2011

Current Season: Fourth

Plot Summary: The series is about Walter White, a high school chemistry teacher who is informed he has terminal cancer. He is an underachieving chemistry genius who has nothing to leave his family once he is gone. He decides to cook meth to make some money, and just gets sucked deeper and deeper into a life of crime.

Why It Made the List: Breaking Bad is amazing. If you do not watch this show, you really need to start. Bryan Cranston is beyond brilliant as Walter White and Aaron Paul is very good as his partner. Sadly, season five (or the last 16 episodes whether it ends up just being season five or split between five and a sixth season) will be the last. Aside from how well written and acted this series is, what I love about this show is how much it has evolved. Walter White from episode one to present is almost unrecognizable – the best shows are able to do this without missing a beat. In my opinion, Breaking Bad has taken up the mantle that The Shield left for best crime drama on TV.

Mad Men

Rank: 1

Genre: Drama

Network: AMC

Creator(s): Matthew Weiner

Cast: Jon Hamm, Elisabeth Moss, Vincent Kartheiser, January Jones, and Christina Hendricks

Premier Date: March 2012

Current Season: Fifth

Plot Summary: The series is set in New York City during the early 1960s. It is about Donald Draper, a genius ad man with a mysterious past.

Why It Made the List: The best show on TV means it has the best writing, best characters, best narrative arcs, best performances – Mad Men has all these things. It was a great show from the start, but really came into its own in season two, and has just become better and better with each season. The cast is perfect; in addition to those listed above, these actors also do phenomenal work on the series: Aaron Staton, Rich Sommer, Kiernan Shipka (who will benefit greatly from the break the show has taken), Alison Brie (who is lucky enough to be on two of the best five shows), Jared Harris, and especially John Slattery. While this does not have the action, suspense or adventure of many of the other shows on this list, Mad Men has fantastically well drawn characters that continually develop over the course of the series –watching the lives of these characters, caring about them all. Season four completely changed up the show, and I cannot wait to see what happens next. With Breaking Bad, Mad Men is a show you must watch.

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TV Preview 2011/2012 – 25 Must See Series, Part 4: 10-6

Has television programming ever been better than it is right now? Not in terms of great individual shows, but in terms of lots of really great shows (many of which did not make this list, and I had some tough decisions) on the air right now. This is a list of the best twenty five series in the upcoming 2011/2012 season.

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Fringe

Rank: 10                                 

Genre: Sci-Fi/Mystery

Network: Fox

Creator(s): J.J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci

Cast: Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson, John Noble, Lance Reddick, and Jasika Nicole

Premier Date: September 23, 2011

Current Season: Fourth

Plot Summary: The series is about Olivia Dunham, an FBI agent who investigates unexplained phenomena with the help of a formally institutionalized scientist Walter Bishop and his son Peter.

Why It Made the List: Fringe started out as a The X-Files like procedural, but with the show becoming more serialized the narrative has become much more interesting. I like this show a lot because it is different from anything else on TV (well as least as much as something on network TV can be). Where it is now from how it started in the pilot is amazing – Fringe’s writers are so ambitious to push the show’s narrative. While this may not be as highly ranked on other TV lists, I love watching Fringe – from its wonderful aesthetic, great performances and writing to its inventiveness and multifaceted narrative. There is not a better sci-fi show on TV.

Boardwalk Empire

Rank: 9

Genre: Period Crime Drama

Network: HBO

Creator(s): Terence Winter

Cast: Steve Buscemi, Kelly Macdonald, Michael Pitt, Michael Shannon, and Shea Whigham

Premier Date: September 25, 2011

Current Season: Second

Plot Summary: The series is Nucky Thompson, a politician and gangster who ruled Atlantic City during the 1920s.

Why It Made the List: All you really need to know about Boardwalk Empire is that it is a period gangster series on HBO executively produced by Martin Scorsese – if you are not interested at this point, maybe this show is not for you. It is also one of the best acted shows, dominating the TV Screen Actors Guild awards in 2011. In addition to the principal cast, Boardwalk Empire has great guest stars, including: Michael Stuhlbarg, Stephen Graham, Michael Kenneth Williams, and Gretchen Mol. Gangster genre fans need to see this.

The Office

Rank: 8

Genre: Comedy

Network: NBC

Creator(s): Greg Daniels, Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant

Cast: John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, Rainn Wilson, Ed Helms, and James Spader

Premier Date: September 22, 2011

Current Season: Eighth

Plot Summary: The series is about the employees at the Scranton, Pennsylvania, branch of the paper company Dunder Mifflin – done in the style of a documentary.

Why It Made the List: The Office has two big challenges this season: first, can the show continue without Steve Carell? Second, can the show return to the quality consistency it once had? James Spader has been cast to be Steve Carell’s replacement and it on paper seems like a good choice, but of course we will have to wait to see how it plays out. While the seasons as a whole continue to be good, the episodes consistency has not been quite as good in the last two seasons. The show is also relying too much on celebrity cameos lately. I love this show, more even than the British original (on the surface that sounds crazy, maybe, but it is because I know and love these characters more than the British versions). There have not been too many sitcom style comedies that have done a better job of fleshing out their characters, and this is really why this show is so good – and it is really funny.

Justified

Rank: 7

Genre: Western

Network: FX

Creator(s): Elmore Leonard and Graham Yost

Cast: Timothy Olyphant, Nick Searcy, Joelle Carter, Natalie Zea, and Walton Goggins

Premier Date: February 2012

Current Season: Third

Plot Summary: The series is about an old-school style U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens, who is reassigned to Eastern Kentucky near his hometown, surfacing up old feelings and conflicts.

Why It Made the List: Westerns are few and far between these days, and great ones are even scarcer. Justified is a Modern Western, but still features a lot of the same ethos of the classic Westerns of cinema (and to a lesser extent TV). After Deadwood, Timothy Olyphant is just the perfect person to play the lead in Justified (Raylan is not too different from Seth Bullock, and that is not a bad thing as both a great characters). While season one was very good, it only scratched the surface of the show’s potential. Season two was even better and thus there is a ton of expectation for season three. TV needs a great Western, and Justified is that show right now.

Sherlock

Rank: 6

Genre: Mystery

Network: PBS

Creator(s): Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat

Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman

Premier Date: Spring 2012

Current Season: Second

Plot Summary: The series is a modern update of the Sherlock Holmes story – a brilliant student of details who puts his gift to work solving crimes with the help of his friend Dr. Watson.

Why It Made the List: Sherlock Holmes is a character that has been done a ton of times (and even recently as a blockbuster movie series). Even so, BBC and Masterpiece Theatre’s Sherlock is completely fresh, exciting and original (even when it incorporates classic characters and storylines). I cannot wait to see Sherlock’s impending confrontation with Moriarty, who was done so well in season one. There are so many detective and mystery procedurals on TV today (some good like Bones, but most are just tired and poorly made), Sherlock should be the standard that all these shows and future procedurals to stand against and try to achieve the same level of quality. If you have not seen this yet, get on that.

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Game – The R.E.D. Album (2011) – Review

Game – The R.E.D. Album

Much like LAX, Game’s The R.E.D. Album has really good tracks (about eight) and a lot of filler. This album would be better if he just cut out the tracks that are not quite album quality (getting it down to about twelve songs). That said, iTunes allows us to uncheck songs, so I guess it does not really matter (and maybe the more music we get the merrier?). Game has really good flow and his lyrics fit his persona and style well. He has a lot of features on the album, mixing hip hop’s big stars like Lil Wayne, Drake, Rick Ross with LA legends like Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg. I also like that he features LA’s upcoming great artists Tyler, The Creator (there is a lot of hype around their track Martians vs Goblins, but personally I prefer Tyler’s track with Pusha T: Trouble on My Mind) and Kendrick Lamar. Game works again with Cool & Dre who make beats that fit Game’s flow well, but he also branches out working with DJ Khalil (who is making really good stuff right now) and up-and-comers Hit-Boy and Boi-1da. This is not quite a classic West Coast album like his first two albums (The Documentary and Doctor’s Advocate); it has much more of a mainstream hip hop sound (in terms of what is popular right now and not specifically geared to a certain region or style). However, there is enough good music to keep Game in the conversation for the best artists in hip hop (though, with all the great newcomers lately competition is getting very strong). Game fans are going to like The R.E.D. Album; others should probably just cherry pick the best songs. 3/5

Editor’s Song Picks:

1)      The City – Featuring Kendrick Lamar, produced by Cool & Dre

2)      Ricky – Produced by DJ Khalil

3)      Good Girls Gone Bad – Featuring Drake, produced by Cool & Dre

Available on CD and Digital Download

At the Movies – September 2011 – Part 3: This Month’s Best Films

Must See of the Month:

Drive (Nicolas Winding Refn) – Crime Drama – Sep 16

Summary: The film is about a Hollywood stunt driver who moonlights as a wheelman. After a heist goes wrong, he discovers that there is a contract out on his head. Filmmakers: Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn is known for very atmospheric and intense films (Valhalla Rising is a good example). Drive as a crime drama with an action aspect to it is a slight change of pace for him, which should be interesting. He has an odd mixture of collaborators working with him including crime drama genre composer (mostly) Cliff Martinez (Traffic), cinematographer Newton Thomas Sigel (who shoots all Bryan Singer’s films) and indie production designer Beth Mickle(Kind of a Funny Story). Cast: The cast is very good in its own right, but especially fitting for the genre with Ryan Gosling starring and supporting work from Christina Hendricks, Ron Perlman, Bryan Cranston, Carey Mulligan, Oscar Isaac, and Albert Brooks. Expectations: When I first heard about this project, having recently seen Valhalla Rising (and having loved parts and found others not to work, but certainly found Refn to be a fantastic filmmaker), I was very interested to see how Refn would fare making more of a Hollywood (or at least indie Hollywood) style narrative – and in particular one in this genre. Then I saw the trailer, and probably like everyone else who has seen it, I was blown away. It looks incredible (like top five remaining films of the year incredible – it reminds me of Bullitt). That said, this is easily the film I am most excited to see this month – but it is not just me. Drive was an official selection of the Cannes Film Festival and is one of the highest rated films from this year’s festival circuit. Check out the trailer. Review.

Worth Checking Out:

Contagion (Steven Soderbergh) – Thriller – Sep 9

Summary: The film is about an outbreak of a deadly disease and the team of doctors tasked with saving the human race from annihilation.  Filmmakers: Director Steven Soderbergh has been a bit uneven (at least for me) with his recent films, some good and some terrible. But when he is on, he is a very good filmmaker, especially when directing dramas. He has never really made a thriller, so I am interested to see how this turns out. He is shooting the film himself and working with frequent collaborator composer Cliff Martinez (Solaris and is also scoring this month’s Drive) and production designer Howard Cummings (The Usual Suspects). Cast: Contagion’s cast is almost too good for the film to be bad with Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Marion Cotillard, Bryan Cranston, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jude Law, Laurence Fishburne, John Hawkes, and Elliot Gould. Expectations: Honestly, I when I first heard about this film I was weary – not another Outbreak I thought, I mean how many of these films can they make. But having Soderbergh involved gives it the potential to be great and the cast kept me from dismissing it. The trailer is also quite engaging. I think it looks like a good thriller (be it one we have probably seen before, but good nonetheless). Check out the trailer. Review.

Moneyball (Bennett Miller) – Sports Drama – Sep 23

Summary: The film is about Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane – the man who changed baseball. Using advanced statistics and computer analysis to pick his players, enabling him to build competitive teams on a budget. Filmmakers: Excellent director Bennett Miller is back for his second feature (his first was the Oscar winner Capote). He is again working with composer Mychael Danna and two of the best in their respective fields cinematographer Wally Pfister (who shoots Chris Nolan’s films) and production designer Jess Gonchor (who designs the Coen Brothers’ films). Plus, the script is by Steven Zaillian (American Gangster) and brilliant writer Aaron Sorkin (The Social Network). Cast: It has a wonderful cast too with Brad Pitt starring and Jonah Hill, Robin Wright, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Chris Pratt, and Kathryn Morris supporting. Expectations: I love sports dramas, especially baseball dramas, so maybe I am bias right off the bat, but Moneyball has the right director, crew and cast to be an Oscar contender. It looks to be very good based on the trailer. Bennett Miller made one of the ten best films of 2005 (which was a very strong year), thus Moneyball comes with a lot of anticipation and expectation. Check out the trailer. Review.

50/50 (Jonathan Levine) – Drama – Sep 30

Summary: Loosely based on the life of the film’s writer Will Reiser, it is about a 27-year-old who is diagnosed with cancer, and his struggle to beat the disease. The film also looks at how his loved ones deal with the news. Filmmakers:  Indie director Jonathan Levine made a name for himself among the indie film crowd with his first two films All the Boys Love Mandy Lane and The Wackness. 50/50 looks to be more of a Hollywood style film, but if is as good as it looks it should serve as a springboard. He has a great crew with one of my favorite composers Michael Giacchino (Let Me In), cinematographer Terry Stacey (Adventureland) and production designer Annie Spitz (who got her first job as a production designer on The Wackness). Cast:  The cast has a great mix of some of the most talented young actors in Hollywood with Joseph Gordon-Levitt starring, Seth Rogen and Anna Kendrick co-starring and Bryce Dallas Howard, Anjelica Huston and Philip Baker Hall featuring in support. Expectations: It is difficult to make the kind of R-rated comedy that producer and co-star Rogen usually makes when you throw in cancer (just look at Funny People, which I think is underrated, but it did not play well for general movie-goers). However, there is enough talent, both dramatically and comedically to make this work. It looks to be both very funny and dramatically engaging. Check out the trailer. Review.