It’s impossible to avoid the apocalypse these days. Whether we encounter the End in the form of news reports on Global Warming, or fears of Iran getting the bomb, or plague panics such as H1N1, we seem to be living in a high point of apocalyptic anxiety, with horrible Doomsdays lurking round every corner. And yet, the End has never been so much fun. Roland Emmerich released his latest apocalyptic blockbuster 2012 in November, and since then we have enjoyed Zombieland, The Road, The Book of Eli, Legion and even Al Gore’s dreadful poem read aloud on morning TV in the presence of a fawning sycophant. Much more is to come, and this is to say nothing of video games, books, comics, or half the output of the History Channel. [Read more →]

Tags: art & entertainment, politics & government, religion & philosophy, terror & war by Daniel Kalder
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Cougar Town (Wednesday, 9:30PM, ABC) — I was a little behind on one of my favorite new shows of the season… hell, one of my favorite shows on TV, Cougar Town, and I am finally all caught up. That show cracks. me. up. Just when I thought there was no way Courteney Cox could be funnier than she was as Monica Geller, she is as funny, if not funnier, as Jules Cobb. I don’t have Showtime so I do not watch United States of Tara (though I have seen it) and Toni Collette is excellent, but I think Courteney got robbed at the Globes. Especially at an awards show where underdogs and comeback kids rule the envelopes. [Read more →]

Tags: Lauren Likes TV, television by Lauren LaBumbard
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10. You’re the surviving half of Milli Vanilli

9. Your comedy album is entirely in Kurdish

8. Your CD just went Tin

7. Your musical style is a cross between Zamfir and Boxcar Willie

6. Your reggae album was recorded using only bagpipes

5. Before you copied and released your album, you forgot to make sure the microphone was on

4. You’re up against Lady Gaga in the category Most Gaga

3. Your CD’s main popularity is as a beer coaster

2. Your band is named The Living Kazoos

1. There isn’t a category called Highest Score on Guitar Hero
 

Bob Sullivan’s Top Ten Everything appears every Monday.

Tags: art & entertainment, Bob Sullivan's top ten everything, music, television by Bob Sullivan
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Children, come in and join me on the couch. You’re probably wondering why I’ve called you in here. Well, something big is potentially happening and I wanted you to hear it from me rather than out in the street. This is going to be difficult to say but I want to first stress to you that nothing is official. I’m sure that what I’m about to tell you will turn out to be a vicious rumor but just in case, we have to prepare ourselves for what will be the most awful / amazing thing that has ever happened in the history of the world. Take a deep breath, kids: Brad and Angelina might be splitting up. [Read more →]

Tags: art & entertainment by Meg Boyle
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Robert Downey Jr. makes all of his films better and he certainly deserves his Golden Globe award. He has great chemistry with co-star Jude Law, and their scenes together are lots of fun.  And although I never thought of Sherlock Holmes as an action hero, the fight scenes are excellent. But a murky plot, mediocre direction, poorly written female characters and miscast actresses keep this film from being really good. It is mildly enjoyable, but I expected better. [Read more →]

Tags: Gail sees a movie, movies by Gail D. Rosen
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I love Martha Stewart as much as the next gal. Need a cheese plate presentation, a pinecone wreath, or a stamped invitation? Count on Martha to lead us to domestic bliss. Need to see an old lady on a stripper pole? Count on Martha for that too. And it certainly is not a good thing. [Read more →]

Tags: television by Nancy DeGregorio
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In addition to generating huge amounts of revenue and winning tons of awards (James Cameron can now add two Golden Globes to the trophy pile), Avatar makes people want to die. Not the way Battlefield Earth makes people want to die; with films like that the suicidal thoughts typically fade once you reach the parking lot. No, Avatar fills people with the despair of knowing the Na’vi live in such a magical world and ours, by comparison, kind of blows. And I have to wonder, is this the first time these people have ever felt this sorrow…or does it occur every time they head to the multiplex? [Read more →]

Tags: art & entertainment by Sean Cunningham
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24 (Monday, 9PM, FOX) — Tick… tick… tick… tick… “The following takes place between 4pm and 5pm.” Ahh, it was so good to hear those words. Jack Bauer, unwillingly, was back in action rather quickly this season and thank goodness for that. He tried, unsuccessfully, to not be involved with CTU affairs but it didn’t happen and before we knew it, he was toting around a terrorist, shooting locks off doors with his last bullet, and saving the lives of others while putting his own at risk… basically, he was just being Jack. It was so very Jack of him to slice that fire ax into the chest of that bad guy. [Read more →]

Tags: Lauren Likes TV, television by Lauren LaBumbard
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10. Outtakes from The Office

9. The Numa Numa Guy

8. A test pattern

7. Law & Order: Mail Fraud Unit

6. Jimmy Fallon

5. Canadian Curling Championships

4. A couple sitting on their couch, watching the cop show Southland on TNT

3. YouTube videos of guys getting hit in the goolies

2. Reruns of whatever was on from 9 to 10

1. Jeff Zucker’s home movies
 

Bob Sullivan’s Top Ten Everything appears every Monday.

Tags: art & entertainment, Bob Sullivan's top ten everything, television by Bob Sullivan
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Until recently my favorite piece of Obama kitsch was unquestionably the mind-blowing, bizarre paintings of the president naked, astride a unicorn, fighting  a naked Sarah Palin or wrestling with a fat, naked Rush Limbaugh. If you have never seen them then I urge you to waste no more time and click on this link. the images will be seared onto your retinas forever. [Read more →]

Tags: art & entertainment, politics & government by Daniel Kalder
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The Nancy Meyers fantasy of an almost 60-year-old women being pursued by two attractive men near her age is pretty simple and somewhat predictable. But how can you not like a film in which Meryl Streep (Jane) gets to say, “Turns out I’m a bit of a slut.” Oh yeah, and she gets to be a slut with Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin. As unrealistic romantic comedies go, It’s Complicated isn’t, but it is a whole lot of fun, mostly due to the performances of the three leads. [Read more →]

Tags: Gail sees a movie, movies by Gail D. Rosen
2 Comments »

She’s stopped playing Peeping Tom with Russia, she’s sold millions of dollars worth of books, she has electrified a large segment of the population, but the GOP’s official cheerleader has decided it’s time to step her game up.

[Read more →]

Tags: politics & government, television by Mike McGowan
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The holidays are over. We’re 11 days into frigid January. Spring is 68 days away. What do we have to look forward to? TV winter premieres, that’s what (hey, it’s something). Now the real truth is that we’re going to have to wait many months for some of our faves to come back (Glee for instance, returns in April), but some have already returned (Desperate Housewives, Brothers & Sisters, Modern Family, Cougar Town), there are some new goodies on their way now and some of our go-tos return this week. Here’s what to watch for this winter season: [Read more →]

Tags: Lauren Likes TV, television by Lauren LaBumbard
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Due to a tear in the time-space continuum, the following, which appears to be a wish list for a New Hollywood Squares pilot episode for Fall 2030, found its way into my email box. Sender: The Future.

[Read more →]

Tags: art & entertainment, television by Joshua Goldowsky
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Avatar is a movie everyone should see and no one should think about ever again. By “see”, I mean “watch in 3D on the biggest movie screen you can find.” (Avatar is the anti-Godfather, which demands to be viewed whenever you stumble upon it flipping channels no matter how many times you’ve seen it or how crappy your TV is.) And by “think about”, I mean “do not consider any non-visual aspect of the film.” Just remember there were blue things, they were cool, and that is all. [Read more →]

Tags: movies by Sean Cunningham
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Since the beginning I have claimed to be a Family Guy fan. And I suppose I still am. It’s fun to watch a show push boundaries and earn a fan base purely on cut-a-way gags. But, I was watching Family Guy in syndication and realized the following: I’ve never really liked this show; left to my own devices I’d never watch it; but I love being someone who watches Family Guy when I’m around other people. Yes, I realize this is fucked up. [Read more →]

Tags: fan boy says, movies, television by Steve Mazzeo
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You probably should wait till the kids go to bed or make sure your boss is out at lunch before you play this. But, whatever you do, make sure to play it — and play it with an open mind. Talent comes in mysterious forms and I expect you will ask the same question I asked myself, “How on earth does someone figure out they can do this?” And then answer your own question with “I’d rather not know!”

Hat Tip to The Frisky

Tags: ends & odd, music by Amy Boshnack
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“Directing a movie is a very overrated job; we all know it. You just have to say yes or no; what else do you do? Yes, no, yes, no — that is directing,” Lilli (the always marvelous Judi Dench) tells Guido Contini (the always divine Daniel Day-Lewis). Well, yes–and no.  Director Rob Marshall’s yes and no choices are on larger than life display in Nine, in similar ways as they were in his 2002 Chicago.  Your feelings about Chicago may be a good predictor of your enjoyment of Nine.  I enjoyed both. Nine has a glamorous all star cast, and the hard work this bevy of beauties put into the musical numbers pays off here. Day Lewis is riveting, the story is one for adults, the production numbers are big and this film looks good. And despite some melancholy moments, Nine is a whole lot of fun. [Read more →]

Tags: Gail sees a movie, movies by Gail D. Rosen
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Satirist Craig Brown of the Daily Mail has it for you:

A new biography of the film star Warren Beatty claims that he has been to bed with 12,775 women. The author adds, usefully, that the figure ‘does not include daytime quickies, drive-bys, casual gropings, stolen kisses and so on’

Thank goodness. Wait: “drive-bys?” How does that … never mind.

[Read more →]

Tags: art & entertainment, getting older by Neil Verma
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10. Car Crash on 34th Street

9. So You Think You Can Gift Wrap

8. Bob Dylan’s Hanukkah/Christmas Special

7. Bernie Madoff’s New Year’s Rockin’ Prison Eve

6. Rudolph the Downsized Reindeer

5. I Saw Adam Lambert Kissing Santa Claus

4. When Reindeer Attack

3. Drape Some Tinsel on This, Charlie Brown!

2. The Grinch Who Robbed Parking Meters

1. Don Knotts’s It’s A Wonderful Fife
 

Bob Sullivan’s Top Ten Everything appears every Monday.

Tags: Bob Sullivan's top ten everything, ends & odd, television by Bob Sullivan
1 Comment »