If you’re like me and consider watching reality television a full-time job, then you’ll be setting your TiVo for the second installment of Jersey Shore tonight on MTV. It’s arguably the worst that television has to offer these days, which is why I love it and cannot wait for tonight’s episode. In fact, it’s so bad (and by “bad”, I mean brilliant) that I’m considering skipping the TiVo and watching it in real time. [Read more →]
To Netflix, Reed Hastings, CEO;
Dear Reed,
First of all let me say how much I enjoy your service. Watching movies that I don’t own without having to drive to the video store or subscribe to cable TV is well worth whatever it is I pay you on a monthly basis. Also, thanks for leading the way on delivering video content via the internet. Now I can catch up on all of those episodes of Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe that I miss out on by not having cable. What? No? Okay, well, get on it then. But you still managed to put the other guys out of business by doing what they do better. That’s the creative destruction of the market at work, and truly the essence of the American Dream.
But unless you’re looking to hire someone to watch movies all day and write summaries of them, I’m not here just to heap praises upon you. I’m here to discuss your site’s use of genre. [Read more →]
The LA Times reports that UCLA plans to screen the old Sherlock Holmes classic films.
I like Basil Rathbone in his early films as Holmes, but I was not crazy about Rathbone/Holmes fighting Nazis in the later films. Holmes was out of his time and element in those films.
I was also a big fan of Jeremy Brett as Holmes on PBS’ Mystery! The series was very faithful to Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories.
Our nation’s women are being swept off their feet by a (not exactly) new phenomenon — vampires!
Sexy, young, brooding, vampires — not the swishy Bela Lugosi kind. The vampire I am talking about kinda looks like a cracked out John Mayer. [Read more →]
When a film has Jim Sheridan as its director, a screenplay by screenwriter/author David Benioff and is based on a film (Brødre) written and directed by acclaimed Danish director/writer Susanne Bier, it would be surprising if the film were anything short of first rate. Although the copious advertisements for Brothers suggest a smarmy familial love triangle, Brothers is a thoughtful and dark exploration of war’s effect on soldiers and their families. The big stars in the film do a fine job with the serious material. [Read more →]
Until Thursday, I was perfectly happy to be the tail wagging the very, very end of the Baby Boomer dog. But, apparently, I am in reality part of the lamest-ass generation since Generation Y (how sad are those afterthoughts?)
That’s right, Generation Jones. What does it mean, you ask? How is it that one surname can so succinctly encompass the dreams and lives of those born between 1954 and 1965? [Read more →]
In my last column, I remarked in passing that while great music is always original, originality alone doesn’t account for its greatness. The same is true of all art, of course, not just music
As for why this so, something C.S. Lewis had to say on the subject, which I came upon just the other day, is especially insightful: [Read more →]
“But that’s too strong cuz it is my favorite holiday.” It’s about that time… your turkey leftovers should be gone (and if they’re not, please throw them away), black friday and cyber monday are behind us, the big Christmas tree is lit at Rockefeller Center, and “Last Christmas” by Wham! is playing at every Gap across America. It’s official, the holidays are here. [Read more →]
When Clareece “Precious” Jones (Gabourey Sidibe) realizes that her life may finally improve, she gives most of the credit to her teacher, Ms. Rain (Paula Patton). Precious recognizes that the teacher helping her once had problems of her own. In one of the film’s many voiceovers, Precious reflects on this and says, “I think that maybe some of them was in tunnels. And in that tunnel, the only light they had, was inside of them. And then long after they escape that tunnel, they still be shining for everybody else.” Beautifully directed by Lee Daniels and wonderfully acted by newcomers, pop stars and a comedienne, Precious is a film about how small kindnesses can create a force powerful enough to combat unspeakable cruelty and suffering. Although the film is gritty and uncompromising, there are moments of surprising beauty and humor, and Precious looks very different from most of the standard Hollywood offerings. [Read more →]
I have long been interested in Che Guevara, although I am hardly an admirer, and I’ve read scores of books about him, including his Bolivia war diary and his other works.
So as a student of history, as well as film, I forced myself to sit through the two long films about Che Guevara last week on the IFC cable channel.
Recently, my wife and I attended a Philadelphia Orchestra concert that featured, as the concluding work, the Danish composer Carl Nielsen’s fifth symphony, which is perhaps best-known — even notorious — for its first movement duel between snare drum and orchestra (a note in the score instructs the drummer to improvise “as if at all costs to stop the progress of the orchestra”).
At its premiere in 1922, the symphony was pretty well-received by both critics and the public. But a couple of years later, when performed in Stockholm, about a quarter of the audience is said to have fled the hall. Those who remained in their seats were none too pleased, either. My wife, more than 80 years later, felt their pain. [Read more →]
Has anybody else gotten the memo going around? The one reminding us to dump buckets of ridicule and disdain on pre-teen girls?
Because, they’re getting kind of big for their britches, you know. Every few years they join forces to bring about these huge cultural phenomena, like Twilight, and before that Hannah Montana and the Jonas Brothers and Hello Kitty and friendship bracelets and the Disney Channel and Titanic and those one-hit wonders, the Beatles. So, accordingly, they should be universally crushed and stomped, because — as everyone knows — if tweeners like it (read girl tweeners), it must be lame and contemptible. [Read more →]
When I was a kid, before school, I’d pour myself a bowl of Cap’n Crunch and watch TBS. Back in those days, TBS rotated classic comedy shows in their morning schedule, and so I’ve seen more episodes of Gilligan’s Island, Bewitched, and Andy Griffith than I care to admit. [Read more →]
Which modern day martyr do you think Huffington Post contributor and ‘philosopher’ Bernard Henri-Levy is talking about here?
“Nothing will repair the days he has spent in prison. Nothing will erase the immense, unbelievable injustice he has been subjected to. Nothing will take away the hysteria of those ones who have never stopped pouring contempt upon him, hounding him through hatred and asking for his punishment as if we were living the darkest and most ferocious hours of the McCarthy era all over again. At least the nightmare is about to end. At least the end of the hell is looming. And this, for the time being, is what does matter.” [Read more →]
The memoir craze has been going on as long as I can remember, which is about 10 years. Anyone who wants to criticize my knowledge of the publishing world should remember that 10 years ago I was in high school and spent most of my time trying to discreetly look down girls’ shirts. I wasn’t that discreet. But, let the record show I was never perverted enough to look up anything, nor was I scholarly enough to look up anything. To be honest autobiographies aren’t my cup of tea. Sure, I got curious, especially in college, and I’ve read a few, but generally the genre falls flat unless the person is famous or serious addictions are revealed. Beg, Borrow, Steal: A Writer’s Life by Michael Greenburg is an exception. This memoir is a solid and engaging read as you see Greenburg’s life through New York City snapshots.
I just read a news item that informed me that ABC has announced they will air an Oprah Winfrey/President Obama Christmas special.
As Obama is slipping badly in the polls, failing at most of his major programs, and doesn’t appear to be all that interested in national security, I’d like to offer a modest proposal that will make all of America happy. [Read more →]
“Have you ever had a secret you couldn’t tell anyone?” Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner) asks Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart). Yes, Jacob, and here it is. I was bitten by an inexplicable desire to see The Twilight Saga: New Moon on its opening Friday night, despite the crowds and sold out shows. Judging by the shrieks and squeals from the teenage girls that filled the theater, this film will score big with its target audience. As for the adults, The Twilight Saga: New Moon is not as, uh, “good” as its predecessor, but is still a bit of harmless fun. [Read more →]
If you are like me and can’t get enough of the troubled Gosselin family, you tuned in to the series finale of Jon and Kate Plus Eight last night on TLC. The series came to a close quietly, the same way it began – with Kate being pragmatic as ever and Jon blinking stupidly into the camera. After five seasons, the show is ending following Jon’s claims that the constant presence of the cameras is harming his children. Funny how the constant presence of money from TLC into his bank account hasn’t harmed anyone. [Read more →]
I’m a little behind on watching The Oprah Winfrey Show, so it was with great surprise that I recently discovered that my beloved idol, Oprah Winfrey, will be bringing her show to an end in September 2011. Upon hearing her utter the ill-fated words, “The countdown to the end of The Oprah Winfrey Show starts now”, I fell to my knees and let out a scream heard around the world. [Read more →]
The American Music Awards (Sunday, 8PM, ABC) — I am a big fan of music award shows. Grammy’s, VMA’s… hell I’ll even watch the CMA’s. Last night were the American Music Awards so obviously I watched. I didn’t get around to many shows this week so I am dedicating this week’s column to the awards show. It was clearly a night for the ladies. My commentary below: [Read more →]
