Friday, October 27, 2006

TV Reviews: "Lost" Wannabes

When I start reading a new comic book, I will give it four issues before I decide to keep reading or drop it. Some books start strong, some start slowly and four issues is generally about the right amount of time to judge where a title is going.

The new shows of the fall season have passed their fourth episodes, which I found leading me to my Tivo Season Passes to decide what stays, what goes, and what is on thin ice.

Jericho
Genre:
Suspense Drama
Channel: CBS
Premise:Residents of a small town in Western Kansas see a nuclear explosion that destroys Denver and find themselves cut off from the rest of the world, unsure of what's happened.

Take "Lost" and replace the island with a midwestern town and the Others with government agents posing as "regular folks" and you have "Jericho." Early episodes have tended to revolve around the people of Jericho trying to accomplish every day tasks without the help of the technology they normally have. Episode 3 was almost entirely about finding gas for the generators at the hospital to keep both a baby on a ventilator and a mysterious man with radiation sickness alive.

Often I find myself having trouble keeping storylines and backstories straight. I'm not sure if this is because the show is too boring to hold my attention or if it's being written to give a feeling of jumping into the middle of everything. For example, Skeet Ulrich has a conversation with his mom about how he hurt her and his dad, but if this had been mentioned or indicated, I guess I was more interested in trimming my toenails at the time and missed it. Likewise for the story about the guy who wants to leave his wife, the IRS woman who's come to foreclose on a guy's farm, and just about any other story arc that doesn't directly relate to the cause of the nuclear explosions and the top secret plan involving Lennie James and a bunch of other moles pretending to be our neighbors.

Verdict: Thin ice. I like the concept enough to give it 3-4 more episodes, but if the execution doesn't pick up, it'll be purged with pleasure.

The Nin9
Genre:
Drama
Channel: ABC
Premise:Following the lives of nine people taken hostage for 52 hours when a bank robbery goes bad.

This is another show that's being sold like "Lost"--and there are similarities--but this is not "Lost." The mystery is what happened during the 52 hours and every episode gives us a small glimpse. The most recent showed us the bank manager's daughter, who was in the bathroom when the robbery started, trying to find a place in the bank to get cell phone service to dial 911. That's five minutes of the 52 hours, so at this rate, "The Nin9" could last 1040 episodes and that's assuming we don't get any "here's a sequence we've seen before but from a different character's perspective"... which, now that I think about it, is pretty much what the daughter in the bathroom scene was.

The rest of the show deals with the post-robbery lives of the nine hostages. One was a cubicle-dwelling pencil pusher contemplating suicide who now is a hero and wants to embrace all life has to offer. Another is a cop who's having to cover up mistakes made by the police and the FBI during the stand off to protect himself and his friends. The bank manager's daughter doesn't remember anything between the time she dialed 911 and when they were let out of the bank and is struggling to remember.

While it's interesting, we need to start getting some results.

Verdict: Keeper. I don't know where this show is going, but I like the cast enough to stick with it. Like "Jericho," I hope they get more into explaining what happened during the stand off as I'm already tired of hearing people mutter on and on about "everything that happened in there" without knowing what happened in there.

Heroes
Genre:
Drama
Channel: NBC
Premise:Some people have superpowers and the New York is going to be blown up in a nuclear explosion in a few weeks.

If you read comics, all you need to know is Jeph Loeb is one of the writers for this show. If you don't read comics, all you need to know is Jeph Loeb isn't a very good writer.

Oh, and it has Milo Ventimiglia, who will forever be "complete asshole Jess" from "Gilmore Girls." That guy could star in "Jake Gets Free Blow Jobs from Hot College Girls if He Watches this Show" and I'd still change the channel halfway through.

Verdict: Purge.

Where all these shows fail is that they all overlook two enduring aspects of "Lost" that have made it the hit it is. First, while "Lost" is full of mysteries, we get answers to questions. Questions on "Lost" prove to be like the hydra--for every one question we answer, two more take its place--but questions are constantly being answered. These shows all seem to have one or two mysteries that are out there and hinted at, but never explained. Two of them are "What happened?", the other is "What's going to happen?", and every episode amounts to the characters shaking their heads and not learning nor revealing anything.

Secondly, "Lost" gives us in depth glimpses at the characters. "Jericho" and "Heroes" have given us some one-dimensional backstories for some characters, like the guy who wants to leave his wife or the Japanese guy who's... from Japan and acts all Japanese-y, and imply there are interesting histories and mysteries for others--like Skeet Ulrich's secret "other life" that hurt his parents so much or the single mom, internet stripper who blacks out and kills people while unconscious--but never seem to pay them off.

It's also worth mentioning Lost goes out of its way to make characters who are obviously different from one another. You'll never confuse Jack with Sayid nor Kate with Sun nor Locke with Sawyer. Outside of "the black guy," "the black guy's faux daughter," "the guy from Scream," "Major Dad," "nerdy kid," "shopkeeper Southern lady," and "oh... where do I know her from... she like the poor man's Dianne Wiest... crap, I'm going to have to look her up on IMDB... hey, he was on couple episodes of 'Simpsons'... Kindergarten Cop! That's where I know her from!"-lady, I don't know what's supposed to differentiate one "Jericho" character from any other. For that matter, when all those recognizable characters stand out only because of their race, stereotype, or previous acting gigs, that's not saying much about the diversity of the characterizations.

It could be argued these shows are still early in their runs and characters may be developed down the road, but for the purposes of comparison to "Lost," there simply is no comparison.

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Movie Review: The Illusionist

So, I finally got to go out and see a movie I wanted to see, for the third time this year. Lucky for me, it was only two months old, so there weren't many people in the theater.

Of course, that could also be due to the movie's premise, which goes something like "Edward Norton is a 19th century stage magician in Austria who loves a duchess".

Actually, I'm conflicted about this film. It's good --- I think --- but it doesn't quite satisfy. And I think that's OK.

See, it's not about a magician doing cool or spooky tricks (though he does). It's a love story, and a story about 19th century Austrian politics, which I wasn't exactly expecting, and for which I am not the target demographic.

The idea is that working-class Ed Norton falls in love with a duchess, society forces them to part ways as children, he becomes a magician, returns to Austria, ticks off the Crown Prince, tries to win the girl back, and gets continually harassed by a conflicted and confused Paul Giamatti, who plays a police inspector.

There's a little murder, a little conspiracy, and a whole lot of Ed Norton trying to act mysterious and cool and tormented but utterly failing to pull it off.

So on that level, it doesn't work. But the performances by Giamatti and Rufus Sewell as the inspector and the Crown Prince are absolutely worth the price of admission.

And yeah, there's a big trick at the end that you pretty much see coming, until the movie goes out of its way to convince you that it's not coming, so you still end up a little surprised.

And it's got a semi-happy ending! Which I ended up enjoying more than I thought I would.

It's not a thrill ride, it's a movie that takes its own sweet time getting to where it's going, and it ends up being more about redemption than anything else.

And for a movie I thought was going to be about just spooky magicians, that in itself is a nice trick to pull off.

Recommended For: Fans of period pieces, Paul Giamatti, or magic. People who haven't seen The Prestige yet.

Not Recommended For: People who demand action, people can't sustain their disbelief of Ed Norton's goatee for two hours straight.

A/V Rating: 3/5. Less clever than it wants to be, better than it has any right to be. A solid rental or matinee.

Saturday, October 21, 2006

This Week in Equalizer

Just in case you "have a job" and can't stay home to watch syndicated TV shows from the 80's, here's what you missed.

Victims helped:
  • Divorced mom whose son is dealing drugs.
  • Foreign woman who accidentally ran over a mugger and is being hunted by his two friends.
  • Housewife who nearly gets raped and is saved only when the would be rapist chases and murders a witness to the attempted rape.
  • Inner city clinic doctor tormented by street gang.
  • The tennants of a slumlord who is planning to kill his ex-wife.
Guest Stars who weren't really "stars" at the time: Christine Baranski, Adam "King Ad Roc" Horovitz, Alex Winter, Charles S. Dutton, Mark Linn-Baker, Meat Loaf, Roma Maffia, and Fred "The Hammer" Williamson.

Cases of legal system impotence:
  • Vice cops scoff at very idea of trying to go after drug dealer because he knows karate.
  • Two murderers freed because eyewitness might be too scared to testify, go on to admit they did it because the old man "called them."
  • Cop resorts to becoming vigilante after seeing too many criminals let go by prosecutors.
  • Two muggers let go after bungled mugging attempt leads to the following exchange:
    Cop: I know what you would have done... a little mugging. A little rape...
    Mugger: Aw, what's the big deal?
  • Police refuse to investigate murder when witness can't provide apartment number where it happened.
  • Street gang drives around streets of New York in Road Warrior-ed out Oldsmobile with members sitting on hood and roof, jumping out to beat up shopkeepers, steal stuff, demand protection money, beat up a man trying to take his sick baby to a health clinic, fire a pistol into a crowd of people. Police have no idea where to begin building a case.
  • A landlord trying to force people out of their rent-controlled apartments can't be touched by police because he "always makes sure he doesn't do anything illegal'... except the building has no sprinklers, smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, or fire escapes. Oh, and he hires an arsonist to burn it down.
Other notable moments:
  • McCall gained access to a miraculous high tech device that could tell him the name and phone number of anyone who called his phone within a matter of minutes.

TV Reviews: Survivor & Amazing Race

Survivor: Cook Islands
Genre:
Competitive Reality
Channel: CBS
Premise: A bunch of people are stranded on an island to fend for themselves, fight with each other, compete in tests of mind, strength, and endurance, and play politics well enough to ultimately be voted winner of a million dollars prize.

The thing that set apart this season's episode of "Survivor" was the highly controversial decision to split the tribes according to race. However, just as last season's division of four tribes instead of the standard two led to an early reshuffle and merge, after three episodes we were back to the standard two tribe set up with everyone mixed together.

Overall, that last sentence really shines a spotlight on what's wrong with "Survivor." Everything has happened before. When Chris went from almost being voted out the first week for his inability to walk across a balance beam to the million dollars two years ago, you could almost feel the show deflate. The only new tricks only serve to disappoint, such as the editors clearly setting up a Terry/Cirie showdown for two months and giving us Aras and... the girl everyone kept in the game because they knew if they took her to the final two they would win or bringing back Stephanie and Bobby Jon so they could be revered by their fellow competitors.

A few people I've talked to have sited the "carry a bunch of weight while trudging around in a circle trying to catch the other team" competition as their breaking point. Last season, it was a fresh idea, but repeating it so quickly just illustrates how few ideas the producers have left.

The Amazing Race 10
Genre:
Competitive Reality
Channel: CBS
Premise: Teams follow travel around the world, completing tasks and gathering clues that lead them to a million dollar finish line.

Unlike "Survivor," Amazing Race's competitions remain fresh because they are centered around the cultures of the places being visited. For some reason, though, this season has found itself mired in Asia. After five episodes we've been to China, Mongolia, Vietnam, and India, spending two entire shows in Vietnam.

We're also waiting for the breakout stars. No one has stepped up and screamed, "We're likeable!" yet. It's clear that Peter, the doctor who is dating his amputee patient and contantly berates the one-legged woman for not running fast enough, is the villain, but there's not really anyone to root for. Brothers Erwin and Godwin may eventually fit the bill, but haven't done anything to grasp that brass ring.

Side notes on other racers: I can't believe the redneck coal miner and his wife are still in this. I had them marked for elimination by the second episode.

I sure hope Tyler and James will compare the challenge of this race to the challenge of kicking heroin in this upcoming episode! It helps us understand their friendship since they helped each other get clean and now help each other try to win a million dollars.

Personalitywise Lyn and Karilyn could also be the heroes of this season, but I don't see the two chubby, single moms lasting to the end.

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

There but for the Grace of God go I

My daughter handed me a Passport (identity card) of someone who lived through the Holocaust, when we entered the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

Her name was Alexandra but she could have been me or you, or anyone. That is the spine-tingling, generation bonding, kinship of kind that brings the Holocaust to your soul. It seeps into your skin. Could I have been the mother in Sophie's Choice, or the child with the big eyes looking into your very heart with despair and hunger and disbelief. Was that tattered garment one I wore in another life? That man who would shoot me, or rape my mother or torture my brother; could he be that cruel to his family? Or were they robots blind, jaded and closed?

I started reading about the Holocaust when I was 11 or 12. Anne Frank spoke to me through her diary. I had to know why she died, and who betrayed her. I had to know how close she came to the end of the horror of almost making it back to the real world. Then I read other stories. Other people who hid in the forest like animals, and some who were part of the resistance.

I read about the Danes and how the King put on a Jewish Star and wore it when the Nazi's said the Jews had to wear them. I read about the Catholic families in France who hid the children. The trains and abbey's. The good people who were humane first and foremost. I saw movies and read about the Warsaw Ghetto uprising, and the parachuters - Hannah and the others.

But there was always the precise disciplined annhilation of a people. They were Jewish and I was Jewish. They were Polish and lithuanian and Russian and I was all of that. THey were human and I was Human. If my grandparents hadn't have left the old country when they did; if like in a child's dream they dropped my hand and I was left behind. How can anyone
man or woman; intellectually or emotionally not think this could have been them.

I wanted to be that brave to stand up to the Germans. I wanted to be that Spiritual and unselfish that I could have saved the downtrodden. But just as I say there but for the grace of god go I - would that be true of me and the SS and the Nazi's

there is always the philosophical - which team do you play for? This happened without any Rhyme nor Reason. Presented with the facts of the Holocaust Museum it is up to us to remember - and Hope if ever we are asked to make choices we can do them with Dignity and Grace and Honor for the Good of Humankind not its Evil.

Read SaraJ's Review: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

TV Review: The Equalizer

Genre: Action Drama
Channel: Spike
Season: 4 (Syndication)

The Premise:Robert McCall is a former agent of an unnamed government agency who decides to use his expertise and resources to help the common man get justice when he's get a problem and odds are against him.

A few weeks ago at Ye Olde, I referenced a comic book ad that epitomized the mid-80's in every way. While almost anyone will agree Knight Rider and The A-Team do that for television action shows, The Equalizer deserves to be put on equal footing with those iconic visions.

While I remember The Equalizer being on when I was a kid, I never watched it until Monday, when Spike aired the pilot episode. By the first commercial break, I was hooked, though I have to admit I probably never would have enjoyed it as much twenty years ago as I do today.

While the premise is a good one--a middle-aged, retired wetworks agent who'd used to working above the law uses that experience for good--the execution is done in a time when karate was considered an exotic, mysterious thing that middle America feared instead of being a class your kids could take at the Y. In other words, the action sequences aren't the most convincing thing you've ever seen. In truth, just as we enjoy watching B.A. Baracas shoot at bad guys feet to make them run away instead of killing them, there is equal joy to be found in seeing a clumsy middle aged man in a bullet proof vest fighting Asian men in a way that's been carefully choreographed to make sure their fists and feet get nowhere near his face.

By far, my favorite part of the show is the unfettered impotence of the police. Within four minutes of the crisis d'jour, the cops will throw up their hands in dismay and tell the victims they are probably better off just forgetting about justice. In one of the first season episodes, a sixteen year old Iowa girl visiting New York gets kidnapped and chained to a bed in a whorehouse (that's run by Adam Ant!) that caters to diplomatically immune foreign government type who want to do things like have sex with sixteen year old Midwestern girls who are chained to a bed. The police tell her parents A) if the girl hasn't been missing for 24 hours, they cant do anything, B) since the girl walked out of the hotel room of her own free will, they can't consider it a kidnapping, and C) that sixteen year old girls run away every day and they can't be bothered trying to find someone who doesn't want to be found.

The following episode is about three crooked cops who killed their former partner and the "Lady Cop" (the title of the episode) who doesn't approve of their nefarious ways. Her father, an honest policeman who she grew up admiring so much she decided to follow in his footsteps, advises her to just take her cut of the blood money they collect and keep her head down and mouth shut.

Further driving home the awesomeness of the series is the number of recognizable stars--like Luis Guzman, David Alan Grier, and West Wing and Studio 60 star Bradley Whitford--who show up, often as extras, twenty years younger than you're accustomed to seeing them.

If you were a fan of The Equalizer in the past or if you've never watched it, I highly recommend trying it again for what will certainly be a different experience than you might have expected.

Monday, October 16, 2006

Still Not Dead

We're working our way back from lots of life events. While you're looking for something to read, check out:

Or drop us a comment and let us know something you're dying to see a review of.

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

We're Not Dead - We're Just on Holiday

Due to Chris' most excellent birthday, we're slacking.

We'll be back. Stay tuned.

Wednesday, October 04, 2006

TV Review: Friday Night Lights

Genre: Drama
Channel: NBC
Season: 1

The Premise: A small town in Texas revolves around its high school football team, which is ranked #1 in the state and lead by the #1 recruited quarterback in the country, so anything less than a state championship is considered failure.

I have to admit I am probably a bit prejudiced against Friday Night Lights. As a sportscaster in small town Florida, I've had enough of people giving a rat's ass about high school football to last me ten lifetimes and in the case of this show, and many of the small towns I covered, people do much more than give a merely rat's ass.

The production of the show is excellent and the cinematography and editing of the football games are beyond reproach. The story, however, is pretty straight forward and involves fairly cliched characters, none of whom I really found myself liking, much less caring about.

The entire show can be epitomized by one story arc. As soon as the star quarterback who all the kids in town admire and expect to be better than Peyton Manning was introduced, along with his back up who is teased by teammates for his lack of playing time, the producers might as well have just put a timer in the corner of the screen counting down "32:00 Until Star QB Gets Crippled."

Sure enough, the kid breaks his spine, the back up comes in to win the game, and life goes on.

Rating: 2/5 yawns