TV Guide's Smart TV

TV guide recently did a photo gallery type article on the "smartest" shows on television. Smart TV is my fave, how about you? Trick question, the answer is 62. Here's the list with some smart comments from myself:

Mad Men Why It's Smart: Its depiction of the cut-throat brutality of 1960s Madison Avenue educates us on the sins of our fathers. Its probing scripts use key historical events (for example, JFK vs. Nixon and the Bay of Pigs) to anchor discussions about honesty, temptation and patriotism. How Smart Is It? While the world of Sterling Cooper is at heart an old boys' club, producers had the wherewithal to flesh out the show's popular female characters in Season 2. PCF: I've never watched it but it looks good, plus it has won like a million awards. I want to check it out.

Lost Why It's Smart: What started as a simple desert-island drama has morphed into a dense, kaleidoscopic serial that really bakes your noodle. For every question the show answers, it raises five intriguing others. Why did Oceanic Flight 815 crash? We're really not sure, but it has something to do with electromagnetism, time travel, redemption, absent fathers, fertility issues, an abandoned nuclear warhead, and some guy named Jacob… so far. It's a wild ride. How Smart Is It? Among the staggering number of books woven into the show's mythology are Homer's Odyssey, Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, and Stephen Hawking's A Brief History of Time. PCF: I might get things thrown at me but giant polar bears and secret "Others" really don't float my boat, meaning I would be on that island forever. It was disappointing that I couldn't get into it since I loved JJ Abrams' Alias. And they killed Greg Grunberg in the first episode! Is nothing sacred Abrams?

Law & Order Why It's Smart: Any journalist worth his notepad will tell you that the most dramatic stories originate in the court system. Producer Dick Wolf knew that, and created a crisply written series chock-full of meaty New York lawyer-and-police stories, many of them inspired by true events. How Smart Is It? It has been on the air for 19 years. PCF: I'll watch Law & Order when nothing else is on. It doesn't keep me coming back every week, I don't love the characters. At the very least the writers need to be smart to be writing the same show for 19 years.

Late Night with Conan O'Brien Why It's Smart: In addition to savvy, lighthearted takes on current events and pop culture, O'Brien's on-screen persona (let's call it Self-Deprecating Nerd) has won the hearts of many a starlet looking for a nice guy with a sense of humor. How smart is that! How Smart Is It? They don't hand over The Tonight Show to just anybody. PCF: I love Conan! And I have a shirt to prove it. Humor in a guy is his best quality. It is smart for a host to make a character of himself. And did you catch his superbowl commercial? Hilarious. More Conan!

How I Met Your Mother Why It's Smart: TV has given us Friends who live and hang out together, as well as the gang at Cheers. CBS' Mother did not simply merge those winning set-ups but did them one better by shrewdly establishing a "finishing line" right in its title. So as awesome as Barney is, and as adorably Canadian as Robin is, and as hot monkey-sextastic as Lily and Marshall are, we are left to wonder every week: How did Ted meet his future kids' mother? And who is she? How Smart Is It? Like, Doogie Howser-child-doctor smart. PCF: One of my favorite shows ever. Neil Patrick Harris is like a superhero. It is the modern version of Friends but more believable and more hilarious. I don't miss it and own all the seasons on DVD. If you haven't watched it, you're missing out. Or if you just watched the episode with Britney Spears. Hey! Every show makes a few mistakes.

House Why It's Smart: Unsolvable medical mystery gets solved by TV's crankiest supersurgeon. And... scene. That's the basic blueprint for every hour of the Fox megahit. Yet almost every week, the story unspools in such a unique fashion – and is accompanied by just the right amount of the doc's personal lives – that it feels fresh. How Smart Is It? David Shore, Katie Jacobs and the show's other executive producers should get honorary MDs from House's alma mater, the University of Michigan. PCF: House is another one of my favorites. I think House took the Law & Order format but twisted it to know more about the characters. It welcomes people who want the mystery of the week type format and those who love characters and back stories. Now THAT'S smart.

Damages Why It's Smart: Let's be honest: Season 1 could have been a hot mess had the multiple timelines and jigsaw-puzzle-like narrative been in less-than-capable hands. Instead, co-creators Todd A. Kessler, Glenn Kessler and Daniel Zelman crafted a mesmerizing work of art that kept us wondering who did what to whom and why until the very last elevator bell ding. How Smart Is It? The FX series is every bit as clever as Glenn Close's Patty Hewes – always one step ahead of every foe ... or friend. PCF: I've never seen Damages and I've never really wanted to. But I can't truthfully give any real comment on this one. I think there's lack of good advertising.

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Why It's Smart: Stewart very easily could have made The Daily Show a leftist, "aren't Republicans fat and white?" kind of political comedy show. Instead, he is an equal-opportunity critic, handing out jabs to both sides of the aisle. Appearing on his show has become a shrewd strategy for anyone serious about raising their profile in Washington. How Smart Is It? Studies have consistently shown that more young people get their political news from Stewart than any network news program. PCF: Jon Stewart actually made young people WANT to watch the news. Above smart, we're moving into genius territory here. But let's keep funny news on a funny news show, I'm talking to you, network news.

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Why It's Smart: Cops use science to solve crimes. Real science. How Smart Is It? Actual prosecutors cite "the CSI effect," in which juries won't convict unless all forensic measures have been utilized. PCF: I'm not a fan. I feel like it's Law & Order with science. And don't get me started on CSI: Miami. Glamourizing forensic science, what will they think of next?

Big Love Why It's Smart: It's a tall order: to create a show about polygamy that is neither an attack on or a glorification of the controversial practice of taking multiple wives to ensure one's place in heaven. Ultimately, Bill Henrickson (Bill Paxton) and his trio of spouses (Jeanne Tripplehorn, Chloë Sevigny and Ginnifer Goodwin) live a normal suburban life; they just share it with additional people. How Smart Is It? It's made us see that polygamy in and of itself isn't the problem. PCF: Another show I haven't seen. But it's a show I want to. It's a creative premise, the world of polygamy. Yet they make it look normal. It seems very smart indeed.

Battlestar Galactica Why It's Smart: Strip away its sci-fi trimmings and Battlestar is as much about democracy and freedom as The West Wing was. Until last season's finale, the 30,000-odd survivors of the destruction of New Caprica were looking for Earth; in a clever reversal, their quest is now much deeper, challenging the very idea of "home." How Smart Is It? Forget global warming. As post-apocalyptic scenarios go, this one — as bleak as it is — seems likely. PCF: Whenever I hear Battlestar Galactica, I think of The Office and Dwight. It's a clever idea but a little too left field for me, but maybe it will grow on me with time. I had to watch the season of Firefly twice before I fell in love.

30 Rock Why It's Smart: Each episode is part class-system study (Jack's rich 50 is a poor person's 38), part family drama (Will Tracy thwart his kids' murder plot?) and part sociology lesson (Jenna in blackface), all complemented by a liberal dose of non-sequiturs (Cat anus!). How Smart Is It? Smart enough to use huge guest stars to goose the ratings and stay afloat, but (almost) never compromise the quality of the comedy. PCF: I want to say that 30 Rock is the smartest show on TV. It makes me laugh, alot. And Tina Fey has been my hero ever since she started to host Weekend Update on SNL. And Adam Baldwin found the character he was meant to play. I hope the Tina Fey love lasts all the days of our lives.

Overall I thought TV Guide did a pretty awesome job with smart TV show. But where is The Office, Heroes, Supernatural? There needs to be more smart shows because reality shows need to die. Do you have a favorite show that didn't make the list or just completely disagree with me? Leave a comment. Otherwise, be smart and watch smart TV. I'm taking it upon myself to save brain cells. If you have any left. I know you watch reality TV when no one is looking.

PCF

Show to watch out for: Dollhouse

So, I know most of you probably do not have time to add an hour show to your week but I beg you to check out Dollhouse, premiering Friday, February 13 on Fox. Why? Funny you should ask...



Reasons to Watch Dollhouse:
1. Joss Whedon is the mastermind behind it! For all of you living under a non pop culture rock the past 20 years, Joss Whedon is amazing. He is the creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Firefly (also made into the movie Serenity). He also did an awesome webshow called Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog if you haven't checked it out, do it! It's on i-Tunes. He is pretty much the king of all pop culture geeks. Google him.
2. It stars Eliza Dushku. She's hot. Plus she can act. And her last awesome show was canceled (Tru Calling, anyone *crickets* yeah I thought so)
3. The plot is awesome. It's actually creative. And I don't know about you, but I am tired of reality shows, actually I never really liked reality shows. This is the Wikipedia run down:
In Dollhouse, Eliza Dushku plays a young woman named Echo, a member of a group of people known as "Actives" or "Dolls." The Dolls have had their personalities wiped clean so they can be imprinted with any number of new personas, including memory, muscle memory, skills, and language, for different assignments. They're then hired out for particular jobs, crimes, fantasies, and occasional good deeds. On missions, Actives are monitored internally (and remotely) by Handlers. In between tasks, they are mind-wiped into a child-like state and live in a futuristic dormitory/laboratory, a hidden facility nicknamed "The Dollhouse". The story follows Echo, who begins, in her mind-wiped state, to become self-aware.
4. I'll give you a cookie if you watch it.

These are all very good reasons. Watch Dollhouse, you won't be sorry. But you will be if you don't. Just kidding! Kind of.

-PCF

And Now You Have to Pay For It

I found this wonderful little gem on http://icanhascheezburger.com/

Mixing animals with politics

some people know how to do it right

-PCF

"Why does everyone want my car?"

Okay, I am not obsessed with Clint Eastwood films. It was just a coincidence that I posted two in a row. I don't have posters of Eastwood on my ceiling. Or maybe I do, you'll never know.

See a good movie and want to tell me about it? Leave a comment.

PCF


Gran Torino

While standing in line to get movie tickets (no this isn’t a plug for movietickets.com) a man behind me asked what movie I was seeing. After my reply of Gran Torino, he asked, “What’s that?”

It’s a Clint Eastwood film.

“Oh yeah, the one where he shoots kids.”

To be fair, I went into Gran Torino probably knowing less than that guy. I didn’t even know what a Gran Torino was (it happens to be a car, for those still left in oblivion). All I knew that it starred Clint Eastwood who also directed and produced the movie and it looked serious. But what I’ve learned is that Eastwood movies always look more serious than they actually are (Changeling, Million Dollar Baby).

The movie opens with a funeral. Walt Kowalski’s (Eastwood) wife is dead. Kowalski stands beside his wife’s casket and growls at the scene in front of him: his wife is dead, his children and grandchildren are disrespectful and the priest, just out of seminary, knows little of life or death yet he preaches like he does. Going home doesn’t get better. After promising Mrs. Kowalski on her death bed, the priest takes special interest in Walt, trying to get him to go to confession. He growls and growls and growls. His once “wholesome” neighborhood is being overrun with Hmongs. He is awoken one night by the sound of someone trying to steal his one prized possession, his ’72 Gran Torino. Although the intruder gets away, Walt keeps his shot gun out (and out it stays the rest of the movie) and the next night he is well prepared when a Hmong gang is fighting on his lawn. The next day, neighborhood ladies (who only speak the Hmong language) bring food, flowers and other goodies to his doorstep. The neighborhood considers him a hero and eventually, Walt starts acting like one and starts to make the community a better place.

Gran Torino takes place in Michigan and actually is filled in Michigan, taking advantage of the state’s new law that provides tax incentive packages to film productions. But it didn’t add to the movie much since the audience only sees the little neighborhood where the story takes place. I wasn’t a fan of Eastwood in this movie. He was a grumpy old man and it got repetitive at times. Okay, he’s angry, we got it, let’s move on! Walt’s extremely racist view on the world (calling Hmongs, Italians, African Americans, Germans, Mexicans, any ethnicity by name) received large laughs from the audience but those too got old and most of them were sheer ignorance. The laughter derived from the shock value and nothing else. I don’t think any specific ethnicity will be offended; the movie is equally offensive to all.

The Hmong actors were all chosen from various open casting calls across the country. In the whole movie only one Hmong actor had appeared on film before. The two main Hmong actors, Ahney Her (Sue) and Bee Vang (Thao), did a wonderful job, especially for their first performances. Her’s bright performance early in the film was a great compliment with Eastwood’s moody acting.

Overall I found the movie to be fairly decent. It was entertaining but I wasn’t surprised with the lack of Golden Globe nominations. The storyline was weak, the plot was predictable and the scenes were repetitive. There was one painfully obvious Diet Coke product placement moment that made me cringe. And sadly, watching the preview on the Gran Torino website shows all the good parts of the film. I would skip the theater and wait until the movie comes out on DVD.

* Picture from the L.A. Times

Golden Globes

The Golden Globes have come and gone and it’s another year that I am left disappointed. Angelina Jolie didn’t win for Changeling, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button won nothing, and this year’s star, Meryl Streep left empty handed; yet Kate Winslet won TWICE (more on her later) and Slumdog Millionaire took everything. Collin Farrell winning anything bums me out. He has about as much talent as my left shoe. What were these people thinking?

One of my problems with award shows in general is the fact that one person/movie usually takes everything. And that’s choosing from the same movies/people from every category. Kate Winslet was definitely the most irritating point of the evening. She won twice (for performances that I didn’t find all that great) and took a very long time up on stage both times. When the people were shooing her off, she said that she didn’t care if she was taking up all that time; she was going to do it anyway. That brings me to another point, these people are professionals, can’t they think of their speeches ahead of time? Is it so surprising that they won? They were nominated weren’t you?

It wasn’t all bad. 30 Rock did win along with Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin (dominating affect). Heath Ledger won as well, but that was pretty much a given, his toughest competition was Tom Cruise in a fat suit.

All the winners:

Motion Picture, Drama
Slumdog Millionaire

Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy
Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Director, Motion Picture
Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire

Actress, Motion Picture, Drama
Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road

Actor, Motion Picture, Drama
Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

Actress, Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy
Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky

Actor, Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy
Colin Farrell, In Bruges

Supporting Actor, Motion Picture
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight

Supporting Actress, Motion Picture
Kate Winslet, The Reader

Best Screenplay
Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog Millionaire

Foreign-Language Film
Waltz With Bashir, Israel

Motion Picture, Animated
WALL-E

Original Score
A.R. Rahman, Slumdog Millionaire

Original Song
"The Wrestler," The Wrestler; music and lyrics by Bruce Springsteen

Television Series, Drama
Mad Men

Television Series, Comedy or Musical
30 Rock

Actress, Television Series, Musical or Comedy
Tina Fey, 30 Rock

Actor in a TV Series, Comedy or Musical
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock

Actress, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
Laura Linney, John Adams

Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
Paul Giamatti, John Adams

Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
John Adams

Actress in a Television Series, Drama
Anna Paquin, True Blood

Actor in a Television Series, Drama
Gabriel Byrne, In Treatment

Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries or TV Movie
Laura Dern, Recount

Supporting Actor in a Series, Miniseries or TV Movie
Tom Wilkinson, John Adams

Photo from TV Guide

Changeling

Random Quote: "You know what Marshall needs to do. He needs to stop being sad. When I get sad, I stop being sad, and be AWESOME instead. True story." Barney "How I Met Your Mother"

Okay, so this movie is no longer in the theater and not yet on DVD but I thought I would start off my blog with the Changeling review. I wrote this when the movie first came out. I'm pretty disappointed that it didn't get nominated for a Golden Globe for best picture. Have you seen it? What did you think? And if you haven't seen it, do you you want to? Dying to know.

PCF

Changeling

The lengths that a mother will go through for her child have been told in story form as far back as the Moses story in the Bible. So I was initially stunned when I wasn’t bored out of my wits watching Clint Eastwood’s Changeling. From viewing trailers about the long awaited Eastwood flick, it seems as if the story is about a mother who lost her son and the police return to her the wrong boy-- that actually only takes up about one-fourth of the movie. The movie is hardly about the lost son at all but more about Christine Collin’s (played by Angelina Jolie) struggle with the L.A. police department that eventually inspires most of the city. It is based on the true story of the Wineville Chicken Coop Murders.

In 1928, single mom, Collins comes home from her job as a telephone operator supervisor to find her son missing. After phoning the police, she finds out that she cannot file a missing person’s report until her son, Walter, has been missing for 24-hours. Five months go by without any sign of Walter when Collins receives a call that they found her son. That’s not her son. The corrupt LAPD with JJ Jones as Captain (played by Burn Notice’s Jeffrey Donovan) convinces Collins to take the mystery boy home because she simply is in shock. Jones later has Collins committed into a mental institution where she witnesses the un-justice that occurs at the hands of the over-powered LAPD. With the help of Reverend Gustav Briegleb (played by John Malkovich), Collins confronts the city authorities and corruption in the LAPD to find out the truth about her son.

After doing research on this movie, it is eerie to see how true the events are, down to the picture that is taken at the train station of “Walter’s” homecoming. After growing-up on Lifetime movies, it’s good to watch a movie that is actually close to being true. Changeling shows the fact that life goes on, even when your child is gone. Eastwood finds time in the depressing tale to actually make the audience cheer and laugh. Donovan’s Captain JJ Jones makes the audience hate him and root for Collins while being able to deny anything that Jolie throws at him, even at unbelievable times. When Jolie shines at the police station, defying Jones, saying that it was impossible that a bum made her son 3-inches shorter, it seems unbelievable that Jones would say that it was medically possible and even proven. It was nice seeing Jolie in something where she’s actually wearing clothes (except once in the institution) and not using magic bullets to kill people. Jolie made me believe in the character and within ten minutes I didn’t even remember I was watching Lara Croft. The only problem I had with Jolie’s portrayal of Collins was that she cried, a lot. Hands down the best movie Jolie has ever done. But really, what is there to compete with? And rumor is, Eastwood practically had to beg her to do the piece.

The main problem I had with Changeling was the fact that it seemed really long. Although it is only 141 minutes, it seems a lot longer. There was at least three times when I thought it was over. Eastwood should have cut it down by like twenty minutes. Some of the lead up to the Chicken Coop case could have been cut because when those scenes were on the screen, I was too confused about the movie. I was so busy worrying if I knew who these characters were to even pay attention. I did like the subtle, blink-and-you-miss-it, lead in with Detective Lester Ybarra (played by Michael Kelly). I was disappointed with the lack of screen time Amy Ryan had as the institution prostitute that befriends Jolie in her short time there. Ryan who has played very different roles in The Wire, The Office, and Gone Baby, Gone deserves way more credit in Hollywood than she currently has. Another problem is that the ending gives off two different feelings. Eastwood has said that he wanted to keep the ending open, which he does, but then there are summaries of what happened to certain characters. Completely unnecessary. The movie does a pretty good job of making these apparent and they could be axed all together.

Overall, Eastwood has made another great movie. Like Million Dollar Baby, another movie about a strong woman that took Hilary Swank’s career to the next level, hopefully Changeling will do the same for Jolie. Changeling is charming, funny, suspenseful, and a great look at a piece of history. A mother’s story that changes the way things work and is actually entertaining.

So It Begins

All great things have to start somewhere and hopefully this is where a great thing will start. This blog is going to be movie reviews, pop culture stories, and other fun things that I will write. Mostly, it will be whatever I find interesting or whatever you want to read.

And so the fun begins.

PCF