This season saw two shows with rather serious marketing pushes lose a lot of steam after the initial air date, and they both had a sci-fi flare to them. FlashForward is one of those shows, and I'm not sure what happened to the interest the show seemed to have before air. I'm not talking about anything to do with ratings either, just the fact that the buzz seemed to drop off. I don't know if … [Read more...]
NBC's new major effort Parenthood has a big problem that it's going to have to overcome over the next few weeks. I'll get tot that problem in a second, but I should run through the story for those who have missed NBC's massive push for the show. Billed as a re-imagined and updated spin on the movie of the same name, the show follows several generations of the Braverman family. Sarah (Lauren … [Read more...]
You may be familiar with the true story of Mark Whitacre, and that may detract from The Informant!'s potential on several fronts. First, you may be inclined to avoid a film that details the events of a whistleblower in a giant corporate entity he accuses of price fixing, simply because... well, how interesting is that? Second, you may know how things turn out, and with most of the plot in hand, … [Read more...]
It may sound odd (in the sense of thinking overmuch about something like Scooby-Doo), but if you're going to keep going back to the well of characters that have been around this long, there better be a good reason. That's especially true with Scooby-Doo actually, not least because the plot layout is an institution at this point. It's also true because even the bonus feature spin has been … [Read more...]
If you're a fan of movies, and I mean a real fan, one of the things you love most is sharing those lesser-known titles. Now sure, everyone likes talking movies and sharing their thoughts about them to some degree or other. Most people play critic on Monday, talking up (or wildly trashing) whatever they happened to catch that weekend. But, if you've ever thrown out that virtual unknown as a … [Read more...]
With the new A-Team movie coming out, people are already thinking about the potential for sequels. Assuming the movie is a success, it's hard to imagine avoiding the possibility. While not something that immediately jumps to mind, the possibility of a prequel isn't too hard to imagine. Well, it's already on the way... in comics. Check out some images below. In anticipation of the summer movie … [Read more...]
The massive film collection Clint Eastwood 35 Films 35 Years at Warner Brothers might be slightly out of reach for some consumers. In order to roll out as many options as possible, many of the films are also available to rent or buy via download on iTunes, Amazon Video on Demand, Playstation 3, and more. This particular marketing effort got me to thinking, because movies are not something I … [Read more...]
Webshows are an especially tricky game, and part of the trick is balancing being niche enough that you're interesting and broad enough that you can appeal to enough people to make it worth while. That's a curious intro to a show involving monster puppets and an oddly meta-referential plot about their television station... but, there you are. Transylvania Television takes wildly clever advantage … [Read more...]
There are a variety of interesting thoughts flitting through the background of Everybody's Fine , but I don't think many people will get much more from the film than a kind of "mere mention" of these thoughts. It's the story of a father (Robert De Niro) who is getting a little older, and a bit rundown in terms of his health. It's also the story about the general family relationship, mainly the … [Read more...]
My father once gave me some very interesting advice. He told me to practice wearing a suit. He even relayed his own adventures to me of semi-regularly setting out for such practice to what cultural hot spots were available to a young man in the bustle that was Crosby, Minnesota circa 1950-ish. It may not sound like much, but it is advice that I have translated to nearly everything in life, and it … [Read more...]
It's a wild season for American Idol. Ellen is in, Simon is leaving at the end of this year, and the field of 24 looks like a wild mix. A lot of people are doing some serious speculating on the fate of the show next season, but before we go overboard on the future, we've got a present to deal with, and Simon took some time out for a conference call to talk about the show. Of course, it's hard to … [Read more...]
Now, some of you out there may be crying foul already, and I'm glad you are. This is, as you're saying to yourself, my personal blog (except mine, not yours), and I have vowed that it will always stay that way. I'm sticking to that. But, we have gotten to the point now that I find myself turning down too many things, mainly in the way of screenings, set visits, festivals, and so on. So, I'm … [Read more...]
March 7th is sneaking up on us, and as usual, the celebrities geared up for the festivities with the annual Oscar Nominee Luncheon. Check out some great shots from the event below, but before you do (well, or after... after is good), head on over to the Nominee page and make sure you're up on all the info for the films and stars from this year's … [Read more...]
Celebrity Apprentice is its own sort of televised train wreck, and while the series generally unfolds in some way that leads to a lot of eye-rolling, you just have to love a decent amount of money going to charity. Even better, several charities each season get some exposure they sorely need. The big picture of the thing often runs a bit odd out of the gates, because it seems that about half of … [Read more...]
THE RIDE is a unique, in-depth look into the world of professional bull riding, featuring a motley crew of three professional riders, a bullfighter, a rodeo entertainer, a country crooner, and a million-dollar bucking-bull breeder. THE RIDE reveals the chaotic and gritty “life in the left lane” of these true-to-life cowboys—the punks and shit-kickers of the Wild West. THE RIDE revolves … [Read more...]
I'm not sure if people are inclined to see things differently, or if someone just thought Amelia needed to be made anyway, but rarely does a movie come along that has more going against it from a business perspective. You know the ending, there are few people interested these days, and (look, we have to face facts business-wise) it's about a notoriously unattractive woman who is played by... … [Read more...]
