I have to admit from the start that the popularity of Dancing with the Stars completely eludes me. It was an interesting bit of fun the first time around, but mainly for its novelty value. There was a nice combination of showcasing famous people, and giving them something to do that was mildly entertaining without being embarrassing simply for the sake of being embarrassing. The second and … [Read more...]
The Vampire Diaries had as much going against as for it when it first hit televisions, and the show's popularity is actually somewhat surprising. While the general popularity of vampires, indeed teen vampires, obviously leads to a variety of efforts hoping to cash in, at some point the genre is overworked, and you're rolling the dice as much as with any other new show. With not only the general … [Read more...]
While certain shows are getting the lion's share of attention over at HBO, two shows are returning for second seasons that shouldn't be overlooked. Bored to Death won me over with its first season, even if it did take a few episodes, and Eastbound & Down's peculiar brand of craziness had me enjoying that effort as well. Both shows are coming back, and I don't think they'll disappoint. … [Read more...]
The response to Predators was rather lukewarm, but enough critics were behind it that it warrants a look, especially when it comes to your home. Adding to the interest, the release is getting a pretty solid treatment, and includes a good mix of bonuses. Most interesting, perhaps, a commentary track with Robert Rodriguez and Nimród Antal, which should prove well worth a listen even for those who … [Read more...]
I'm apparently rather behind on this one, but Film.com brought this to my attention today. I'm even more behind than normal, because this apparently a big enough internet sensation that the response to its internet sensation status is already on the internet as well. At any rate, my lateness to the game aside, Danielle Staub of Real Housewives of New Jersey was on PIX11 (CW) in New York, … [Read more...]
It's a WWII-fest, with five films starring the legendary Errol Flynn. These adventures from 1942-1945 are a solid showcase of not only the star, but era itself, and the DVD set adds to the effect with some great bonuses. With vintage newsreels, classic cartoons, and more, you can relive the experience of these films like never before. From a unique period in film history, putting out war … [Read more...]
It's been a while since Woody Allen really piqued my interest, and to be honest I'm not sure he's done it here, but... he's done something. There's a certain "just crazy enough to work" feature to all his best films, and even if I'm not completely convinced that I want to see You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger, I'm curiously moved to want to want to see it. I'm particularly intrigued by where … [Read more...]
The title may call this a review, and I'll give you my take on the bonuses, but a true review at this point is only trumped in meaninglessness by a review of the complete series, also out on DVD. No positive or negative commentary on the show, or its final season, is going to sway anyone about anything. When the final tally was in, people either thought the final season, and ultimately the finale, … [Read more...]
In partnership with the latest edition of The Rough Guide To Cult Movies, which you should check out when you get a chance, because it's a great work, 20th Century Fox and MGM recently kicked out a slew of cult classics on Blu-Ray. Check out the full list of titles, because these are the sorts of titles you want to pick up, and many of them benefit greatly from the Blu-Ray upgrade. This is also … [Read more...]
I've long been a Chris Gorham fan, even though I'm not particularly sure why. I mean even back as far as Popular and Odyssey 5, two shows I didn't actually like, but for some reason liked Chris in (we're tight like that). I didn't love Jake 2.0, or Medical Investigation either, and thus the story just keeps getting stranger. I can't think of another actor that I equally look forward to, who has … [Read more...]
If you've been following me for a while, you know that I got a look at EA Sports Active before it was released, and was quite a fan. Though old news now, you can check out a couple of the articles I put up about it back then here and here. Exercise "games" for the Wii were booming at the time, but there were a lot of positives I thought (and think) put the EA product well beyond the … [Read more...]
The Last Song, a treacly affair that is virtually unwatchable outside its target demographic (which is about 5 years younger than the film thinks it is), is the next great bit of glorious banality for both Nicholas Sparks and Miley Cyrus. Sparks, who really likes himself, aims at a somewhat younger crowd this time around, apparently in the hopes of proving that the laughably nonsensical appeals to … [Read more...]
With all the strange, interesting, and bad press that followed in the wake of Sasha Baron Cohen's Borat film, you're about to get a new look behind the scenes of the production, from the perspective of yet another group duped by the film. While many of the stories that came out the film didn't evoke a great deal of sympathy, the curious bamboozling of the village of Glod in Romania might deliver a … [Read more...]
Diary of a Wimpy Kid, based on the successful children's book series of the same name, is an amusing effort, but one which is perhaps fighting a losing battle from the start. While a decent helping of fun, and sure to provide a handful of laughs for the appropriate audience, something seems lost is translation here, and it may be a result of the book's specific imagination-friendly … [Read more...]
I hope you're still having fun with Covert Affairs, and I have another Q & A for you. This time, with Chris Gorham who plays Auggie. I was a bit hesitant about this show after the pilot, largely because I wasn't sure it was exactly clear which directions it was going to aim in a variety of ways. I'm pretty happy with it so far, and stay tuned, because in the next day or two I will have a … [Read more...]
