Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Friday, May 15, 2009
In another dimension, with voyeuristic intention, well-secluded, I see all…but I just don’t get it.
Yesterday as I checked Facebook, a number of my friends (who I consider to be intelligent people) were commenting about American Idol. As I read their comments I was once again totally bamboozled by the popularity of this show. I have tried to watch it, but I never last more than a few minutes before I am either embarrassed, repulsed, or bored to the point I change the channel. I occasionally read the recaps at Televisionwithoutpity.com and certainly hear about it in conversation and on Facebook, but I just don’t get it.
The early phase of Idol seems to focus on how bad and delusional a person is regarding his or her singing and how badly behaved the contestants are. Must we focus on contestants who behave badly or sing worse. We are told that this is a talent competition but if that is the case, why do they follow the screaming person out into the hallway as he falls, crying, into the arms of his family when his dreams have been crushed by a vicious yet catchy and quotable quip of Simon Cowell. Adding insult to injury, American Idol tends to run past its allotted time slot and on a number of occasions makes the next scheduled show run late. The next show being Fringe, which is pretty cool, and because of Idol running late, my DVR cuts off and I end up missing the last 5 to 10 minutes of Fringe…which really ticks me off.
Looking back, even in the earliest versions of “reality TV” I didn’t get it. I never like Candid Camera and although I enjoyed parts of it, I remember watching the Gong Show with similar discomfort. Watching people do embarrassing things isn’t entertainment. The voyeuristic feel of reality TV really turns me off and I find shows like The Bachelor, Bachelorette, and Wife Swap completely repulsive. (Last night I saw ads for a new show on the CW called Hitched or Ditched! What fun!)
I confess, the shows I like are scripted shows (or maybe I should say they are the shows that admit to being scripted). I don’t watch Idol, Survivor, Biggest Loser, or Amazing Race. But as “reality” shows increase in popularity I struggle to understand the draw. This fall, NBC is devoting 5 hours of prime time television to a “Variety” show hosted by Jay Leno. This is 5 hours that will no longer be available to scripted TV. Quirky and entertaining shows like Chuck, which has not yet been renewed for next year and Life which has already been cancelled lose out so that we can have 5 hours of a Leno “Variety Show” in prime time.
So here are my questions…have you ever purchased music by an American Idol contestant? Are they performers whose careers you continue to follow? And…What is it about this show that keeps you watching and talking about it? Help me understand…
Oh, and hang around after Idol next Tuesday night and watch a special premier of the new Fox show Glee, it looks like it could be entertaining!
The early phase of Idol seems to focus on how bad and delusional a person is regarding his or her singing and how badly behaved the contestants are. Must we focus on contestants who behave badly or sing worse. We are told that this is a talent competition but if that is the case, why do they follow the screaming person out into the hallway as he falls, crying, into the arms of his family when his dreams have been crushed by a vicious yet catchy and quotable quip of Simon Cowell. Adding insult to injury, American Idol tends to run past its allotted time slot and on a number of occasions makes the next scheduled show run late. The next show being Fringe, which is pretty cool, and because of Idol running late, my DVR cuts off and I end up missing the last 5 to 10 minutes of Fringe…which really ticks me off.
Looking back, even in the earliest versions of “reality TV” I didn’t get it. I never like Candid Camera and although I enjoyed parts of it, I remember watching the Gong Show with similar discomfort. Watching people do embarrassing things isn’t entertainment. The voyeuristic feel of reality TV really turns me off and I find shows like The Bachelor, Bachelorette, and Wife Swap completely repulsive. (Last night I saw ads for a new show on the CW called Hitched or Ditched! What fun!)
I confess, the shows I like are scripted shows (or maybe I should say they are the shows that admit to being scripted). I don’t watch Idol, Survivor, Biggest Loser, or Amazing Race. But as “reality” shows increase in popularity I struggle to understand the draw. This fall, NBC is devoting 5 hours of prime time television to a “Variety” show hosted by Jay Leno. This is 5 hours that will no longer be available to scripted TV. Quirky and entertaining shows like Chuck, which has not yet been renewed for next year and Life which has already been cancelled lose out so that we can have 5 hours of a Leno “Variety Show” in prime time.
So here are my questions…have you ever purchased music by an American Idol contestant? Are they performers whose careers you continue to follow? And…What is it about this show that keeps you watching and talking about it? Help me understand…
Oh, and hang around after Idol next Tuesday night and watch a special premier of the new Fox show Glee, it looks like it could be entertaining!
Earth Girl Communications
MacSAS found and shared an interesting website today. It is written by a local and covers a range of topics.
The bad thing...I am having to rethink my TP choice.
Check it out at:
http://earthgirlcommunications.com/
The bad thing...I am having to rethink my TP choice.
Check it out at:
http://earthgirlcommunications.com/
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Perspectives and Expectations
With a production budget of $150 million and a total domestic gross of $90,509,026 and an additional $73,106,413 in the foreign box office in its first week, X-Men Origins:Wolverine has earned it place on the lists of “Summer Blockbusters.” It is interesting to note that the movie received a “rotten” rating from Rottentomatoes.com which stated that “Though Hugh Jackman gives his all, he can't help X-Men Origins: Wolverine overcome a cliché-ridden script and familiar narrative.” The editorial staff at Precistreatis decided to investigate this disparity of information. The critics overwhelming trashed the movie, but what did the average movie goer think? We surveyed a diverse group that attended the movie on opening night. Mockette & McSmartAss Smurf, Scornette & spouse, Sister & Niece, Son & Friend.
Here is how the 4 couples broke it down (Warning - here there be spoilers!)
Mockette & McSAS
We very much enjoyed the movie. The idea of the learning the back-story of this favorite character was enticing and we were not disappointed in any way. The evolution of the morals of Logan –vs- the increased animalistic tendencies of Victor was portrayed efficiently allowing for the development of the story. Although we are not “comic book” geeks (don’t get me wrong…we are geeky we just don’t read X-Men comics) we were familiar with Wolverine from the previous movies. We knew he was going to get injected with adamandium and would at some point lose his memory but we had no idea as to the details of the story. I found the new mutants entertaining, I Especially liked Wade Wilson and Remy LeBeau and look forward to the possibility of future appearances by these characters. I thought the second or third time they did the overhead shot of Logan holding a dead body and screaming that it was getting to be a bit melodramatic (I also thought – WOW Hugh Jackman really worked out for this movie – he’s huge!). The special effects were amazing and overall – we agreed that it was a great movie.
Verdict: The movie was very entertaining and exciting, we loved it. I did not regret the $15 I spent on tickets (or the $10 for the popcorn and soda) which is always a good sign.
Scornette & Spouse
From the opening scene, the movie offered a nice balance of pathos and action. Granted, Wolverine’s epic journey toward a moral center could’ve been more subtle, but this was a comic book movie, not an art house film. The paternity revelation / patricide in the opening scene may have been a bit heavy-handed, but it certainly laid the foundation for the connection between Wolverine and Saber Tooth which would otherwise have confused an anti-purist such as myself. So, my husband didn’t find that fraternal relationship accurate, nor did he feel that Saber Tooth really had the longevity of Wolverine, but once I got him to shut up and just let me watch the movie, I had a rockin good time. And I think ultimately, he was not entirely displeased either.
Verdict: To a fan of the comic, there were some bothersome inaccuracies. To me, I would never have noticed and even once informed of them, those inaccuracies didn’t bother me in the slightest.
Sister & Niece
Sister and Niece are both comic book fans. While they enjoyed the movie and the pretty that is Hugh Jackman, they were not completely satisfied with some of the liberties taken by the movie makers. The part that stood out the most for them was the atrocity of the adamandium bullets. Seems Wolverine (in the comics) lost his memory during the adamandium process, leapt from the tank and killed everyone in sight. Sister and Niece understood that the adamandium process needed to come earlier in the movie and it was nice that he had his memories until the end…but still…adamandium bullets??? Please.
Verdit: Great movie, but bothered by the inaccuracies in relation to the comics.
Son & Friend
Son & Friend are the prime audience for this film. They fit that special magical demographic perfectly – 21 year old males who like comics and buy stuff. Their official statement on the movie was: Fantastic movie – Didn’t like what they did with Deadpool – Got Gambit’s powers and accent wrong. Son elaborated that Deadpool and Gambit are his favorite X-men. How could they make Deadpool a mute and where was Gambit’s thick Cajun accent? There was also something about Gambits gloves and his powers but I had kinda zoned out at that point in the conversation.
Verdit: They thought the movie was fantastic, but as comic fans they couldn’t help but be critical of the liberties taken by the makers of the movie.
While everyone agreed that the movie was rollicking good fun. Those who came with preconceived notions and expectations regarding the comics were more critical of the final product. However, to the “professional critic” who wrote “It is Hugh Jackman's misfortune that when they were handing out superheroes, he got Wolverine, who is for my money low on the charisma list. He never says anything witty, insightful or very intelligent; his utterances are limited to the vocalization of primitive forces: anger, hurt, vengeance, love, hate, determination. There isn't a speck of ambiguity. That Wolverine has been voted the No. 1 comic hero of all time must be the result of a stuffed ballot box.” (Rogerebert.com) we point out that we stopped listening to professional critics when we realized they went to movies for completely different reasons than we do. I find it difficult to see Wolverine as Jackman’s “misfortune” as he was largely unknown in the US before that role, plus I saw film of him at a recent Comic-Con where he showed a trailer for X-Men Origins, no one could fake being that excited about a project.
Yes, we want an interesting story and good characters. Sometimes we want pretty people doing funny things. Sometimes we want action and many of us prefer to see the “good guys” win, we are looking to escape from real life were we can’t magically solve our problems in 2 hours and where karma doesn’t always catch up with the bad guys. The idea that all movies must be deep, completely intellectual, and tragically socially relevant to be of any value is a fallacy that needs to be shattered now. Although X-Men Origins: Wolverine is no “Babette’s Feast” (yea…I’m talking to you Ebert) it is a very entertaining and satisfying movie experience.
Here is how the 4 couples broke it down (Warning - here there be spoilers!)
Mockette & McSAS
We very much enjoyed the movie. The idea of the learning the back-story of this favorite character was enticing and we were not disappointed in any way. The evolution of the morals of Logan –vs- the increased animalistic tendencies of Victor was portrayed efficiently allowing for the development of the story. Although we are not “comic book” geeks (don’t get me wrong…we are geeky we just don’t read X-Men comics) we were familiar with Wolverine from the previous movies. We knew he was going to get injected with adamandium and would at some point lose his memory but we had no idea as to the details of the story. I found the new mutants entertaining, I Especially liked Wade Wilson and Remy LeBeau and look forward to the possibility of future appearances by these characters. I thought the second or third time they did the overhead shot of Logan holding a dead body and screaming that it was getting to be a bit melodramatic (I also thought – WOW Hugh Jackman really worked out for this movie – he’s huge!). The special effects were amazing and overall – we agreed that it was a great movie.
Verdict: The movie was very entertaining and exciting, we loved it. I did not regret the $15 I spent on tickets (or the $10 for the popcorn and soda) which is always a good sign.
Scornette & Spouse
From the opening scene, the movie offered a nice balance of pathos and action. Granted, Wolverine’s epic journey toward a moral center could’ve been more subtle, but this was a comic book movie, not an art house film. The paternity revelation / patricide in the opening scene may have been a bit heavy-handed, but it certainly laid the foundation for the connection between Wolverine and Saber Tooth which would otherwise have confused an anti-purist such as myself. So, my husband didn’t find that fraternal relationship accurate, nor did he feel that Saber Tooth really had the longevity of Wolverine, but once I got him to shut up and just let me watch the movie, I had a rockin good time. And I think ultimately, he was not entirely displeased either.
Verdict: To a fan of the comic, there were some bothersome inaccuracies. To me, I would never have noticed and even once informed of them, those inaccuracies didn’t bother me in the slightest.
Sister & Niece
Sister and Niece are both comic book fans. While they enjoyed the movie and the pretty that is Hugh Jackman, they were not completely satisfied with some of the liberties taken by the movie makers. The part that stood out the most for them was the atrocity of the adamandium bullets. Seems Wolverine (in the comics) lost his memory during the adamandium process, leapt from the tank and killed everyone in sight. Sister and Niece understood that the adamandium process needed to come earlier in the movie and it was nice that he had his memories until the end…but still…adamandium bullets??? Please.
Verdit: Great movie, but bothered by the inaccuracies in relation to the comics.
Son & Friend
Son & Friend are the prime audience for this film. They fit that special magical demographic perfectly – 21 year old males who like comics and buy stuff. Their official statement on the movie was: Fantastic movie – Didn’t like what they did with Deadpool – Got Gambit’s powers and accent wrong. Son elaborated that Deadpool and Gambit are his favorite X-men. How could they make Deadpool a mute and where was Gambit’s thick Cajun accent? There was also something about Gambits gloves and his powers but I had kinda zoned out at that point in the conversation.
Verdit: They thought the movie was fantastic, but as comic fans they couldn’t help but be critical of the liberties taken by the makers of the movie.
While everyone agreed that the movie was rollicking good fun. Those who came with preconceived notions and expectations regarding the comics were more critical of the final product. However, to the “professional critic” who wrote “It is Hugh Jackman's misfortune that when they were handing out superheroes, he got Wolverine, who is for my money low on the charisma list. He never says anything witty, insightful or very intelligent; his utterances are limited to the vocalization of primitive forces: anger, hurt, vengeance, love, hate, determination. There isn't a speck of ambiguity. That Wolverine has been voted the No. 1 comic hero of all time must be the result of a stuffed ballot box.” (Rogerebert.com) we point out that we stopped listening to professional critics when we realized they went to movies for completely different reasons than we do. I find it difficult to see Wolverine as Jackman’s “misfortune” as he was largely unknown in the US before that role, plus I saw film of him at a recent Comic-Con where he showed a trailer for X-Men Origins, no one could fake being that excited about a project.
Yes, we want an interesting story and good characters. Sometimes we want pretty people doing funny things. Sometimes we want action and many of us prefer to see the “good guys” win, we are looking to escape from real life were we can’t magically solve our problems in 2 hours and where karma doesn’t always catch up with the bad guys. The idea that all movies must be deep, completely intellectual, and tragically socially relevant to be of any value is a fallacy that needs to be shattered now. Although X-Men Origins: Wolverine is no “Babette’s Feast” (yea…I’m talking to you Ebert) it is a very entertaining and satisfying movie experience.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Damn you Kripke - you magnificent bastard.
It was an exciting week in TGIF land. The cover would feature one of my favorite shows. I had the picture picked out weeks in advance, worked on the cut-line with Scornette and struggled with the headline. Although I really wanted to use the fan favorite "Damn you Kripke" it was just a bit to obscure to even suggest. Rather, we will ride the coat tails of a major theatrical release (but yes, the headline is also very relevant to the show). We fearfully submitted the cover and waited for Ggargamel's reaction. Although he had never heard of the show, (it truly is the little cult show that could) he liked the cover.
Lucky for him, I'd hate to have to go all Winchester on his ass.
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