This past Monday (I am behind here thanks to work) I went with my friend Patrick to see Nicki Minaj and Britney Spears in concert. I went just starting to list to Nicki Minaj's CD Pink Friday the day before the show, and really excited to watch Britney perform-key word perform. I went to this show with two thoughts in mind, I hope Britney just gives a fun performance (because I knew she would lip syncing and not dancing like she used to) and I hope Nicki's performance makes me like her more.
Nicki opened her show with her duet with Eminem "Roman's Revenge" and it set the stag for the energy that followed throughout her entire set. To close the show she went with her latest mega hit "Super Bass." There was never a moment in her show where there was lack in energy, and Minaj's singing and dancing were on point. Most of Nicki's songs (or a lot of them) are duets with other famous people like Drake, Rihanna, Will. i. am., and Natasha Bedginfield. When an artist has a lot of duets they often can put on a drab or boring show but Nicki kept things amped. I dare say her opening set list out shined the woman who was named the princess of of pop music who she opened for.
The came Miss. Spears. Britney opened up her tour with one of her latest hits "Hold it Against Me." and started her show with a lot of energy. The first half of her 22 song show was filled with some of her bit hits like "3" where she proves she has lost a lot of her talent in the dancing arena, allowing most of her back up dancers to provide this energy, and then songs from her newest album Femme Fatale. While I do realize this was the Femme Fatale tour I was not as floored to hear some of her single songs from that CD because in my opinion it was her worst CD. The second half of the show boosted the energy with her song "Boys" and then she just transitioned from hit to hit to hit. Britney closed her show with Womanizer, but then came out for an encore with no loss of energy with the (her best song and music video) "Toxic", and "Till the World Ends."
Overall I was entertained by the show. Both Minaj and Spears had great sets and costumes and put on a show/concert. Minaj had more energy (I base that on her youth) and being "new." I am sad that Spears dancing is not as on point as it used to be, but she gave it her all. I was happy with the show, mainly because I got what I expected. Britney and Nicki (better show) were both entertaining.
With incredible critical reviews and strong and loyal fan base this show will be entering its 5th season in January, and regular viewing audience is still not large enough. The show like many popular shows has a large underground or cult following. I speak with a lot of individuals whose media saturation involves a wide variety of television shows, meanwhile older audiences are still tuning in to more and more reality television because they want to be a part of the "new water cooler conversations."
After seeing previews for shows like Bachelor Pad and other summer shows it baffles me that more people would rather watch mindless entertainment that displays some of the worst qualities within people. I personally would much rather pick a well written show like Mad Men (and yes there are writers for reality television, but they are terrible.) This show is also on AMC and although this network is doing increasingly better, especially with shows like The Walking Dead, Mad Men still should have more people watching.
Mad Men's character's are of course flawed, but creator, writer and producer Matthew Weiner has constructed a story about a group of individuals in the 1960s that is so sharp, poignant, witty and well made. The show focuses on Don Draper (John Hamm) and his life at work as creative director at ad agency Sterling & Cooper (the name evolves throughout the show), as a husband father and family man, and and his numerous affairs with other women.
Weiner was a producer and writer for The Sopranos from 2004-2007 as well; he seems to take a page from the brilliantly constructed home life of Tony and Carmella Soprano to help formulate Don's life at home with his wife Betty (January Jones). Don and Betty with their two children at the beginning of the series are the picture of the perfect 1960s family. The two are Ken and Barbie come to life, and the flaws in both their personalities contribute to the chemistry that makes these two work so well together. This family is so well constructed and complicated that with each episode we fear that the repression of the 60s will prevent these individuals from growing and becoming deeper, but Weiner and his writing team use the time period and the development of his characters to make this family complex enough to break the norms.
One of the best portrayals of the workplace of all time. Don's work family has him surrounded by some of the most entertaining and complex individuals. Roger Sterling (John Slattery) is the older lethario who never grew up and still chases women and drinks like his is in 20s. Joan Harris (Christina Hendricks) runs the office her icy glares and an iron fist; she has the power, pulls the strings in a world dominated by men. Peter Campbell (Vincent Kartheiser) is the antithesis to Don Draper. Don is a womanize (Pete can be too), abusive and just should not be a like able character, but you can't help disliking Peter and rooting for Don. Maybe Don's charm works better because of his looks, or maybe its because Don is written with such confidence unlike Pete. Then there is Peggy Olsen (Elisabeth Moss) the woman who wants to be more than a secretary and the representative of the start of the woman's movement. Moss plays Peggy with such innocence; she is also fierce in her determination to be more than a wife.
So why highlight this show that is almost in season 5 instead of a show that has only a season or two under its belt. This show was signed on to its completion and will end after season 7, but there are still fans to be won, specifically older audiences who have been sucked in by Dancing with the Stars or American Idol. I am not here to judge, watch American Idol, but make sure you catch the most brilliant and well written show currently airing on television.
While reading Perez Hilton's blog lately it has come to my attention that there will be a remake of Dirty Dancing in the works. Kenny Ortega the director of the Michael Jackson documentary This is It and the High School Musical films will step behind the camera and direct this film. In an interview Ortega stated
"I’m not looking for someone to fill Patrick Swayze’s shoes, orJenniferGrey’s shoes. They’re one of a kind and they deserve to be called that.We have a big challenge and a long road ahead of us. All I can say is that I hope we can bring something unique and original to help change the naysayers minds about the film."
My question to Mr. Ortega and the producers who want to film this remake, what's the point of creating a remake? Ortega uses the words "unique" and "original" but a remake of a film is one of the farthest things from these qualities. Dirty Dancing is by no means a masterpiece but it is a cultural phenomenon that has made the the film have a lasting impact with quotes like "Nobody puts baby in a Corner." I have heard people from Brian Michael Bendis comic book writer to my mother use that phrase.
Jennifer Grey star of the film who played Francis "Baby" Houseman gave her blessing for this film as well. In her interview I learned that Ortega did the choreography for the first film. This may show promise for a remake, but if Ortega is such a talented musical director and choreographer he should focus on more original projects. I also think Grey gave her blessing because she hopes not only will she have a cameo, but who knows maybe even play the mom.
This is not the only 80s film being remade. While watching the previews waiting for Crazy, Stupid, Love to start I saw the atrocious preview for the remake of Footloose. I remember hearing this announced and groaning with disdain. Then there were glimmers of hope that the film would not happen, no director would fully commit, actors kept dropping out of the different roles, but low and behold this mess will be released on October 14th.
The original Footloose (1984) is not a masterpiece, but had a huge cultural impact. The preacher told the kids in town they couldn't dance and Ren McCormack came to town and challenged the authority. Not the best idea for a screenplay, but this film was fun. Kevin Bacon (Ren) was just wonderfully charming and at the time the film was released people may not have taken it seriously, but when the remake looks like a train wreck, I can't help but think, why someone thought remaking this film was a good idea?
The Wolverines will also be coming (I doubt they were clever enough the change the name of the group) in the remake of Red Dawn. The original film was released in 1984 and was a cheesy action film about what if the Soviets invaded the US. I watched this film in my Cold War and Film class in college and just laughed at how bad this film was. In the modern version its the Koreans who attack the US. Taking a bad film and remaking it can be done, but I do not think that this will be a success story. The original also starred Patrick Swayze, and they are look to replace his character with the God thunder Chris Hemsworth (Thor). Again who thought remaking this film was a good idea?
There have of course been two other 80s remakes that have already been released. The Karate Kid (2010) starring Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan. While this film was a box office triumph it did hold up critically to the first film. Friday the 13th was also remade and just was a heaping pile of garbage that lacked the terror and originality of the the original from 1980.
The problem with these remakes is that the films are stale and have no cultural relevance. The original films were not masterpieces but they were a product of the time and highlighted the time period. In todays world trying to please an audience is done at the cost of losing originality and keeping things safe. the newer versions of Footloose, Dirty Dancing and the other films will be viewed as Hollywood trying to make money as opposed to film companies caring about the final product. What's next a remake of Top Gun with Paul Walker, Zac Effron holding an i pod home over his head and playing "In your Eyes", or the girl from the television show Secret Life of the American Teenager blowing out her candles on a table in a remake of Sixteen Candles? I can't take Hollywood watering down films and trying to capture lightning in a bottle twice it can not be done.
After going to see a more serious film yesterday, I got to see previews for films that looked pretty good, and some that could even potentially get some consideration come Academy Award season. I enjoy the popcorn movies of the summer, but come August I need movies that are a bit deeper and that don't ignore the screenplay, or just focus on the special effects. The previews yesterday made me start thinking "Who will get nominated this year?"
Most journalists and pundits everyone is face with the pressure from outsiders to start the season and make some "predictions" but these "predictions" are are more like educated guesses. In their own predictions two of my favorite websites awardsdaily.com and goldderby.com have made predictions or started out potential contests but have also stated that making guesses at this point in the year is almost impossible! However, I would like to highlight the actors who have strong potential to be nominated this year.
The year of the men from the Oceans films: Brad Pitt, George Clooney, and Matt Damon all have major Oscar buzz films that will be released this year. This trio of men has ten Academy Award nominations between the three of them and I think that nomination tally will grow this year.
George Clooney has the best shot at nominations. Clooney is starring in, directed, wrote the film Ides of March, a political thriller that looks like that could have the potential to be an audience please and critically acclaimed. Clooney is also set to star in the film The Descendants directed by Alexander Payne about a man who attempts to re-connect with his daughters after his wife dies.
Depending on how the Academy feels about The Tree of Life Brad Pitt could score a nomination for his best dramatic performance to date. Pitt also has a film that will be a more crowd pleaser in the vein of The Blind Side, the film Moneyball where Pitt's character attempts to save a struggling baseball team (and its a true story!)
Matt Damon has three films released this year. Contagion where he plays a man grieving the loss of his wife from a deadly virus. Margaret (2011) the long awaited Kenneth Lonergan film about where a young women (Anna Paquin) witnesses a bus accident and caught up in the aftermath. Damon's role doesn't seem like this could get him a nomination. Damon is also going to be in the Cameron Crowe film We Bought a Zoo about a man who moves his family to California and buys a zoo.
Clooney and Pitt have a great shot to be back, I think Damon may have to wait another year or two.
The Streep Factor: Meryl Streep will be playing the first female prime minister of the United Kingdom, Margaret Thatcher. The role itself has the potential alone to score anyone a nomination, and with Streep attached it almost seems guaranteed. Phyllida Lloyd is attached as the director (which scares me) but hopefully she doesn't make this an over the top portrayal. Streep is a great actress, and once the full length trailer is out I will be able to figure out if this film will soar or sink.
The Titanic Twosome: Both Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet will be back in the Oscar race this year. These two have become the most bankable and worthwhile actors to watch (who would have thought that after their performances in Titanic).
DiCaprio will star in the biopic about famed FBI director J. Edgar Hoover in the film J. Edgar directed by Clint Eastwood. The film focuses on the controversy surrounding his career along with his private life as a cross dresser, and his gay relationship.
Winslet has two role this year, one in Contagion, which looks to be a smaller role and will not likely garner her a nomination; she will also be one of the foursome in the film Carnage based on the Tony award winning play God of Carnage. Carnage has an amazing cast, and tony award winning plays of this calibre have done a good job garnering award nominations for actors like Frost/Nixon and Doubt.
The New Faces to the Oscar Game: Every year there are new faces that enter the Oscar game that come out of no where like Gaborey Sidibe in Precious who was an unknown before this role, shocking potential nominees like Mila Kunis (who would have thought Jackie from That 70's Show had it in her), or the great character actor finally getting their due like Stanley Tucci finally getting a nomination for The Lovely Bones.
Michael Fassbender is one of the character actors of the year and a lesser known actor who has a great shot of getting a nomination. Fassbender has three even four roles that I would consider Oscar worthy this year. Fassbender was amazing in Jane Eyre as Rochester, and helped give new life to the X-Men franchise as Magneto in X-Men: First Class. Fassbender has the most potential playing Carl Jung in A Dangerous Method, and could also garner buzz for his playboy role in the film Shame.
The Overdue Factor: There actors in Hollywood that have never won an Oscar, or never even been nominated, and then suddenly late in life the academy decides to reward them with a nomination or a win. Christopher Plummer never received an Oscar nomination until his role in The Last Station two years ago. James Coburn won his Oscar because of a divided category, and the reward of a good performance that represents a career achievement.
Glenn Close has been nominated for five Academy Awards: The World According to Garp (83), The Big Chill (84), The Natural (85), Fatal Attraction (88), Dangerous Liaisons (89). I would argue her nomination for The Natural was on name alone, but this year she will most likely garner her sixth and potentially seventh nomination for writing and starring in the film Albert Nobbs. If this film is great and Close scores a nomination she could pose a huge threat because she has never won this award.
There are many other players in the Oscar game this year. Ryan Gosling, Michelle Williams, Phillip Seymour Hoffman and so many more. This year is going to be filled with a lot of younger talent, and new blood, and I looked forward to an exciting competition.
Directed by: Glenn Ficarra & John Requa (I Love You Phillip Morris),
Written by: Dan Fogelman (Cars, Bolt, Tangled)
Starring: Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Julianne Moore, and Emma Stone
The film starts with Cal (Steve Carell) and Emily (Julianne Moore) out to dinner, and her pronouncement that she he wants Creme Brulet while she wants a divorce and she cheated on him. Carell agrees to divorce and heads to a bar in his New Balance sneakers and clothes that don't fit. While at the bar Jacob a regular at the bar and playboy notices Cal and decides that he wants to take him on as a project. Jacob also meets Hannah (Emma Stone) at the bar and they have their own romantic story. Like within most romantic dramadies there are moments that cliche (which the film points out cleverly in the screenplay) and moments that come unexpectedly.
This film did a great job of making me think a little deeper about love, understanding relationships, and the role maturity plays in decision making. There are good moments that are incredibly funny as well. The highlight of this film is Ryan Gosling; he is charming, funny, and continues to prove what a terrific actor he has grown into. The ensemble is well used. Carell, Moore, and Stone were great as usual. The actor who plays Carell and Moore's son Robbie is younger actor to watch for. Some of characters were not fleshed out enough. Kevin Bacon and Marissa Tomei's characters were plot devices that were not fully developed enough to be useful. The film ran a bit long towards the end and felt like a merry-go-round, and the screenplay could have been trimmed.
The film was solid, and I got down on my knees thanking the movies Gods that there was a solid film that involved no explosions to go to during the summer months. I love and hate the sumer months because I feel people skip quality films like this where there isn't a robot that transforms, an adventure on the high seas, an action hero of some form, or that isn't a pointless sequel. This is not the best movie of the year, but it has quality, and is somewhat original. I am tired of the sequels they drive crazy and make me feel stupid, unlike this film
After watching Pam and Jim get married in the episode "Niagara" it made me cry, smile, and just fell allwarm inside! I made a list of my favorite film couples of all time, and now since my blog has expanded to all things pop culture, I figured I should pick my favorite TV couples of all time as well. There is no surprise that Jim and Pam are easily my favorite on screen couple of all time, but the other interesting factors about my favorite couples is that most of them are from situation comedies.
1-Jim and Pam (The Office USA-NBC) Their storybook romance is infamous to people who don't even watch the show. In season one and two it was apparent that doe eyed receptionist Pam and the paper salesman Jim had eyes for each other, but their strong friendship, and Pam being engaged prevented this from happening. After Pam and Jim kissed at the end of season two and Jim was rebuffed he moved to Connecticut. Finally at the end of season 3 their was an offer on a date and my favorite couple started their courtship that would end up with their nuptials in Niagara Falls and then Pam giving birth to their first child.
Jim: [regarding Pam's father] What did he say? Is it my fault?
Pam: Yeah. He said that you told him how much you love me. About how you feel when I walk in a room. And about how you've never doubted for a second that I'm the woman you want to spend the rest of your life with. I guess he's never felt that way about my mom, even at their best.
Jim: You okay?
Pam: Yeah. [Cut to talking head] When you're a kid, you assume your parents are soulmates. My kids are going to be right about that.
I may have The Office on the brain but I have several other favorite television couples here are the rest:
2-Buffy Summers and Angel-Buffy the Vampire Slayer (WB) I know most Buffy fans enjoy the Buffy and Spike pairing more (which was fun) and similar the relationship of Sookie and Eric Northman in True Blood, former enemies become lovers, but I love Buffy and Angel. I remember watching their first interactions and realizing there was something more to Angel (of course he was a vampire), but their chemistry was white hot. Buffy was tasked with killing vampires, but Angel was different and they fell in love. There was also the season when Angel became a bad vampire and Buffy had to fight, kill, and send him to hell. I think I remember sobbing when that happened. In their epic battle Buffy plunges a sword into her beloved because she has to kill him in order to let him go, the tears stream down her face and she lives town on a bus without a word to any of her friends. This was one of my favorite shows growing up, and my second favorite pairing.
3-Claire and Cliff Huxtable-The Cosby Show (NBC) Their chemistry was impeccable; she was this smart attorney who was well like by everyone and was put together while he was this goofy doctor who was great with young kids, and couldn't fix anything. Throughout the the show they talked about their courtship and how everyone was amazed Cliff got Claire, but their love goes beyond what people think. These two characters show true deep emotional care for one another and Phyllicia Rashad and bill Cosby had some amazing chemistry. In the last episode as the two of them looked with pride at their son graduating from college and danced on screen I knew these two characters would leave a lasting impact on television history and myself. To this day (and when I was younger) I always said I wanted them to be my parents, and I think that is a testament to the proof that I understand their "love" for one another.
4-Kevin Arnold and Winnie Cooper-The Wonder Years (ABC) Young love at its best! No show has
ever been able grasp what young love means as well as this show. The turmoil of the 60s helps set up the back the story but this young love transcends the time period. I loved watching their love grow and change throughout the years, and how adolescence and growing up can change love. You want these two to end up together, but you realize that as they grow up or as young people grow up they develop, change, and become different people.
5-Monica Gellar and Chandler Bing-Friends (NBC)-Everyone always focuses on Ross and Rachel, but in the end the show did a much better job bringing Monica and Chandler together. When these two accidentally drunkenly slept together at the end of season five, I was shocked! Looking back there were some signs of chemistry, but the writers created this brilliant idea to construct this couple and it worked. The flashbacks also made it worth watching, when Monica heard Chandler calling her fat and then one year later Monica's plan for revenge forced him to lose his pinky toe. Their hilarious back story helped provide great context for their story. With their wedding and the quest to have a baby these two created a lasting funny and beautiful memory about how love is not perfect and how you have to work hard to be with someone.
I have recently been watching The Office (USA) again, and I am on the fifth season of the show. I love the characters on that show for so many different reasons they each have their qualities that makes them an important part of the ensemble. So you may ask who have I never like that is a part of this show? While re-watching the fifth season I have been forced the re-live the the awful character Charles Miner played by the talented actor Idris Elba. Charles Miner was brought in to tear down the economic walls of the company, and create the storyline that gave Michael Scott the chance to have his own paper company. This plot device forced viewers to deal with a character that was just not funny or like able. When a character hates Jim and taunts him you know there is a problem with them. I was glad that this character did not last long, and I think the producers and writers knew he was not meant to last.Elba's character was a minor (no pun intended) character in the history of that show, but he still makes me dread watching the last part of the fifth season of The Office.
Most of the time I think unlikeable characters can come in the form of characters leaving and new people stepping in, or re-casts of popular characters. I remember when both Jean Smart and Delta Burke left Designing Women in 1991. The women both left for different reasons but the show still went on with poor imitations who tried to play similar characters. Now the replacements were played by the talented, Julia Duffy, Jan Hooks, and Judith Ivey, but those three women just could not fill the shoes of the beloved Charlene (Smart) and Suzanne (Burke). When those two ladies left "that was the night the lights went out in Georgia!"
I was talking to my friend Eric about Buffy the Vampire Slayer the other day and it "dawned" on me (pun intended) that I loathed Dawn Summers! Season five of Buffy the Vampire Slayer was one of my favorite seasons of the show, and Sarah Michelle Gellar just knocked every episode out of the park, especially in the episode where her mother dies (I cry every time I see it). Dawn turns up at the end up of the first episode in the fifth season "Buffy vs. Dracula" and from then on her whining her my ears and left a bad taste in my mouth. It could be the actress, I am not a big fan of Michelle Trachtenberg; she is the reason I stopped watching Gossip Girl as well. The Dawn character was quintessential to the entire fifth season, but the character grated on me.
On another vampire related topic, I strongly dislike the Bill Compton and Sam Merlotte in True Blood. In the beginning of the series Sookie Stackhouse was poised to be in a love triangle with vampire Bill Compton and shifter (can change into animals) Sam Merlotte. Now I have only read the first book so my frame of references is mainly the show, but as a fan of the show I can't imagine watching a show that centered around those three characters. Without giving away too many spoilers and Sookie's current romantic entanglements I will simply focus on these two men, the worst two characters on the show. Bill is just boring, I find nothing interesting in his vampire character. They have gone into his back story, but there is no charm or charisma. On the other hand his counterpart Eric is just an amazing character, and glamours me into appreciating him. I started out liking Sam, but his evolution into this dark character and his past has made him more unlikeable, and a character that I do not care much about. I am not interested in his family, or what happens to him. The only purpose of his character is the fact that he owns the bar. I did however enjoy the homoerotic dream Sam had about Bill because Sam drank his blood.
I reached out to my friends on facebook, and there were a fewpeople who talked about the characters on Everybody Loves Raymond. I have to agree with this, this is one show that I can't watch in syndication. I find all of the characters incredibly grating (except Frank played by Peter Boyle). There have been some hilarious moments from this show and the characters have had many funny moments, but I just can't re-watch this show at all. Many people have different taste in comedy, there are several people out there who probably loathe the characters on 30 Rock, The Office etc and love this show. I love the characters on Modern Family, but there is just something about this ensemble that as Peter Griffen says "grinds my gears."
My friend Eric and several other people mentioned Kate from Lost. Kate was probably my least favorite character on Lost; she was also whiney, irritating, I don't get what Jack and Sawyer saw in her character. Like with many of these characters the likeability factor may be related the the actor and the way they play the character. I think in this case Evangeline Lilly is the problem; she grew as an actress towards the end of the series and I became a little more impressed with her talent, but I ultimately think that this character could have been much more with a more capable actress.
This past Monday (I am behind here thanks to work) I went with my friend Patrick to see Nicki Minaj and Britney Spears in concert. I went just starting to list to Nicki Minaj's CD Pink Friday the day before the show, and really excited to watch Britney perform-key word perform. I went to this show with two thoughts in mind, I hope Britney just gives a fun performance (because I knew she would lip syncing and not dancing like she used to) and I hope Nicki's performance makes me like her more.
