Pop Zone

Goodbye, Serena

2011-09-09T21:24:00.000-07:00

I think I’ll miss our evening walks the most.

The time could vary -- it could be 10p, it could be midnight, or if I was watching a late-night degenerate special on ESPN, it could be much later. Serena would wait patiently until I said, “c’mon Sweet Pea, time to go walking.” Then she would scamper out from whatever spot in the bedroom she was in and head for the door.

Our younger dog, Bernice, hates the late-night walk as much as Serena looked forward to it. I’m fairly certain Bernice taught herself tremendous bladder control to avoid stepping out into the dreaded Manhattan night.

Bernice knows something’s wrong. It probably doesn’t help that I’m still crying like a fool, more than 24 hours since Serena died.

She was getting up in age, but otherwise in good decent health. Our old girl’s body simply betrayed her.

In less than two weeks, paralyzing seizures robbed Serena of most of her bodily functions. As the accidents increased, the look on her eyes would seem to be saying, ‘I’m sorry for the mess, daddy. I can’t control it.’

I knew she was in trouble when she was too weak to muster the slightest bit of excitement when I walked through the door Wednesday.

That’s one of the 84,567 reasons why dogs rule. Their purpose in life is to make your life better. They live to give you a hero’s welcome. And Serena’s Welcome Home’s were epic.

I could be gone an hour or a week, and Serena would greet me the same way: with unrestrained joy and slobber knocker kisses. Seriously, the dog’s tongue was a force of nature. It was like a red carpet.

Serena was with me through a half-dozen job changes (some less voluntary than others), and many other trying times. As well as all the great moments. It’s impossible for me to remember my life without Serena in it.

She was born two days before Cindi and I were married. We got her six weeks later, the first of many great decisions my wife has made for us the past dozen years.

She was there for so many life-changing moments; our all-in move to NYC a few weeks after 9/11; getting her a sister – Bernice, which Serena struggled to adjust to for awhile, to be honest; And the biggest moment: The birth of Baby Alexia last year.

Serena was there for all of it. She was the rock-steady backbeat in our life song.

Through all our dinners and parties, she was always there – usually at one of our friends’ feet, hoping to use that impossibly cute face to score some snacks (it usually worked).

We desperately wanted Alexia to have enough time with Serena to form memories of her. As we sat in the vet’s office, the realization that pictures would be all that Alexia would have of our beautiful little Bum…. well, it crushed me.

[Side note: Bum was one of Serena’s many nicknames, because she never met a nap she couldn’t take.]

We made the only decision left to make.

We were there with Alexia because we had to rush her to the vet, and there was no way Cindi wasn’t going to be there for Serena. She loved her as much as I did. We sat in the room with her, shared a few memories of this wonderful, quirky, cantankerous dog that brought us so much joy. But mostly we just cried.

Then something incredible happened.

Serena and Alexia haven’t had much interaction. At her age, Serena just wasn’t up for getting manhandled by an infant. But as Cindi said goodbye, Alexia reached out and put her tiny hand on Serena’s head. It was a beautiful moment, and I’m grateful that I held it together long enough to take a picture.

Then it was time.

I sat there and stared at my loyal companion. I kissed her cheek like I’d done countless times before. I did what I imagine most people do at the death beds of their loved ones; I said I was sorry, for those times I lost my temper with her, for not giving her as much attention as I could have.

Our vet, who’s cared for Serena for years, administered the injection.

I told Serena I loved her one last time. I wish I could say that she gave me a sign that those words registered, but the truth is, I saw nothing in those big, soulful eyes. The illness had taken its toll.

Then she was gone.

As I stared at her lifeless body, the tears flowed uncontrollably. I found myself hoping that somehow, my words had registered at some level.

I’m not an idiot, and I’m not insane. I know the mental capacity of dogs. I’m also not very spiritual.

But I’ll be damned if I wasn’t praying that somehow, Serena understood how much she meant to me. That she knew that she will always carry a piece of my heart, from this life, into whatever comes next.

So long, Sweet Pea.

MAKING ROOM - updated!

2011-04-10T08:31:00.000-07:00

The great Avila purge continues ...
er, of my excess crap... err...OK, I mean all the dvds & GNs cluttering up our apartment.

The list below is what is still available + some new additions that I dug up. Same rules apply: Max 5 items per person, first come first serve, and you probably should be local (in NYC) because I'm not dealing with the expense & hassle of shipping.

NEW ADDITIONS:

DVDS:

Rocky 2-disc collectors set
Road to perdition
Rock n Roll high school blu
Caprica premiere press kit
Parks and recreation pilot screener
Waltz with bashir
La Mission
Amazing journey: the story of The Who
Mister lonely
Alvin and the chipmunks
guy and Madeleine on a Park Bench
CSNY/Deja vu
The Dark Crystal
Symbionic Titans season premiere
Clone Wars S:3 premiere
Mafioso
Spectacular Spider-Man: attack of the lizard
Freedom writers
Spinning into butter
Downloading Nancy
Hunger
Goodbye Solo
The Final Season
Margot at the Wedding
Meatloaf: in search of paradise
Special
Provoked
Chevolution
The Nanny Express
FF: Rise of the Silver Surfer 2- discs
Flashbacks of a fool
Gotta dance
Quid pro quo
Grace is Gone
Paprika
Sharkwater
Nana
Jesus Camp
Adam resurrected
Delgo
BAtman: Gotham Knight
Table for 3
I bring what I love

GNs:
Superman on the couch book
Burnout -mind gn
Captain Freedom novel
Sentences: the Life of mr Grimm hc
Waltz with bashir Gn

Xbox 360 games:
Madden 09
Madden 10
Call of duty 2 special Ed
Scene it? Trivia game

DVDs:

Sex and the city movie
Sopranos s:1
Z rock IFC comedy series screener
My breakfast w/blassie
Jockeys (animal planet)
Lookin to Get Out
Van Wilder:freshman year
Major league
Eddie Murphy raw
Morning light doc
Dark Streets
Blade Runner 5-disc HD DVD set
Son of Kong
Mighty Joe Young
Tennessee
Henry Poole is Here
Little Red Riding Hood
Failure to launch
Bounce
Human contract
Clash of the titans
Penn and Teller BS - 6th season
Table for 3
Jo Koy don't make Jim angry
Boogie Man - lee Atwater story
Lost Treasure of the Grand Canyon
SW Clone Wars - Rise of the Bounty Hunters press kit
Louis CL - Hilarious
Ghost hunters Intl press kit
Black panther cartoon series
Ghost Hunt novel
Suburbia (roger corman)
Spiderman vs Doc Ock
Spiderman - ultimate villain showdown
Gamera - the giant monster
Stella - live in Boston
The Beatles - help!
Boffo -HBO/variety doc
The Narrows
Blast!
Ping Pong playa
Five dollars a day
Bigger stronger Faster
Lions for lambs
Kobe doin work
Lymelife
Homecoming
Hounddog
Close Encounters of 3rd kind doc
Constantines sword
Fog city mavericks
Forever strong
Diminished Capacity
I Sell the Dead
The missing person
Ball Don't lie
What goes up
American swing
Playground
the Cake eaters
The garden
Stranded
Nobel son
Running the sahara
Herb and Dorothy
Reporter
The 11th hour
The wild and wonderful whites of west Virginia
Cherry blossoms
Wonder Woman animated film
Tinkerbell 2 Blu
Down to the bone
24: redemption tv movie
Black hole SYFY movie
The Escapist
Tribute to Heath ledger
St trinians
Young Indy documentaries
Bart Got a Room
Get Low
Survival of the Dead
Toe to Toe
Shutter
Valhalla Rising

GAMES:

Mortal combat vs DC uni
Madden 08 x360
Lego rock band x360
Comedy central hasselhoff roast

GRAPHIC NOVELS:

Plastic Man on the lam - Kyle baker
Outsiders - looking for trouble
Catwoman - 9 lives of a feline fatale
Ultimate guide to GI Joe
Dark Entries - Ian Rankin
Ultimate Spidey vol 12
Gotham Central half a life
STAR WARS Infinities: the empire strikes back
WE3 - vertigo
Prelude to Infinite Crisis
100%

Making Room

2011-04-09T09:32:00.001-07:00

I have way too much crap.

Seriously. Comics & TPBs, DVDs, CDs & various other pop culturally kitschy but otherwise useless items are taking up a serious amount of square footage. We're fortunate to have some space, but with little Alexia now in the picture, the Wife's evil eye has turned towards me much too often.

So I'm having a clearance sale. Except I'm not selling any of this stuff. It's easier to offer it up for free than to eBay it and then have to deal with the hassle o mailing things to the militia members in Scratch-n-Sniff, Idaho. Most are DVDS & screeners, a few games, some GNs. So here's how this goes...

First come, first serve. See something you like? email me/twitter me/text me if you have my #. If multiple people want the same item, then whoever reached out to me first gets it. Then you can either pick it up or i'll bring it to you the next time we're going to the same screening or when we get drinks.

Max of 5 items per person...

THE LIST (keep in mind I'll be adding more items as I keep sorting stuff out):

DVDs:

Sex and the city movie
Sopranos s:1
Z rock IFC comedy series screener
Sleeping beauty
The Game
My breakfast w/blassie
Jockeys (animal planet)
Lookin to Get Out
Van Wilder:freshman year
Major league
Eddie Murphy raw
Morning light doc
Dark Streets
Blade Runner 5-disc HD DVD set
Son of Kong
Mighty Joe Young
Tennessee
Henry Poole is Here
Little Red Riding Hood
Failure to launch
Bounce
Sat nite fever 30 anniversary Ed
Human contract
Clash of the titans
Penn and Teller BS - 6th season
Table for 3
Jo Koy don't make Jim angry
Boogie Man - lee Atwater story
Lost Treasure of the Grand Canyon
SW Clone Wars - Rise of the Bounty Hunters press kit
Louis CL - Hilarious
Ghost hunters Intl press kit
Black panther cartoon series
Ghost Hunt novel
Suburbia (roger corman)
Spiderman vs Doc Ock
Spiderman - ultimate villain showdown
Gamera - the giant monster
Stella - live in Boston
The Beatles - help!
Boffo -HBO/variety doc
Grace
The Narrows
Blast!
Ping Pong playa
Education of Charlie banks
Five dollars a day
Bigger stronger Faster
IronMan Blu
Lions for lambs
Kobe doin work
Lymelife
Homecoming
Hounddog
Close Encounters of 3rd kind doc
Dear Zachary
Constantines sword
Fog city mavericks
Forever strong
Diminished Capacity
I Sell the Dead
The missing person
Ball Don't lie
What goes up
American swing
Playground
the Cake eaters
The garden
Handsome harry
Diving bell and the butterfly
Stranded
Nobel son
Running the sahara
Herb and Dorothy
The kite runner
Reporter
Hunger
The 11th hour
The wild and wonderful whites of west Virginia
Cherry blossoms
Wonder Woman animated film
Sleep Dealer
Tinkerbell 2 Blu
Down to the bone
24: redemption tv movie
Black hole SYFY movie
The Escapist
Tribute to Heath ledger
St trinians
Dead snow
Young Indy documentaries
Bart Got a Room
Get Low
Survival of the Dead
Toe to Toe
Shutter
Valhalla Rising

GAMES:

Mortal combat vs DC uni
Madden 08 x360
Lego rock band x360
Comedy central hasselhoff roast

GRAPHIC NOVELS:

Plastic Man on the lam - Kyle baker
Outsiders - looking for trouble
Catwoman - 9 lives of a feline fatale
Ultimate guide to GI Joe
Dark Entries - Ian Rankin
Ultimate Spidey vol 12
Gotham Central half a life
STAR WARS Infinities: the empire strikes back
WE3 - vertigo
Prelude to Infinite Crisis
100%

What Makes A Good Movie...To You?

2011-01-25T17:24:00.000-08:00

I had an interesting conversation with a good friend of mine today after the Oscar nominations were announced. He and I share a taste for quite a few movies, not the least of which is a borderline-unhealthy obsession with Michael Mann's Heat.

However, we part ways on quite a few films. The Social Network is one such picture. Like millions of other people today, we debated the merits of today's nominees, the curious and the ridiculous oversights (How was Daft Punk not tabbed for its Tron: Legacy soundtrack?)

Anyway, my friend liked TSN, but it seems the relentless hype surrounding the film and its Oscar possibilities - which has been discussed since before it was even released - has kind of soured him on the movie. I really liked TSN too, but I don't think it's the best film of the year, either. Animal Kingdom is my choice for top film of 2010, FWIW.

As we debated the merits of David Fincher's movie, we did what we normally do and take a detour down another argumentative path. Somehow we wound up arguing over whether Jerry Maguire is overrated. My friend thinks so; he said TSN is the most overrated picture since JM, a statement I found utterly preposterous. Then he crossed the line by saying Almost Famous isn't all its cracked up to be, either.

That drove me nuts, because that happens to be one of my most prized films, an all-time Top 10 for me. I've written about my love for Almost Famous before; to these eyes, it's the best coming-of-age picture ever. William Miller is a teen avatar for every Geek out there who became immersed in their passion.

When I asked my buddy why he didn't think the movie was all that I felt it was, he said it was good, but not earth-shattering. For him, a great movie needs amazing performances, outstanding editing and/or cinematography to rise above the level of just solid entertainment. A good story isn't enough for him.

I found this an interesting answer. One, because to me, a compelling story told effectively is often enough to elevate a movie from good to great. But also because it made me wonder what specific criteria we all have for determining a 'great' film.

Is it the story?

Is it the cinematography?

Is it the acting?

Is it the ambition and scope of the picture?

Do any of the above carry more weight than another? Or is it a combination that help us make up our mind about a movie?

For me, it begins and ends with the story. If I'm not invested in the journey, then the film has failed. Then again, if I do get invested, then that means the actors have done their job too, and no doubt, the director.

How do you decide what's a great movie? I'd like to know...

BTW, I thought The Town was jobbed by the Academy out of a Best Picture slot. That will start another argument with my buddy.

Because he couldn't stand that movie.

(follow me on twitter, why don't you?)

Facing the (Chin) Music

2010-01-14T16:59:00.000-08:00

I like Jay Leno.

I realize admitting you're a Leno fan this week is about as popular as Lane Kiffin is in Knoxville right now. But I have enjoyed Leno's monologue for years. At the end of a long day, I like easy laughs with telegraphed punch lines. Jaywalking and Headlines crack me up, too. Why? Because stupid people who think Las Vegas is the nation's capital and silly typos on menus and newspaper ads make me laugh. Yep, I embrace the lowest common denominator of comedy. Sue me.

I'm also a big Conan fan. I don't mean to come across like one of those guys who says he cheers for the both the Yankees and the Mets. But I enjoy Conan's wry humor and his clever skits as much as I do Leno's silly schtick. That's the beauty of comedy. It's subjective and often dependent on expectation and frame of mind, so you can find all sorts of stuff to laugh at, whether it be Fred Willard or a Gaseous Weiner.

What I'm having trouble with during this entire brouhaha is how Conan has become history's first gazillionaire martryr. I'm sorry, I don't buy it.

Not that Conan and his supporters don't have a right to be furious over the shabby way their late-night idol has been treated. He has been humiliated and undermined during this fiasco, due in large part to the bumbling machinations of one of the most inept corporate leadership teams in the history of broadcasting (full disclosure: I worked for NBC at 30 Rock for 6+ years. I had a front-row seat to the ineptness). The real villains here are the NBC executives who showed little patience and even less foresight with the late-night embroglio.

But what Team Conan fails to or refuses to see is that their fearless leader isn't some poor, unwitting victim in all this. He brought it on himself.

O'Brien was the one who set this entire bizarre sequence of events in motion when, back in 2004, he gave NBC the ultimatum that if he doesn't get "The Tonight Show" by a specific date, he would walk. That spurred Jeff Zucker to make O'Brien the 'host in waiting,' and put a countdown clock on Leno, a workaholic who had no desire to step down when the time came.

Leno is being shredded in the court of public opinion as the puppet master orchestrating this entire embarrassing mess. Fair enough. This isn't his first rodeo and he knows how the game is played.

My question is, where was all the moral outrage five years ago, calling Conan out for strong-arming his way into "The Tonight Show?" Is that move really that much different than what Leno is being accused of doing to Conan right now?

It's not like Leno has been hiding his displeasure over how he was uprooted from his old job. When asked by 'Broadcasting & Cable' back in November whether he would be interested in doing "The Tonight Show" again, Leno replied, "If it were offered to me, would I take it? If that's what they wanted to do, sure."

Tactful? No. Classy? Not really. But it was honest. And if you're Jay Leno, why should you give a rat's ass about what happens to the guy who openly campaigned for, and ultimately got, your job? Still, those villifying him for some Norman Osborn-esque plot to retake "The Tonight Show" throne is a reach. Because all he really had to do was just sit back and let things play out.

It seems fairly obvious by now that "The Jay Leno Show" was not just Team Zucker's way of keeping Leno from bolting to ABC, but an insurance policy that kept Jay around the network in case Conan didn't work out as host of "The Tonight Show."

The warning signs were there for quite some time.

During his stretch run on "Late Night," he was having trouble fending off Craig Ferguson. Yes, "The Jay Leno Show" decimated NBC's 11pm local news ratings, which in turn greatly impacted "The Tonight Show." And no, seven months was not a fair or reasonable amount of time to give the show time to find its way.

You know what? It's called Show Business, not Show Fairness.

It's the kind of enterprise where a guy can dominate his time period, make his bosses gobs of money, and still be forced out the door. And it's NBC, a company that has shown absolutely no signs of making sensible or honorable decisions where its programming is concerned. Ask Aaron Sorkin or John Wells about that.

Then there's the one not-so-tiny fact being overlooked in nearly all the 'Woe is Conan' stories, and that's that his "Tonight Show" wasn't very good. Whether it was the studio, the West Coast setting or the subtle changes to the show's formula, Conan didn't look or feel comfortable at 11:35, and the show suffered for it. He suffered massive ratings declines to Letterman and until he went rogue this week against his own network, showed few signs of bouncing back.

Ultimately, Conan orchestrated his own undoing simply by putting his faith in the same people who had shafted Leno in the first place. The same executives who alienated Hollywood's creative community by cutting back on prime-time dramas and pilots so they could 'manage for margins.' It's a knee-jerk regime that slaps band aids on wounds that need surgery and long-term treatment.

It's like the mistress having an affair with a married man, giving the guy the ultimatum. It's either me or your older, fatter wife. It's a lose-lose for the mistress, because even if the guy chooses her, how can she ever trust him to not cheat on her with another woman? After seeing how Leno was treated, a guy who was rewarded for years of top-rated service by being forced out and then placated with a 'managing for margins' show guaranteed to fail, how could Conan and his people think this couldn't happen to them?

Conan obviously didn't pay close attention to the pile of award season screeners Hollywood sent out last month, or he would have seen all this coming. The Universal movie "It's Complicated" co-stars "30 Rock's" Alec Baldwin as a guy who cheats on the mistress he married...with the wife he had cheated on (Meryl Streep) with the mistress. Shockingly, it doesn't end well.

The same goes for NBC's late-night mess. The network

Leno's ' Average Joe' public image is enduring potentially permanent damage as this all plays out. The rival talk shows are lambasting him without mercy. How that impacts the ratings of his next stint hosting "The Tonight Show" is anyone's guess.

Conan's most loyal followers will rage and tweet with righteous anger once he's finally off the air (presumably next week), as their hero takes a multi-million dollar buyout and plots his next move.

Perhaps the most aggravating aspect of all this for Team Conan - and perhaps to O'Brien himself -- is that the Harvard-educated comedy wunderkind was ultimately out-smarted by the blue-collar, unhip, dinosaur.

Summer Daze

2009-08-13T19:38:00.000-07:00

It's been a rather eventful summer for me. Besides the usual summer movie coverage craziness - which includes writing about the BEST film of the summer, "District 9" [read my review HERE], I also found myself out of work.

After four successful years, NBC cancelled the show I produced, REEL TALK. No more debating with Jeffrey and Alison which movies or guests should/would make the show, or explaining the difference between Mar-Vell Comics and Marvel Comics (the former is a superhero, the other is the publisher,..). No more uncomfortable moments ordering a turkey & cheese wrap from Johnny the Sandwich Guy at the NBC Commissary, and hoping he doesn't sabotage it. After six years working for NBC at 30 Rock, I was becoming one of the Dept. of Labor's key statistics.

Er...that sucked pterodactyl 'nads, to be perfectly honest.

It still does, but that's OK. As many dear friends of mine reminded, one door opens, another blah, blah, blah...

I wouldn't exactly describe myself at the proverbial crossroads. I'm certainly not looking to switch careers, go back to school (God knows I don't want to do that) or anything so drastic. I've been fortunate to have enjoyed a decent amount of success in my TV career, with REEL TALK being the highlight thus far. I lost my job because my show was cancelled. Stinks, and I may not like it, but I understand. That's what shows do. They get cancelled. I'm not very worried about landing something else.

Positive thinking? Absolutely. Confident? Without a doubt. Delusional? Perhaps. But that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

No, when I got the heave-ho, I decided to approach my 'summer hiatus' as a chance to recharge my creative batteries. Because while i loved working on RT, the truth is, after four years I could do the show in my sleep. And as budgets were slashed and opportunities to do various specials, on-location shows and other outside-the-box programming were slowly phased out, it was occasionally monotonous. Nature of the beast for any job, in any profession, I suppose.

Anyway, I told myself I would try some new things, would sharpen certain skills - such as writing - that have atrophied during the last eight years, most of which I've spent formulating grammatically incorrect copy.

[Not my fault. It's what we do in TV. We fracture sentences and phrases like Steven Seagal smashed Jamaican gang member bones in "Marked for Death" - with impunity and with no regard for lasting damage.]

I've been doing a lot of writing for the website Newsarama, a very popular pop culture site that specializes in comic book news and anything else that touches that particular genre. Generally I cover movies, an obvious choice. But I hope to do more in the TV and animation field and whatever else they'll let me get away with. With any luck, the message board haters will light me up with their fanboy brio (thanks Marc).

Aside from that, I've made myself a promise to accomplish 3 specific things before the end of this year. Because if there's one thing I do well, it's procrastinate. So here goes:

1) Finish one of the large handfuls of screenplays I've started and tossed aside over the past decade. No, I haven't actually tossed them aside, because that implies that I'm printing pages. That's not very eco-friendly. i mean, tossed aside virtually, in some folder on my iBook. Don't know if there's even a good idea in any of those incomplete ideas, but I'm considering it just an exercise in completionism. Why, I do believe I've made up a word!

2) Complete a script for a comic book proposal, and pitch it to someone, anyone. I'm a geek, have been since before I could take myself to the bathroom. For someone whose first memorized words were likely "Stan Lee Presents," cracking the comics business is the ultimate goal. First things first. Realize idea, commit idea. Execute idea.

3) Get a job. C'mon, my wife reads this blog (at least i hope she does).

Now that I've blogified my Fall resolutions, I have no choice but to actually follow through. Keep me honest.

[and in case you didn't notice, blogified makes 2 new words coined in 1 post. Eat my vocabulary, punks!]

Next time, I think I'll discuss the fun I had getting my ass kicked by a bull while taping a reality show in France.

Bad Trailering A Hollywood Epidemic

2009-06-16T19:09:00.000-07:00

Years ago, before it became 'the Ryan Seacrest and his stable of crappy reality shows channel,' E! used to air a fun show hosted by Todd Newton, called "Coming Attractions." His tag line was that it spotlighted 'the best part about going to the movies - the trailers!' He had a point, back then. Getting an early look at what's coming down the pike used to be one of the big treats to a day or night at the cinema.

Not anymore.

Movie trailers have become infuriatingly spoiler-laden, cinematic killjoys that give away key plot points and basically sap much of the need to actually see the movie it's supposed to be encouraging people to see. It's gotten so bad I find myself trying to time my arrival to the theater so that I miss everything but the fake crying baby sound that tells the moron in the 6th row aisle seat to turn off his Blackberry.

This has been bothering me for years. In fact, I can pinpoint it to a specific trailer, 1998's "The Negotiator." I remember seeing the spot for the first time in Miami, at the AMC at Mall of the Americas. I vividly recall thinking, as the trailer unspooled, how cool this movie looked. Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Spacey butting heads in an action thriller, with guns ablazing, corrupt cops, and in a high-rise? I'm there Opening Day! How often do you see A-list stars oppose each other in a big-budget film, I thought?

And then, the trailer gave away the big twist, that these two wind up on the same side. See for yourself.

How annoyed must I have been at the Spoiler-ish nature of that trailer that I still remember, more than 10 years later, how much it ticked me off...yet I have not the foggiest idea which film it preceded?

Two especially egregious examples of bad trailering have occurred this summer, involving the same studio. Warner Bros.' decision to include a MAJOR plot twist from "Terminator Salvation" in a trailer is one of the dumbest Hollywood decisions this year (although a clear second to Universal's decision to greenlight "Land of the Lost"). Whichever schmendrake at the studio said, "let's reveal that Sam Worthington is part machine in the trailer" should be forced to work the craft services table on the set of the "Hotel for Dogs" sequel.

[It's hinted strongly around 1:00 into the trailer, then flat-out Spoiled around the 2:20 mark. And don't bother getting mad at me for Spoiling it for you. You lose the right to complain about that stuff when the film's been out for a few week.]

Why does the fact that studios can't seem to help themselves from Spoiling the surprise twist get me so upset?

Because seeing the Next Big Thing, or at least 2:30 of it, gets the juices going for movie fans unlike any other. I'm sure I'm not the only one who starts nervously tapping his fingers on the armrest when a familiar logo, such as Lucasfilm, pops up suddenly onscreen, heralding a preview for an eagerly awaited epic. Remember the Geek-bumps you felt when you saw the trailer for "The Phantom Menace" for the very first time? The first time you viewed the teaser for "Kingdom of the Crystal Skull?"

So what if both movies turned out to be crap? We didn't know that when we glimpsed the advance reels. Our interest was piqued. Anticipation built. Lines formed outside theaters. Unrealistic expectations were formed. Many not-so collectible collector's items were sold and stacked unopened in parents' basements.

What I'm saying is, those trailers DID THEIR JOBS.

Trailers are teasers, appetizers meant to water your cinema taste buds and expand your belly in advance of a film feast.

Which gets me to my other example of Bad Trailering by the WB, involving this year's breakout hit, "The Hangover."

I saw "The Hangover" back in April, two months before it hit theaters on its way to nearly $170 million box office to date (as of this writing). I hadn't seen a single ad for it. About all I knew about the film was that early online buzz was strong and the annoying guy from "Alias" and "Wedding Crashers" was part of the cast.

So after seeing it - and LMAO during just about the entire movie - I started recommending it to everyone who asked me about it. Jeffrey Lyons and Alison Bailes did the same during their review on my sadly-cancelled movie show REEL TALK.

You know what else I was telling everyone? DON'T WATCH THE TRAILERS! Change the channel the moment one of the ads (and there were LOTS of TV spots) came on, because the spots include just about every wild twist in the movie. Don't believe me? Watch it below.

Now some may argue this is an example of why reveal-heavy trailers work. After all, "The Hangover" is on its way to becoming the biggest-grossing comedy of the past decade, with a sequel already in the works. But for those in the audience who saw the trailers, who know Mike Tyson is going to be singing Phil Collins and punching someone out and know there's a Tiger in the bathroom, a baby in the closet and a naked Asian guy in the trunk, they missed out on the NO IDEA LAUGH. What's that?

The laugh that comes when something comes so thoroughly out of left field you nearly pop a button in your 501s guffawing. I was lucky enough to experience that with "The Hangover." I wonder how many people were able to do the same.

I can't stand watching movie trailers anymore. Why? Because less is more when it comes to teasers, and because I still enjoy surprises, especially at the theater. Modern movie trailers seem designed to eliminate that element of the moviegoing experience. For the life of me, I can't fathom why.

Incidentally, I have never bothered to see "The Negotiator." Don't need to. I saw the stinkin' trailer.

iPod Shuffle: 'Just Like Paradise'

2009-06-14T14:50:00.000-07:00

This classic late 80s pop-metal gem from David Lee Roth has been a mainstay on my Nano since I saw the Broadway show "Rock of Ages." I literally hadn't heard it for nearly 20 years. When the band at RoA started playing that wailing guitar solo at the start of the show, it didn't register at first. Once I heard the chorus ... I instantly was back in the days of Edwin jeans, 3/4 sleeve rock jerseys and highly intoxicated concerts at venues like the long-gone Hollywood Sportatorium.

Big Hair metal bands don't get much more respect now than they did back in the brief heyday but there is no doubt those groups could crank out some catchy tunes. My jogging playlists always have a few metal bands in the rotation. Besides DLR, right now I have Rush, original Van Halen and Bon Jovi to keep me moving. Something about the standard verse/chorus/verse/chorus/bridge/chorus template that just lends itself to a good run.

BTW, I saw David Lee and his band perform "Just Like Paradise" at the Sportatorium in 1988. Wouldn't you know it, some wily bootlegger snuck in a camcorder to the cheap seats. Nice security...anyway, enjoy!

The Daily $&@% Rant - Fantasy Baseball

2009-06-13T13:33:00.000-07:00

Reason No. 451 Why Life Isn't Fair: When injuries cripple your fantasy baseball team. I have so many hurt players right now I've run out of spots on the disabled list. Jabroni Nation (that's my team name) currently resides in 7th place in my 10-team ESPN league.

If you don't do fantasy sports then you've no doubt stopped reading this.

If you have signed up at one point for the office baseball league as a morale-building exercise, then you know how frustrating it can be to build what you think is a quality team through the draft and free agent pickups, only to see your chances of success get cut off at the knees by a rash of injuries. It happens to every fantasy guy at some point -- happens all the time during football season, actually -- but this is the first year I've endured so many damn injuries.

I know I sound like I'm a whiny, complaining little schmendrake. So what if I am? Is it too much to ask of your big league multi-millionaires to stay somewhat healthy for at least 3/4 of the season. Hey Grady Sizemore, would a little extra stretching before games kill you? Because your being on the DL is certainly KILLING ME NOW.

If Brandon Webb were a super villain, he would be known as the Man of Porcelain. Good grief dude, why is it every time I draft your health collapses like a house of cards??

I've been doing fantasy sports for nearly 20 years. I know when you're in a deep league, if you lose one of two of your starting lineup at the same time for an extended period of time, you're up the proverbial creek sans paddle. Part of the game. But I've got a half dozen starters riding pine right now. For the sake of Pete's luv, Fantasy Gods, SHOW SOME MERCY!!

The only upside to my team resembling an outline for a very special episode of "Greys Anatomy" is that all my guys were hurt early. Nady, Sizemore, Webb and Kyle Lohse. Hopefully they'll come back fresh and ready to give me a big boost in stats after the All-Star break.

It will be especially nice to see Nady and Webb back on the active roster. Both of those dudes have been on a fantasy milk carton since the season began.

Guys, feel free to contribute to the Jabroni cause as soon as possible. It's the least you could do.

Thomas Haden Church Imagines Life on 'Mars'

2009-06-12T16:25:00.001-07:00

Here's the interview THC did with Jeffrey Lyons for this weekend's episode of REEL TALK. A few minutes in, he mentions his likely next role, in the John Carter film.

Watch Kevin Costner Interviews exclusively from Reeltalk.

Thomas Haden Church Going to Mars?

2009-06-11T13:44:00.000-07:00

Earlier today Thomas Haden Church, hands down one of the funniest guys you will ever have the pleasure of crossing paths with, dropped by REEL TALK's 30 Rock studio to chat up Jeffrey Lyons about his role opposite Eddie Murphy in the kid-friendly "Imagine That." In the middle of an interview that was all over the place -- it tends to happen with Jeffrey & THC, who go wayyy back -- Church mentioned that his next project will 'probably' be a big science fiction film for Disney.

That movie? "John Carter of Mars."

I wasn't in the studio at the time but when I heard it in playback I was taken aback. Now, unfortunately, it appears he's in the film in a supporting role, not the lead role, which I think he would be perfect for. He's got the rugged look that fits and he's a dude's dude. He can pull off all the macho crap you could want or ask for in an action part ... and John Carter's all about action. Still, any Thomas Haden Church is better than no Thomas Haden Church.

He's probably doubly excited since the production would be a home game for him. According to johncartermovie.com, the movie is planning to shoot in Texas, Church's home state and the place he still calls home.

It's good to see him involved in another high-profile project. He was fantastic as Sandman in "Spider-Man 3" and I have zero doubt he'll be a big asset here.

Of course, with a film as laden with roadblocks as this one, He may never get a chance to show his stuff. This film is really taking the long way around the development stage, and it may need a brand new GPS to make its way to production. Too bad, because as unproduced properties go, this one's off the charts in terms of potential.

That Edgar Rice Burroughs guy kinda knew his stuff, know what I'm sayin'?

Scorsese Gets Creepy

2009-06-11T13:21:00.000-07:00

Looks like Martin Scorsese is going spookier than he's ever gone before with his next film. "Shutter Island" reunites the now Oscar-winning director with his muse Leonardo DiCaprio for the latest Dennis Lehane movie adaptation. The first trailer for the film is downright creepy. It will be interesting to see if Scorsese can still bring the spook and scare, since it has been 18 years since "Cape Fear" (that scene between De Niro and a young Juliette Lewis is still so, SO WRONG!!).

And is there anything that can cause the hairs on the back of your neck to stand up faster, than a mental hospital on a remote island? Methinks not.

Another frightening thought: Leo actually looks believable as what appears to be a grizzed federal marshal. When that guy starts looking the part of a 'grizzled' anything, then I know I'm getting old. "Shutter Island" debuts in October.

Man and Machine: A Love Story

2009-06-09T19:25:00.001-07:00

One of the MANY great threads running through Duncan Jones' tremendous new film "Moon" is the complicated relationship between Sam Rockwell's lunar miner and the only other entity he is able to communicate with on the Dark Side of the Moon, GERTY (Kevin Spacey, you have one creepy voice).

At first, it's almost like the relationship between a master and his pet. Only it becomes clear very quickly that who you think is in those roles, is not really the case. Then the tension between the two increases, until...well, you'll just have to see the film to find out.

I've been talking this movie up for more than two months now. I just hope now that it's finally opening (NY/LA this weekend) it will find the audience it deserves.

One of the many things "Moon" has made me think about is how humans and highly-evolved machines get along in the movies. While often it's an adversarial relationship - Machines rebel against their creators, go A.I. and tell puny humans to know their role -- there are just as many examples of light-hearted bromances, like Buck Rogers and the 25th century sidekick Twiggy, and of course that 80s Dynamic Duo, Michael Knight and K.I.T.T.

There are so many other examples... two that come to mind is Dr. David Bowman butting wireheads with HAL in "2001: A Space Odyssey", and of course, the two droids who showed Luke Skywalker there was more to life than moisture vaporators on Tattoine. Go ahead and take your bow, Threepio, R2.

When done well, this dynamic delivers strong commentary on everything from our growing dependence on modern technology to the dangers of artificially intellectualizing (is that even a word?) the devices and gadgets we build, because we're too lazy to do things on our own. They can also be great comic relief. And who doesn't get a kick from a cute, bumbling robot now and again?

I know I'm missing several other notable examples. Care to enlighten me? LMK your memorable Man (or Woman) & Machine movie relationships. Post 'em in the comments.

Update: Spider-Man Musical Ticket Info + Video

2009-06-08T12:06:00.001-07:00

A day after getting an unexpected behind-the-scenes look at the in-progress musical "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark," today I received an email from Marvel regarding ticket information. If you use a special code (1MARVL), American Express cardholders can buy advance tix to the musical now through June 23rd. After that, ALL AMEX users can buy them. The advance code works either on ticketmaster.com or via phone, 877-250-2929.

All the information is on the show's official website.

You can also find video interviews with director Julie Taymor, as well as Bono and The Edge.

Preview performances for "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark" begin January, with the official opening set for Feb. 18, 2010.

Exclusive!! Spider-Man Musical Info (sort of)

2009-06-07T16:43:00.000-07:00

First, I'd like to apologize to my three or four regular readers for being so slack with the updates recently. Been slammed dealing with the fallout from the unfortunate cancellation of the syndicated movie show I produce, "REEL TALK." We'll hopefully have some good news regarding the next incarnation of the show with Jeffrey Lyons and Alison Bailes. Until then, I promise I'll stay on top of this blog much more than I have, sharing whatever news and opinions I stumble, bumble and fumble across.

To show you I mean business, I have some very interesting news to report today, regarding the upcoming Broadway musical, "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark." There has been NOTHING about this show, outside of the recent casting call and the news that Julie Taymor will direct from a score by U2's Bono and The Edge. So imagine my surprise this morning when I snagged a peek at some very early footage of the show.

It was completely by accident, and not due to any clever journalism on my part. I happened to be attending the Tony Awards rehearsal at Radio City Music Hall with my wife. It's sort of an annual tradition for Cindi and I, since we're both big theatre fans. They run through the entire show, full cast performances, announcing the nominees, congratulating fake 'winners'...even the host , Neil Patrick Harris, ran through his quips.

So during the down time in what will be the commercial breaks, they run various video clips. Some are old TV spots for long-forgotten Broadway shows like "Timbuktu." Others are promos for upcoming shows. Imagine my fanboy surprise when an image of Spider-Man showed up on the massive Radio City screens.

Then they played a montage reel that showed Bono, Edge and Taymor discussing the show and what they plan/hope it will be. They had video of actors in harnesses flying through the air on wires, along with some special effects that looked to be in the early stages. There was also a shot of a drawing of Spidey's Rogue's Gallery, featuring familiar faces such as Electro, Carnage and Sandman.

I couldn't make out the others because I was busy taking pictures with my wife's iPhone. Apologies for the distant pix but i was sitting in the rear mezzanine.

Now, very little is actually known about the show's storyline. In fact, other than the fact it will involve the 'With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility' angle, NOTHING is known. We don't even know who's going to be playing Peter Parker (although Evan Rachel Wood has done some public campaigning for the role of Mary Jane Watson).

But there are a few kernels of info we can glean from the video shown at the Tony rehearsal. For one, it looks to have visual effects unlike anything Broadway's ever seen (makes sense, with the estimated $40 million price tag). There were two shots shown (one of which I caught in a pic) that featured these effects.

More important, I glimpsed one guy flying around with some kind of wingspan, not in any way resembling how Spidey would look web-swinging around town. My first instinct was this was a look at one of the villains in the show.

The Vulture, maybe? Morbius?? The Green Goblin perhaps, although it did not look like someone sitting on any type of Glider.

Obviously this is all speculation, but I can certainly picture a story that includes several familiar foes tackling Webhead on stage. Regardless, this is one of the more fascinating events to appear on the pop culture radar in some time, because of the sheer risk involved. I can easily see this being either a tremendous success or a humongous flop.

Julie Taymor is a visionary director. Forget her brilliant work with "Across the Universe." if you've ever seen "The Lion King" on Broadway, you know she's capable of incredible stage reinterpretation of iconic movies. She has some heavy duty help with half of U2 in charge of the songs. Will that be enough to make a memorable musical out of our beloved Web-Spinner?

"Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark" opens in February, 2010.

We Need A Hero! (A Super One)

2009-06-06T14:38:00.000-07:00

Mystique, take note. Bonnie Tyler would have been a way better choice for the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants pre-cog than Destiny.

If there were any doubt about the importance of comic book heroes to the movie business, just go stand around the watercooler or Keurig coffeemaker at work. The deafening silence you hear is proof that without our beloved capes, Hollywood's money-making time of year is missing that all-important ingredient: BUZZ.

Pardon me for bursting the bubble of "Star Trek" fans everywhere. That film has been the big hit so far -- deservedly so, it's a fantastic overhaul of Gene Roddenberry's universe -- but it hasn't sparked the zeitgeist like last year's early breakout star "Iron Man" did, or how the late-season phenom "The Dark Knight" did.

Some could argue "Sex and the City: The Movie" had more people talking than "Trek." Look, when you've made $230M+ at the box office in less than a month, you have nothing to apologize for. J.J. Abrams and his team did their job. But six weeks in, the Summer of 2009 is well on its way to falling short of the Summer of '08 not just in terms of overall dollars earned, but pop culture immersion. In fact, this summer movieseason is actually kind of boring.

It just feels like we're going through the motions. Obviously, people are still going to the movies. "Up" and "The Hangover" were neck-and-neck for the box office crown this weekend, so there's proof right there. However, people just aren't talking about the movies as much as in years past.

"Did you see the new Pixar movie? Yes, it was great! So sad...cute dog...old people rock!"

"Up" was an incredible moviegoing experience, and perhaps the best movie of the year up to this point. But it hasn't captured the imagination of a large section of the country. Partly because no Pixar movie ever does anymore, because each year, when we think this is the movie that will finally be a letdown -- a chef rat? A robot movie with no dialogue for 30 minutes? An old guy in a balloon-lifted house?!? -- Pixar proves us wrong. But it's almost as if we expect them to do it. So it doesn't catch us off-guard like Robert Downey Jr. suddenly reinventing himself as an action hero did.

Part of the problem is unavoidable because it has to do with timing. After all, you can slot in monster-budgeted event films all summer long but phenoms can't be predicted or programmed. They just happen.

Everyone knew TDK was going to be big, but NO ONE could have predicted it would have been 'second highest-grossing film of all time' big. No one knew "Sex and the City" would prove that a chick flick could do blockbuster biz. And we were waiting nearly 20 years for a new Indiana Jones film, so forgive us if our excitement to see Harrison Ford don the fedora again clouded our judgement on THAT film.

Contrast last year's crop with this summer, when we've had up to now a new Trek, a Terminator sequel that made T3 look cool, another top-notch Pixar movie, "Night at the Museum 2" and..."Land of the Lost."

No wonder people aren't talking movies as much.

Yes, I know "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" - a 100% comic book movie -- kicked off the season, but doesn't that film seem like it opened a million years ago? Hugh Jackman's film is the only comic adaptation opening this summer, and that's precisely my point. Without these caped crusaders, men of steel or friendly neighborhood multiplexers, the movies just don't seem be very much on people's minds, during the 'fun' time to be a movie fan.

The comic book movie is the dominant Hollywood species right now, the type of movie that get people excited about rushing out, opening night, to see it. In the 40s it was war movies; the 50s were the era of the sword and sandal epics; the Bond movies became must-see movies in the 1960s; the 70s saw the high-concept blockbusters rise to glory; the 80s were all about the action movie.

The first decade of the 21st century? All about the comic book adaptations, baby. These movies stir Hollywood's drink, butter its bread, shine its shoes.

In other words, super heroes are the home run hitters. Comedies are the spray hitters who hit for a high average but who rarely hit one out of the park. Nothing wrong with that. You need good tablesetters to have a successful team (just ask Warners, which looks to have a big comedy hit with "The Hangover" that could ease the sting of "Terminator Salvation's disappointing performance). But without your power guys, you're likely not going to win, at baseball or movie profiteering.

Chicks dig the long ball, and so do studio execs.

Without any more comic book films in the wings, the boys of summer, circa 2009, have become singles hitters.

Last summer, admittedly an aberration, two comic-based films earned over $300M, "Iron Man" and "TDK." Unless "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" or "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" do it, there will be no summer movie to cross that threshold.

It's important to note that making $200 million at the box office remains a spectacular measure of success, by any type of accounting (even Hollywood's notoriously shady calculations). But when a film hits $300 mil, then it becomes a true blue, rub-your-eyes and say-what? phenomenon.

That figure is far from exclusive to comic book movies. The LOTR and Star Wars prequels all reached it, as did the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. But in this day and age of reboots, remakes and franchise continuations, movies based on super heroes offer studios the best chance to soar to such heights.

The expectations are so high for comic book-based films that a movie which makes nearly $400 million can be considered such a disappointment, it sends the entire franchise back to the drawing board.

Do you know how many studios would rape, pillage and torture to have the box office receipts "Superman Returns" brought in? Only problem is, when you're talking about the World's Most Famous Super Hero, anything less than $600-700 mil worldwide is out of the question.

The reasons why expectations are so high for such films are probably well known to most of you: Sequel potential, merchandising opportunities, multi-media expansion, etc, etc.

They also offer the greatest potential for the most powerful form of marketing known to man: Word of Mouth. I can't tell you how many non-comic fans waited until after the first week to see "Iron Man." Once they started hearing from me or other friends how good it was, they rushed out to get in line.

We geeks, we're an excited bunch. When there's a film we like, we'll talk it up through any means available to us. Be it Facebook, Twitter or our own blogs (look Ma, no servers!), we'll spread the word.

But while I LOVED "The Hangover", after a few Tweets saying how LOL funny it was, I kinda run out of things to say about it. Now, "Hellboy II" or "Watchmen" or "TDK", you can break those movies down on a variety of levels. How it compared to the original comics, the actors, the special effects, the tone ... the Easter Eggs hidden inside the movies. The texture to these films lend themselves to being overanalyzed, unlike comedies or romances and many dramas.

How many message boards devoted to "The Departed" have you lurked on? Registered on any "Paul Blart: Mall Cop" fan sites recently?

A word of warning however, to my four-color friends. Better enjoy this ride while it lasts, because if history is any indication, it won't.

As studios mine comics for any and all possible franchise starters, the law of diminishing returns comes into play. The Spider-Man and X-Men franchises exist as proof, and the "Wolverine" prequel offers more confirmation. Just as science fiction movies fell out of a favor in the early 80s, and action films in the early 90s, you can bet your CGC 9.8 copy of Marvel Two-in-One #51
that the same thing will happen with comic book movies. It is inevitable.

How many more Spidey movies can Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire make? How many X-prequels can Fox squeeze out before they wind up being direct-to-DVD fodder? Marvel's already rebooted two big-name heroes - Punisher and Hulk - within 5 years. All that does is dilute the core property.

Besides, what fresh faces are left to prop Hollywood on it's broad, spandexed shoulders? Green Lantern seems, at least to me, to be the best hope for breakout success. It has the type of character and mythology that if done right, could be something spectacular. Flash too. Some would say Wonder Woman, but they're all DC characters and that company seems to have a problem getting corporate sibling Warner Bros. to do right by any of its heroes who aren't Batman.

As for Marvel, Captain America is the obvious choice for their Next Big Thing. But considering his most identifiable move is throwing his mighty shield, I'm a bit concerned on how he will translate to the screen properly. I have similar concerns for Thor and the Avengers movie Marvel's film studio is laying all this groundwork for.

I'm personally hoping each company has an 'Iron Man' or 2 still left in them. By that, I mean an adaptation that catches people off-guard with its fresh ideas and inventive reinterpretation. I don't know if it's Luke Cage or Booster Gold, or even Invincible (Image guy I know), but watching a B-level hero break out onto the A-list would be just as, if not more than, much fun as seeing "Spider-Man 4" break box office records in 2011.

There is something to be said for being surprised, after all.

(now go click on the video. you know you want to)

Say 'Hasta La Vista Baby' To Terminator

2009-05-25T12:54:00.000-07:00

Interesting little rumor by SlashFilm about the possible setting for "Terminator 5." What really caught my eye was not the information it had -- that T5 could possibly be set in 2011 post-war London -- but that it discussed a fifth Terminator movie as if it had a remote chance of happening.

Because we'll hear Glenn Close announce Steven Seagal as the Best Actor winner at the Oscars before we see another Terminator film. The franchise is dead. Not Marcus Wright dead. Not Jean Grey dead. Uncle Ben dead. (my apologies to those of you not up on your comic book history but a quick Google search will enlighten you.)

As of today, Saturday June 6, "Terminator Salvation" hasn't even cleared $100M domestically. That's half of its $200 million budget and the way the picture is hemorrhaging audience share and theaters, it will be lucky to hit $125M in the U.S.

Now we know the way to finally unplug Skynet: Send in McG!

Couple that with the recent cancellation of TV's "The Sarah Connor Chronicles", the signs are clear: The Terminator franchise is just about out of gas.

The kiss of death for a fanboy-targeted film like this is bad word of mouth. Because if the diehards aren't behind your movie, it doesn't have a chance. Go ahead and scour some genre sites and read what's been posted about T4. Just make sure the little ones aren't reading over your shoulder. Some of it is downright harsh.

Most critics agreed (although REEL TALK did give it a positive review. Hit the clip to see it). T4 is currently at 34% at Rotten Tomatoes. That's worse than "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" ("Star Trek" BTW, is at 95%).

What went wrong? We could point the finger at McG- everyone else has - and yes, as director he deserves much of the blame. Aside from cool action scenes -- notice I said cool, not groundbreaking -- the unfortunately-named helmer didn't do anything to disprove the haters who said he didn't have the filmmaking depth to follow in James Cameron's footsteps. When you have Christian Bale in your lead role, you need to make sure he isn't overshadowed by an unknown actor who can't disguise his Aussie accent.

You also need to make sure you don't start shooting with a one-dimensional script that gives the cast so little to work with. But it's not all McG's fault. After all, he did deliver on the hardware worship he'd been promising for the past year, with the Moto-Terminator cycles setting a new standard for post-apocalyptic cool. The sheer look and sound of the movie was superb. Unfortunately, the film was all style, no substance.

And an equally large chunk of the blame needs to fall directly at the feet of McG's handpicked star. Now understand before you read the following: I am a HUGE Christian Bale fan. Not only do I consider him one of the most talented actors working today, I think he is as good as any star at picking good scripts. Look at the projects he's been involved in.

"American Psycho." "Rescue Dawn." "Equilibrium." "3:10 to Yuma." "I'm Not There." "The Prestige." "The Machinist." "Velvet Goldmine." I didn't even mention the two Batman movies. Something else you notice as you peruse Bale's all-over-the-place resume is how it's the material, not the actual role, that seems to pull him in.

He's made a career of being second fiddle to other actors, whether it be Ewan McGregor, Russell Crowe, Hugh Jackman, and most famously, Heath Ledger in "The Dark Knight." He plays the straight man again in T4, to Sam Worthington's Marcus Wright.

That decision, however, to sidekick John Connor is one of the key reasons why "Terminator Salvation" doesn't work. He's the prophesized leader of the resistance. How do you NOT make your movie about Connor? HE'S THE KEY TO THE ENTIRE MYTHOLOGY!! (didn't anyone bother to re-watch T1 and T2 before shooting began?)

Bale has said repeatedly in interviews that he didn't sign on until T4's script was to his liking. How could he possibly have been happy with this screenplay? None of the roles were fleshed out, while some were downright wastes of talent (I hope the woefully-underused Bryce Dallas Howard at least got to enjoy the craft services on the set).

I know many people will say the reported $8 million + profit participation salary was the reason Bale signed on, but I don't buy it.

He already has a cash cow, and its name is Batman. He's also one of the first 3 or 4 guys the studios think of for any potential franchise, new or reboot. The rumors of him doing "John Carter Man of Mars" keep gaining steam (Drew McWeeney over @ HitFix.com had a detailed writeup about it recently). Also, Bale doesn't live the 'Entourage' celebrity lifestyle that demands taking certain roles just for the amount of zeros on the paycheck. Just a guess, but I think the family Bale is not wanting for anything right now, outside of some privacy. So while money is always part of any Hollywood equation, I don't believe that was the primary motivation here.

So while Bale's rep for picking good projects will take a hit, he'll be fine in the long run. Advance word on "Public Enemies" is good and besides, he's already showed Dennis Rodman-like rebounding ability in the wake of his on-set tantrum.

This is likely the last hurrah for the Terminator property, however.

There was an alarming lack of buzz surrounding the pic in the months leading up to its release. Summer movie talk seemed to center on Wolverine, Harry Potter 6 and the current cyber-cinema du jour, Transformers 2.

The fact is, "Terminator 2" came out 18 years ago! Yes, there was a 14-year break between Star Wars films, but as popular as the first two Terminator movies are, they have never come close to approaching the popularity and mainstream reach of Lucas' universe. It also didn't have all the ancillary parts of the Jedi empire - the books, comics and toys - keeping the property in the public eye. It had a few comic book series, but none with any staying power. And when a sequel finally did arrive, "Rise of the Machines" in 2003 sapped whatever excitement remained for the mythology. The small-screen TSCC didn't do much to boost interest either. What I'm trying to say is, there haven't been a lot of online petitions demanding a Terminator revival.

Despite all signs pointing downward, the disappointing third chapter, the face of the franchise, Arnold Schwarzenegger, too busy Governing California, producers decided to go ahead and revive it anyway.

The deck was already stacked against T4. And the film failed to live up to the challenge.

Instead, "Salvation" mirrored another notorious fourth film - "The Phantom Menace" - in driving a stake through the heart of fanboys. The now-grown kids who had been teased by those frightening visions of the future war between man and machine had waited patiently for the payoff, and just like the Clone Wars, one of the Star Wars universe's most fabled events, it turned out to be a colossal disappointment.

Not only was John Connor a remarkably uninteresting character, but he also had a terrible memory. Why didn't Connor remember the T-800 he sent back in time to protect his younger self? Or the fact that Terminators have been sent back in time twice to save his life. What happened, the screenwriters used up all their expository dialogue on Helena Bonham Carter's role?

Talk about missed opportunities. There were so many with this movie. Not just with the John Connor role but with the technology and the advantage of the time period it was set in. How did we not see an all-out assault on Skynet by the resistance, taking on an army of Terminators? Where was the 'Oh S@#t' moment of the movie that EVERY Terminator film needs, demands.

'Salvation' didn't have that, though I did enjoy the truck chase scene with the Moto-Terminators. But not only did that scene not overwhelm you, it wasn't even the best chase scene involving a truck in the series. In fact, it was only third best. T2 and the much-maligned T3 both had more jaw-dropping road rage moments.

In the middle of all the salt-rubbing I'm doing in "Terminator Salvation's" wounds, I should point out that maybe the best part of the whole film was the look of it. Much of that credit goes to cinematographer Shane Hurlbut, who was on the receiving end of Bale's now-legendary rant. You go keeping double-checking those lights, Shane. Because this movie proved you know what the hell you're doing.

Bale and McG both talked about having clear visions of what they wanted to see unfold during their Terminator trilogy. I would suggest to both that they compare notes, hire a great artist and collaborate on a graphic novel to finish up their story. I know I'd buy it. why wouldn't I? It would be the last, best chance I have to see the Terminator saga played out to the very end.

Because I have a better chance of breaking 80 at the Black Course at Bethpage next weekend than they do of getting the green light to do a fifth Terminator movie. And I'm a really bad golfer. And this is tough to write, because I have loved this franchise since I was 13 years old.

But it won't be back.

Angels and Demons Picks Up Pace

2009-05-11T13:05:00.001-07:00

Looks like Ron Howard read most of the scathing reviews for "The DaVinci Code." After that film was crucified by the press - not for the blasphemy the Catholic Church accused it of but for committed the cinematic sin of being boring. I just caught a screening of "Angels and Demons" today and it was a thrilling, if preposterous, movie. Tom Hanks was his reliable self, and Ewan McGregor finally woke up from the three-year slumber sleepwalking through the three Star Wars prequels induced in him. Here's the trailer, if you haven't seen it:

Best. SNL Skit. Ever.

2009-05-11T08:10:00.000-07:00

Haven't seen this in years, but Shatner's 'Get A Life' rant on SNL from '86 is still funny as hell, and perfectly appropriate to share right about now, as a new wave of Trek-mania builds, thanks to the boffo box office of "Star Trek." Enjoy --

William Shatner SNL skit Get A Life 1986-12-20
by efly2020

Movie Revamps

2009-05-07T07:01:00.001-07:00

My apologies to the 2 or 3 readers of my infinitely entertaining blog (thanks Mom, thanks Cin!) for the lack of posts this week. Been genuinely busy working on REEL TALK and screening a bunch of movies. and preparing for some cool guests coming to the show: Ewan McGregor, Sam Worthington, maybe Christian Bale...

Also been busy on a few articles due this week, including a piece on the Best & Worst Hollywood reboots. Or Reimaginings. Or revamps. Whichever silly term you prefer to use to describe the remakes the movie industry loves to throw $$ at these days.

Its up on the popular geek site Newsarama, Click Here to read my Top 5 Best facelifts. Feel free to post your comments/thoughts/snarky barbs here or on the article page.

The Top 5 Worst article goes up later today. That one was MUCH easier to write, since Hollywood usually gets these things wrong. VERY WRONG.

Speaking of reboots, go see "Star Trek" this weekend. It's tons o' fun in outer space.

Geek Christmas! (AKA 'Free Comic Book Day)

2009-05-02T14:26:00.000-07:00

Today is Free Comic Book Day. What does that mean?

Well, if you're not a fan of the four-color, 22-page pamphlets of spandex goodness that are comic books, then you've stopped reading this post as soon as you saw the headline and gone back to reading your friends' Facebook updates.

However, if you're like me and you know With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility, then you've probably dropped by your LCS (Local Comics Shop) and picked up a few freebies today. Because you know, as I do, that our beloved hobby depends on it.

I picked up five books @ Jim Hanley's Universe (33rd & 5th Ave, by the Empire St. Bldg) today. here are images of three of them:

The Free Comic Book Day tradition began in 2002 after Josh Fields, owner of Flying Color Comics in Concord, CA, came up with the idea as a way to publicize the industry. The first one took place a day after the first "Spider-Man" opened to record-breaking box office.

In a nutshell, FCBD is the industry's way of keeping itself alive. How well that's worked is up for debate.

It's no secret comics long ago stopped being a mainstream form of entertainment, with dwindling readership numbers. It's now a specialized medium existing mainly in imposing comic shops that seem to scream at casual passerby, "NO NEWBIES! WE DON'T SERVE YOUR KIND HERE!"

I've never seen a comics shop that actually discourages new customers, but that's the vibe they give off, intentionally or not. Walk into a comic shop - any comic book store - and notice how they're set up like Medieval castles. The rows of longboxes packed with bagged & boarded back issues and character statues & action figures act as the front line of defense against intruders looking to penetrate the Fortress of Nerditude.

I noticed it today even, on a day that's supposed to be all about accommodating and welcoming newcomers. When I walked into Jim Hanley's today with my wife, she looked like I had just dropped her off at the corner of Murder & Mayhem in South Central LA, wearing Crips colors. As soon as you walked in all you saw was row after row of comics & TPBs, with no clear signage as to what was where, and vice versa.

How about sections clearly marked for new readers? Or for female readers? Comic shop owners should also consider assigning employees with finding TPBs from various titles (Avengers, X-Men, Spidey, Batman, Noble Causes ... whatever) that are particularly New Reader-Friendly and put those front & center. In other words, court the customer. Make it easy for someone to try something fresh & exciting.

I'm just throwing around ideas here. I'd love to hear other suggestions, because frankly, while FCBD is a great idea, I don't know how effective it's been at luring new eyeballs to comics. Which is a shame, because there are INCREDIBLE comic books being published today. Stories of all types for all kinds of readers. Too bad the number of people who actually read & buy comics keeps shrinking faster than Ant-Man.

I Get SWAG

2009-04-30T15:24:00.000-07:00

I get tons of promotional SWAG sent to my office @ 30 Rock. Comes with the REEL TALK gig. Kinda nice because it allows me to decorate my office in my favorite style - Geek Chic.

I also get some really useless crap. The picture at the top shows a dvd (I must get 15-20 dvds per week) of "The Best of Star Trek: The Original Series" that just arrived today. And yes, that's a mini-Tribble you see next to the dvd.

As a guy who has a talking Yoda doll, a missile-firing Iron Man action figure, a Jack Bauer kicking down a door action figure and a mini-bust of Bug from The Micronauts taking up space in his cubicle, I'm not going to knock anyone wanting a toy Tribble.

I just don't want one. I mean, who the hell's going to know what it is anyway? It looks like some weird, homeless Troll. Maybe i'll take it home and let my dog Bernice play with it.

I give it 2 days before this Tribble's toast.

The summer movie season's always good for lots of SWAG. I'll keep you posted on other stuff I get.

Meantime, anyone want a Nacho Libre bobblehead??

We Don't Need Another 'Heroes' (season), Do We?

2009-04-28T07:05:00.001-07:00

Season 3 of "Heroes" wrapped up last night. Don't worry, this is a spoiler-free post. Mainly because I have no idea what's going on in that show, because I haven't seen a single frame since I saw the Season 3 premiere @ Comic Con last summer. Which really says something about the decline of the show.

When an uber-geek like me isn't watching a show about people with extraordinary powers (airing on NBC, the network that signs my checks, BTW), a show that owes a HUGE debt to one of my favorite comic series, The Uncanny X-Men, then something's wrong.

Zach Quinto, who plays the main baddie on the show, Sylar, is dropping by the REEL TALK studios today to talk up "Star Trek." In case you've been locked up at ShadyBrook the past few weeks, he plays Spock in the reboot, which is FANTASTIC.

But Trek is a post for another day. Today is about "Heroes" and whether it should return next season. I'm looking forward to hearing what Zach thinks should happen with the show.

It will return, FYI. NBC is planning on bringing it back for 18-20 episodes, slightly fewer than this season. From what I hear, the show does great on DVD and overseas, so financially it's still a winner for the Peacock (yippee for us!).

But creatively, the show just has never been able to follow up the incredible promise it showed in its first season. Part of that is unavoidable. How do you follow up "Save the cheerleader, Save the world?"

It's the same problem "24" had in season 6, when they nuked LA in hour 4. How the hell do you build on that and not come up short? Serial dramas, especially those like "Heroes" that are based in the sci-fi/fantasy genres, with alternate realities, time travel, superpowers, tend to lose steam after awhile because you simply run out of ways to keep the audience interested.

The mythology gets too convoluted, characters get stale, plots get recycled....any of this sound familiar to you "Heroes" fans out there?

The creative team behind "Lost" recognized this problem, and took steps to fix their ailing show when it went off the rails with Season 2. What did they do? Well, besides burying Paolo and Nikki alive, they decided to end their show. They announced season 6 would be the end of it.

Ask anyone who watches "Lost" and they will tell you that ever since an end-date was set, the show has been firing on all cylinders. It's as if the writers, seeing the finish line, have been freed to do anything & everything to make the last few miles of this mystifying, occassionally maddening marathon of a show as fascinating as possible.

The argument has been made recently that high-concept shows like "Lost", "Heroes" and the unfairly short-lived "Life on Mars" would be better served to run as limited run series. Perhaps a single season, or 2 or 3 seasons at most.

Not only would it give the writers a chance to map out a clear journey for the storyline and its characters, but it would also improve the chances of drawing top- caliber actors to projects, because they wouldn't have to worry about committing long-term to TV work, which, due to the long seasons, tend to be much more grueling than film work (I know, poor little actors, having to spend all day in luxury trailers).

Would "Heroes" be better served by announcing that next season would be its last? I think so. Then we could FINALLY see the show's creative staff stop holding back and let these characters realize their true potential. As it is, I think the show's ultimate legacy is that of disappointment. "Heroes" is like the cant-miss college football prospect taken #1 overall in the NFL Draft, who, while not a complete Ryan Leaf-like bust, falls far short of a Hall of Fame career. A journeyman QB, who once he retires, leaves no lasting accomplishments.

Considering how good "Heroes" was at the beginning, that would be a shame. Unfortunately, unless the PTBs make some dramatic changes, that's exactly where it's headed: The Hall of OK TV.

To Torture or Not To Torture: The 24 Dilemma

2009-04-28T06:34:00.000-07:00

Almost since it launched seven seasons ago, "24" has come under fire from critics who say it's a right-wing wish fulfillment fantasy masquerading as a TV series. As someone who has seen every single episode of the show (at least twice), I disagree.

I think the show has shown over the years of showing the consequences - political and personal - of choosing the greater good over individual rights. This season alone that topic has been front and center as Jack Bauer's methods have been questioned by everyone from Congressmen to his temporary fieldmates at the FBI.

Does Jack get away with murder? Of course he does, ultimately. Jack Bauer is one of the most compelling characters in the history of television, and without him, "24" wouldn't work.

Unfortunately, there are some people out there who do tend to blur reality with the DVR program guide. For those poor misguided folks, my buddy and former co-worker Jay DeDapper has a few words. Check out his diatribe about "24's" oft-used torture methods and why in the real world, Jack Bauer would have been downsized for poor on-the-job performance.

24 Sucks and Torture Doesn't Work from Jay DeDapper on Vimeo.

STV Review: Alien Raiders

2009-04-26T14:47:00.000-07:00

One of the main perks of my gig as REEL TALK showrunner is that I get sent lots of DVDs. TONS. I'm not kidding. So many regular & Blu-ray discs come across my desk/cubicle @ 30 Rock, that every few weeks I have huge 'everything must go!' giveaways for everyone at WNBC (our show is produced by WNBC for NBC Uni Syndication).

I don't give all of them away. I pass on some DVDs to certain people in the building who help me whenever I need assistance to make things happen, whether for the show or for one of our many interview guests. Some may call this a bribe but I look at it as rewarding ingenuity.

Still others I hold on to - mainly direct-to-DVD and movies making their Blu-ray debut -- so I can watch them and write reviews for the REEL TALK website. Alison & Jeffrey have to watch so many movies that they literally don't have enough time in the day to add films not getting theatrical releases to their must-see pile.

That's where I come in.

I love watching Action, Horror and Sci-Fi movies, any and all kinds. And those genres are well-represented in the STV category (STV standing for Straight-to-Video). And with more and more of these films featuring well-known stars (Sam L. Jackson, Eva Mendes, Gerard Butler and Ewan McGregor are just some of the familiar names toplining STVs I've been sent recently), Ive decided it's time to give some of the films a closer look and see if they live down to the turgid reputation films that skip the cinema have, or if there's an occasional diamond in the rough out there the studios missed ("Slumdog Millionaire" was thisclose to going STV, after all).

Yep, just what the Web needs: More movie reviews!

Our first STV is "Alien Raiders." Aside from being a hybrid of all three of my favorite film genres, it also stars one of my favorite TV actors, Carlos Bernard (AKA Tony Almeida from "24").

Bernard is the leader of a militia-style group tracking alien life forms who have arrived on our planet. These alien beings plant themselves inside a host human body ('Alien' style) and then at some point, take it over and turn that host body into a mutated, grotesque mess. The King & Queen are their target, because if you kill the parent aliens, they can't produce more disgusting little critters.

The 'Alien Raiders' track the aliens to a small town Arizona supermarket. At closing time, Bernard's team moves in and stages a holdup to seal off the market and contain the aliens. One member of the team is a spotter, someone who has the ability to spot an infected human. If the spotter IDs you as being infected, another member of the team puts a bullet in your brain. As they explain in the movie, you're already dead, anyway.

(One apparently becomes a spotter by being a junkie. the chemicals in your system prevent an alien from completely infecting you, but with enough alien stuff inside you to help you detect them. Oh, and the only way to stay alive is to keep using.)

As luck (and cinematic plot devices) would have it, this market is where the town sheriff's stepdaughter works, so soon the local police surround the building and now we have an Alien Search & Destroy mission disguised as a supermarket heist, combined with a hostage crisis.

Soon, complications arise and the raiders are forced to improvise to figure out which of the hostages is infected. Director Ben Rock uses the supermarket setting for some effective cat-and-mouse sequences.

Having one main set piece probably saved him a ton of production costs, but he should have figured out a way to get more lights. I know some of the murky photography was by design, to disguise the barebones monster makeup and to emphasize the scarier moments, but some scenes are so dark you can't make out what the hell's going on.

The script is bare bones and contains the usual types of characters who populate these kinds of movies. As the grim-faced, tortured leader, Bernard brings his full bag of Almeida glares and anguished looks to the film. He even utters one of his "24" character's most popular catchphrases at one point. Rockmond Dunbar (from "Prison Break") displays his usual angry guy gruffness as the commando team's most tightly-wound member.

And can someone please explain to me why Matthew St. Patrick ALWAYS plays a cop? First on "All My Children," then on "Six Feet Under" and "Reunion," and now here, as the ex-big city cop now hickville sheriff. Would it kill him to play a bad guy??

The hostages are, for the most part, forgettable. You have the young victims, the cowardly manager, the practical older guy and the annoying loser you hope and pray gets killed.

The standard plot holes exist in the story. How does a group of ex-Jet Propulsion Laboratories workers suddenly transform into a commando unit spouting NAVY SEAL lingo, with top-shelf weaponry and equipment? Why are they the only ones who know about these alien invaders?

How "Alien Raiders" unfolds, however, is somewhat entertaining, and rather merciless. The ending seemed unnecessary in some ways, but there is a nice twist that leaves open the possibility for more sequels.

Something else the movie has going for it is its conciseness. There should be a law that no STV pic is longer than 100 minutes. AR clocks in at 85 min., which is perfect. You want science fiction with character development? Go buy "Blade Runner" or check out "Moon" in June. For a nice afternoon diversion, "Alien Raiders" does the trick.

Tribeca '09 - LOVE THE BEAST a Must-See

2009-04-23T13:58:00.000-07:00

Last night I saw a film that reminded me why film festivals are so great.

"Love the Beast," actor Eric Bana's directorial debut, simply blew me away. The film is part love letter to his beloved Ford Falcon GT Coupe, part tribute to loyalty, family and friendship, and a little bit of a psyche profile. It's relaxed and refreshingly random in how it jumps from his younger days to the present day, where he's an actor thisclose to superstardom.

Bana mixes in incredible home movie footage from his formative days as a gearhead Aussie teenager. We actually see him and his buddies (they are all still friends today, BTW) working on the car, the first one he ever owned. As he says during an early part of the film (Bana serves as narrator), the car - and the garage at his parents' house where they worked on it - was like the campfire his buddies gathered around.

You know when you get together with old friends you haven't seen in years, either for dinner or for a few beers? The parade of memories and stories and ball-busting jokes that inevitably spill out? Those moments become rarer as we get older, due to distance and adult responsibilities. Sometimes though, friends drift apart because the things they had in common as kids change, until one day you all realize you've taken completely different paths into adulthood.

I imagine that happens alot with people who became famous athletes/musicians/actors. For Bana, the car provided a chance to have one more 'night out with the boys.' Except this one lasted a bit longer. They rebuilt the car - AGAIN - to race it in The Targa Tasmania Rally, one of the most grueling road races in the world.

The footage of Bana in the race is riveting, but the race isn't what this is about. It's about his friends, and holding on to something that has been a part of his life for 25 years, about tradition.

On another note, seeing Bana as a youth in those home movies not only helped me understand his passion for cars at an early age, but it made me wish my parents would have had the foresight to get a video camera and tape some of the day-to-day of my younger days.

Another highlight: Bana's conversation with fellow car nut Jay Leno. Listening to these two talk about their wheels with such ... affection .... gives true insight into the mind of a 'car guy.'

Now I'm not a car guy. I live in NYC. I don't even own a car anymore. Even when I lived in Miami, a car was just a means to an end, an appliance that took me to work, to the beach, to the movies. It never meant more than that to me.

Watching "Love the Beast" helped me understand why to some people, four wheels and fuel-injected engines mean so very much.

The film debuts Tuesday @ Tribeca. We have Bana coming in for an in-studio interview about it that will air next week on REEL TALK. I'll post a link to it here afterward.

Talk about a busy summer. Not only is Bana making his directorial debut with this doc, he's also co-starring in "Star Trek", Judd Apatow's "Funny People" and "The Time Traveler's Wife." WHEW!

'The Hangover': Perfect Cure for Blockbuster Blues

2009-04-20T21:27:00.000-07:00

Psst. Wanna know the main contender for sleeper hit of Summer 2009?

"The Hangover."

Raunchy, vulgar, and utterly unafraid to sacrifice political correctness in the name of a good laugh, this is the kind of comedy Hollywood's tried to make over and over again since "Wedding Crashers", only this time they got it right.

The movie doesn't even open until June 5th, but if the laughs I heard at the screening I attended Monday were any indication, this is this year's "Superbad." And just like that film was centered around that time-honored, and Hollywood-immortalized tradition -- the end of the school year party -- this movie is based around another oft-used plot device: The Vegas bachelor party.

You know what? This is the best bachelor party movie EVER. Even better than "Very Bad Things."

It's so good it even made me like Bradley Cooper. And I usually HATE Bradley Cooper.

The guy who everyone's going to leave the theater talking about though, is Zach Galifianakis. He plays Alan, a guy who takes socially awkward to new heights. He steals every scene. Every single one. This movie will do for him what "Knocked Up" did for Seth Rogen and "Superbad" did for Jonah Hill.

Watch for "The Hangover" in theaters June 5th. And check your car's trunk for limp-wristed Asian dudes with a man purse.

'STAR TREK' Takes Bold Leap Into New Film Frontier

2009-04-20T20:55:00.000-07:00

We're just under two weeks from the start of the summer movie season, and I can already tell you one sure-fire blockbuster:

"Star Trek."

I saw the film Monday night along with a small group of journalists in Midtown Manhattan, and while I can't do a detailed review right now (because the suits at Paramount would have several farm animals if I did), I can say that J.J. Abrams has done masterful work reinvigorating Gene Roddenberry's iconic franchise.

The casting of the major characters, especially Chris Pine as young, hotheaded James T. Kirk, and Zach Quinto as Spock, is dead-on. The only one who I wasn't sure of was Karl Urban as Bones McCoy, and even he won me over by the end. And Simon Pegg as Mr. Scott...well, he enlivens the picture as only Pegg can.

Eric Bana is ferocious as Nero, the Romulan driven mad by revenge and looking to make the entire Federation pay.

No plot spoilers here, just know that certain staples of Abrams storytelling will seem familiar to "Alias" and "Lost" fans in due time.

More Along with writers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci (the team behind "Transformers" and the upcoming sequel), Abrams has crafted a film that not only tips the hat many times to TOS fans (The Original Series) but also welcomes non-Trekkies with open arms into an action-packed, and often very funny thrill ride. It also sets the stage for a series of fresh adventures with the classic characters who first made Trek a worldwide legend.

It's not "Wrath of Khan" good -- after all, who could ever top two titans of scenery chewing like Shatner & Montalban? -- but "Star Trek" is exactly the kind of kick in the shorts sci-fi's warhorse property needed.

A Broadway Show For The Ages

2009-04-17T15:33:00.000-07:00

Booze, babes and tunes - Is that something you might be interested in?

If you've been searching for a great idea to gather all your friends but have been struggling to get out of the 'dinner & a movie' rut all get-together gangs endure, head to the Brooks Atkinson Theatre on 47th St. in Midtown (Manhattan for those out-of-towners reading this).

That's where you will find the rowdiest, headbangingest time on Broadway: "Rock of Ages."

A simultaneous sendup of and homage to 80's heavy metal, the show features a soundtrack that would make K-Tel proud. Everyone from Pat Benatar to Whitesnake to Journey get their turn to blow out the Marshall Amps ... er overhead speakers.

There's even an American Idol presence. Constantine Maroulis from Season 4 is the star. Here's the story: It's 1987 LA and a mousy, wanna-be rocker named Drew (Constantine) falls for a farmgirl named Sheri fresh off the midwest bus. The famous Sunset Strip bar they work at, The Bourbon Room, is about to be bulldozed by greedy developers looking to turn glam metal's birthplace into a strip mall. Faster than you can say Dee Snider, the Motley Crew at the club say, 'We're Not Gonna Take It' and galvanize to save their precious place.

Along the way, you hear some truly inspired (and downright hilarious) interpretations of some of the most memorable metal songs of the era.

Wait, that's still not enough to convince you to check out the show? Would it help to point out that they sell alcohol during the show, and waiters come down the aisles to take your order?

[You can have your can of Coors Light brought right to your seat. Classy!]

So break out that Van Halen "Diver Down tour" t-shirt, your ratty denim jacket and go check out "Rock of Ages."

After all, when will you ever get a chance to flick your Bic at a Broadway show again?

Garner In Need of Career Counseling

2009-04-15T18:16:00.000-07:00

Why isn't Jennifer Garner a bigger star?

After blowing up with "Alias", she turned her Emmy-nominated turn as Sydney Bristow into what seemed to be a sure-fire feature career. She's not only gorgeous and athletic, she's likeable. You want to cheer Jenny on, whether it's as the grieving daughter in "Daredevil" or in the saccharine sweet "13 Going on 30." You want to her get the guy. You even want her to divorce the guy, when the guy's a creep like Jason Bateman in "Juno."

Why isn't Jennifer Garner a bigger star?

At first glance you would think it's because she's been largely out of the scene the past few years starting a family with hubby Ben Affleck. Nothing wrong with that if that were the case, but it's not. 2008 was the first calendar year without a Jenny Garner project since her "Alias" breakout. In 2007, she co-starred in "The Kingdom" and "Juno." The latter was obviously a sensation but "The Kingdom" was an underrated thriller that didn't find the audience it deserved, mostly because anything to do with the war on terror became box-office poison.

No, family life isn't why she's not the star she should be. It's because she's being wasted in crap like "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past," a putrid RomCom opening May 1st. I caught an early screening for 'editorial consideration,' which is industry speak for screenings for show producers like myself to decide who they want to try and book from the film. I had a feeling from the trailer that Matthew McConaughey would be doing his usual 'fratboy ladies man w/a drawl' schtick, and I was right. His career is bleeding out too, but it's from a self-inflicted wound, so no advice for him.

But Jenny ...ahh, Jenny Jenny ('Who Can I turn to?' Sorry, couldn't help myself). You need to fire your manager/agent/palm reader/barista...whoever brought you this script. Because there's no way a smart girl like you read the script for this steaming pile of dog dung and said, 'this is a perfect comeback vehicle. Sign me up!'

A twist on "A Christmas Carol" that's set during the winter but NOT Christmas? Set around a wedding weekend at the stereotypical lavish estate with every stock character cliche from Hollywood's romantic comedy playbook?? Seriously, didn't the fact that it co-starred McConaughey, the King of brainless chick flicks the past few years, trigger any warning bells?

I at least hope you cashed a fat check for this.

I get the whole 'you do one for them, and one for you' business strategy in Hollywood. Its worked for lots of people, like George Clooney. But if you're going to pick a nice fluffy RomCom...it better be a good one. All you need to know about "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past" is that my wife - a McConaughey fan, FYI - wanted to walk out 30 minutes in. Walk out. OF A FREE MOVIE!

Why isn't Jennifer Garner a bigger star?

Beats me, but here's what I would tell her if she asked me for career advice over iced caramel macchiatos (she strikes me as a fan of that type of drink):

1) Pick better scripts. Let me repeat myself: PICK BETTER SCRIPTS! I know, easier said than done. But its certainly not impossible to do. Just ask Christian Bale. Or Angelina Jolie. Even Rachel McAdams.

2) When in doubt, pass on anything Matthew McConaughey's attached to.

3) Leave the romantic comedy genre behind. You've taken three swings ("13 Going on 30", "Catch & Release" & now "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past") and whiffed. Head back to the dugout, grab new lumber and look for a better pitch your next at-bat. Comedies are fine, especially when Ricky Gervais is writing/directing it. So "This Side of the Truth" (due out in Sept) sounds very promising. But if Ricky hands you a re-worked draft that finds you in some cheesy embrace with the movie's man-candy, burn it and stay in your trailer until they rewrite it.

4) Focus on dramas. Flex those thesp muscles, baby! Look how well "Juno" did. I'm encouraged by one of your upcoming projects, "Be With You." A romantic drama is right in your wheelhouse.

5) ACTION! You kicked your hubby's ass in "Daredevil" and God knows, you were unbelievable in the climax of "The Kingdom." Find a script that shows off your athleticism and your sensitive side. There has to be some good action movie scripts out there for strong women. Get your team to dig 'em out, use your "Alias" experience to fine-tune it, and make it work, girl! We need more female action stars, and since Angelina has 5 kids and you only have 2, you're in perfect position.

There you have it. Free advice, from someone who wants you to achieve the stardom you very much deserve.

Why isn't Jennifer Garner a bigger star?

Who really knows, but I know she should be.

The 24 Twist

2009-04-14T19:50:00.000-07:00

**IF YOU HAVEN'T WATCHED THIS WEEK'S EPISODE OF 24, STOP READING NOW. (No, seriously. Stop reading now)**

Anyone else out there in Jack Bauer-land who feels as betrayed as I do by Monday's ep of "24"? I don't mean by Tony Almeida, who pulled a heel turn reminiscent of the glory days of the NWO by smothering Agent Larry Moss at the end of an otherwise fantastic hour. I mean by the "24" writers.

Last night's absurd, out-of-left-field twist pretty much canceled out many of this season's best moments.

Much of this resurgent season has been about the redemption of Tony, only the second greatest character in "24" history behind Jack. There was that great moment early on when Tony, in FBI custody nearly pushed Jack to the breaking point only to whisper to him the code that allowed him to discover he was an inside man. And when he warned Jack not to ignore his own rules about 'collateral damage' to save a Port Authority cop, only to have Bauer's back in a 2-on-9 firefight.

And last night, he saved half the east coast from Jonas Hodges' missile brigade all by himself. BY HIMSELF. With the FBI guys on the outside looking in, Tony took on the Starkwood mercs to save the day. Why would he do that if he was a Starkwood mole, or a plant for the 'higher ups' Hodges referred to in the White House? I can understand deep cover, but he had plenty of chances to not put himself in harm's way without drawing suspicion.

And I don't wanna hear about suspending disbelief. I'm the world's biggest 24 apologist, but where do they go from here? And even better question, why did they choose to take the story in this direction?

With Jack incapacitated by the bio-toxin, Tony stepped up to be The Man in the field. Instead of rolling with that and finally - FINALLY - giving much of the 24 universe what it's been hoping would happen for years: A Jack & Tony team-up. The role reversal that put Jack in the unfamiliar spot of tech support while Tony took point in the field has been a huge success the past few weeks, humanizing the once-indestructible Jack Bauer while elevating the Soul Patch from sidekick to partner.

Instead, the writers took the lazy way out, sacrificing story coherence for pure shock value. I can't wait for the obligatory exposition scene in hour 23 where Tony is cornered by Jack and tries to make sense of his actions.

He should save his breath and just give us one of the Almeida patented open-mouthed stares of anguish. Because there is no way they can make all this fit into anything resembling consistent character actions.

Tony's road to redemption has reached a dead end. There is no way for him to come back from this. It's one thing to kill a merc in Emerson's crew for info about the planned White House break-in. He gets the 'in the line of duty' pass for that.

That's why, at the start of the season, when we first thought he was a bad guy, he didn't crash the passenger jet. It was the first indicator that all was not what it appeared to be with Tony. Because crashing a plane full of people can't be forgiven, no matter what kind of Op you're running.

Know what else can't be forgiven? Smothering an FBI agent - a genuine good guy - in a mouthful of his own blood.

That's it. Tony's gone to the dark side, and he's not coming back.

Frankly, that stinks. A great character wasted. And a fabulous comeback year for my favorite show has been derailed. I'll still be watching, hoping they get back on track. But to be honest, I think Jack getting a happy ending has a better chance of occurring.

Tribeca 2009

2009-04-14T14:11:00.001-07:00

awkward interviews

Watch Kevin Costner Interviews exclusively from Reeltalk.

Here's exhibit A on why sometimes it's sometimes better not to meet your heroes. I've been covering the Tribeca Film Festival junket for three consecutive years, as part of the festival coverage we do on REEL TALK & also WNBC (our show is owned by WNBC and syndicated by NBC Uni Syndication), since the Peacock is a media sponsor.

That means I've had the 'pleasure' of sitting down with co-founders Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal each year. Alot of my friends think that's extremely cool, getting a chance to sit down with Travis Bickle, Jimmy Conway, young Vito Corleone, Neil McAuley for goodness sake!

Cool it may be; good interview it is not. As great an actor as he is, 'Bob' (as his friends call him; I am NOT a friend but I do it anyway) is equally as bad when a mic is clipped on his shirt and questions are tossed his way.

He's not rude. Very polite and he tries to answer what you ask him, but ... it just never turns out well. Hit the clip above to see this year's edition of Avila's Awkward interview with De Niro - which actually is probably the best one I've ever done with him.

And at least he did confirm that there is no truth to the rumor that he'll reprise his Neil McAuley character from "HEAT" (my favorite De Niro role, BTW) in a video game spinoff of the film. That stinks.

A McG Musical 'Awakening'?

2009-04-14T07:35:00.000-07:00

When I first read this article about "Terminator Salvation" director McG circling a movie adaptation of the Tony Award-winning musical "Spring Awakening," I immediately cringed.

As a BIG fan of the show, I'd rather not have my very fond memories of that great musical ruined by an out-of-his-league director (that would be YOU I'm referring to, Chris Columbus, and your castrated take on RENT). However, McG may actually be the perfect guy to adapt a musical about masturbating teenagers in 19th century Germany.

[I know what you're thinking. Another musical about masturbating teenagers in 19th century Germany?!]

McG's first studio pic, "Charlie's Angels", was basically a long-form music video. Hyper-kinetic editing, loud, catchy music, ridiculously gorgeous people filling the screen...that kind of style may be what's needed to successfully translate "Spring Awakening" from the theatre, to theaters.

Remember, just because Hugh Jackman says musicals are back, doesn't really mean that's the case. Yeah, "Dreamgirls" and "Hairspray" were big hits (and very entertaining) but "Rent" was considered a can't-miss adaptation - until it arrived as a flat, soulless shell of its Broadway ancestor.

In other words, you need more than just great songs to make a great movie musical.

Sometimes you need to take a sharp left turn from the road of safe travels to make a movie musical work. Think "Moulin Rouge." The angry, desperate voice at the heart of "Spring Awakening" could use a bit of the frat-boy flash McG is known for. No studio is attached yet, so there's still time for this to all fall apart.

If it does happen, will he be able to somehow work in "Spring Awakening" co-creator Duncan Sheik's best-known song into the movie?

Legendary Band Gets Hall of Fame KISS-Off

2009-04-13T20:11:00.000-07:00

“I feel uptight on a Saturday night
Nine o' clock, the radio's the only light”

With all due respect to Jeff Beck, Bobby Womack, Little Anthony & the Imperials, Wanda Jackson, DJ Fontana, Bill Black, Spooner Oldham, Run-D.M.C. & Metallica, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last weekend once again made a mockery of its mission to safeguard and celebrate music history.

Why? Because the Hall gave its annual brush-off to a band whose impact on music is unquestioned.

KISS.

That’s right, those makeup wearing, platform boots wearing, 3-chord song writing pop metal gods who were the bane of parents’ existence in the 1970s, now best known for being shameless merchandise whores. They should have been welcomed into music Valhalla with open arms a decade ago, as soon as they became eligible for induction.

Too bad the 600 dimwits on the induction board keep giving them the brush off.

As a longstanding member of the KISS Army, I’ve had just about enough of this disrespect toward one of rock’s most influential bands. Wait, is that a chorus of Doubting Thomases I hear? Here are a few things you should know:

85. That’s the approximate number of albums the band has sold worldwide since its debut with its eponymously-titled debut album in 1973. Wait. Did I say 85? I meant 85 MILLION!

64. How many millions the 2003 KISS tour earned worldwide, 30 years after the band’s debut. How many bands who aren’t the Rolling Stones, the Who or reside on E Street can claim to have that kind of earning power?

24. the number of gold records the band has scored, the most of any American rock band (more than Aerosmith, Van Halen and ZZ Top, who are all in the HOF). The only groups with more are the Beatles and the Stones. FYI, KISS’s number is 28 if you include the four 1978 solo albums.

Even more than the album sales and tour grosses is the influence the band has had since it first Rock-n-Rolled All Night and Partied Every Day. KISS was a game-changing band, in a variety of ways.

Before Frampton Came Alive, “KISS Alive!” redefined the live album when it dropped in 1975. The band was already a hot live ticket back then. But it was only when they captured the power of their live act on vinyl that Kiss really became ‘the hottest band in the land.’

In fact, onstage is where KISS had few peers. The band’s outrageous stage shows, full of pyrotechnics, rising platforms, smoking guitars and Gene Simmons’ fire-breathing, blood spilling antics, set new standards for rock concerts. Even today, a KISS concert has to be seen, and heard, to be believed.

The group’s kabuki-style makeup (and the individual personas: The Demon, Starchild, Space Ace, The Cat) turned the band into a true-blue pop culture sensation that extended way past the Hit Parader & Circus crowd, and into mainstream America. You know all the cross-platform sports and entertainment stars you see on Access Hollywood and every magazine? That was KISS in the 1970s.

There were lunchboxes, toys, pinball games…anything you could slap a logo on.

They also crossed over into movies, with the 1978 TV-pic “Kiss Meets the Phantom in the Park.” Sure, the film stunk. But it was still a big ratings draw.

After the original foursome split, the band stayed together, regrouped, unmasked and continued to put out solid records throughout the 80s, and even into the 1990s (‘Revenge’ is an absolute scorcher of a record).

Along the way, an entire genre of rock – Welcome to the Big Hair Metal days of the 1980s! – blossomed thanks to KISS. Groups such as Bon Jovi, Poison, and Motley Crue all owe a debt to the guys who were NOT Knights in Satan’s Service (it was just KISS). Hell, the Crue should be paying royalties for the way they aped the makeup and stage antics.

Countless groups – from across the spectrum of music - have paid tribute to KISS as an inspiration, from Tupac to Garth Brooks. The 1994 tribute album “KISS MY A$$”..even featured Brooks, Stevie Wonder, Lenny Kravitz, Extreme and Anthrax doing KISS covers.

Let’s see…massively popular, long, enduring career, incredibly influential…does that sound like a Hall of Fame band? It does to me.

What, the voters don’t like that most KISS songs were about getting laid? AC-DC sang about ‘Big Balls’ and ZZ Top talked about legs and, um…pearl necklaces. I LOVE Van Halen, but those guys weren’t debating human rights issues on ‘Diver Down’ or ‘Fair Warning,’ either.

Those bands’ catalogs make Love Gun seem practically poetic.

Sex just so happens to be the dominant writing influence in rock music. Take a look at Madonna’s song list, folks. Only the beat’s different.

I haven’t even mentioned the fact that the band pulled off one of the greatest comebacks in rock history in 1996 when the original quartet reunited, makeup, smoking guitars and all, for the year’s highest-grossing tour.

It’s that bottom line success, actually, that is perhaps the main reason KISS hasn’t been voted into the hall yet. No band in music history has probably embraced mass commercialism as wholeheartedly as these guys.

Since the ’96 reunion, Gene Simmons – who never met a product he wouldn’t slap the KISS logo on – has approved condoms, cocktail tables, wine (KISS Cabernet!), even a KISS coffin. That was probably the death knell for the band’s Hall chances.

I’m the first guy to admit to being embarrassed to be a fan the night Simmons went on Conan O’Brien’s show to plug the coffin, bragging how it could be used as a beer cooler until it was time to be used as a, er…human cooler.

But rock music has been about selling out to the highest bidder for decades. Don’t believe me?

The Stones’ “Start Me Up” as a Microsoft Windows sales pitch; Seger’s “Like a Rock” used to sell Chevy Trucks; Mellencamp’s “This is my Country” to sell more trucks; The Who’s entire catalog for anyone who meets Townsend’s asking price. Madonna – really, do I even need to list an example?

By the mid-90s, the music biz had degenerated to the point that hack bands like Smash Mouth would write cheesy jingles like “All Star” and pitch it to Madison Avenue BEFORE it had even hit radio!

Another thing. Name one big time performer worth their $45 souvenir t-shirt – outside of Springsteen – who hasn’t had their tour sponsored in the last 15 years. Exactly.

My point is, integrity and the music industry have been mutually exclusive terms for … well, forever. So to punish a band that embraces commercialism – and really, broke new ground in showing other bands how to capitalize on their success – isn’t right. You can’t judge them by different standards than other groups.

You know what though? At the end of the day, it’s about the music, and KISS has delivered the goods for nearly 40 years.

Maybe one day, the RRHOF will figure it out.

I'll be a gambler, baby.. Lay down the bet
We get together, mama.. You'll sweat

No place for hidin' baby.. No place to run
You pull the trigger of my.. Love Gun!

DVD Menu: Fleischer's Superman

2009-04-13T18:24:00.001-07:00

Watch Kevin Costner Interviews exclusively from Reeltalk.

The old Max Fleischer 'Superman' cartoons - actually theatrical shorts back in the 40s - have just been remastered and put out on DVD. While I wish Warner Bros. would have put 'em on Blu-ray, this is still a sweet set of 'toons that gives you an idea of amazing a job they did on the Man of Steel.

These 60-year-old episodes look better than any of those stilted DC cartoons (I'm talking to you, "Superfriends"!) we grew up on in the 70s & 80s. Hit the clip and see what I mean; the quality is sublime. You can read more about the collection HERE.

Twilight - Finally!

2009-04-12T19:03:00.001-07:00

As the not-very-bigtime showrunner of a nationally syndicated movie show [REEL TALK], I'm almost embarrassed to admit this in a forum that will no doubt be seen by dozens and dozens of people worldwide.

I didn't get around to seeing Twilight until YESTERDAY. That's right. One of the biggest pop-cult phenoms of the past year fell completely off the Avila radar. It wasn't intentional, mind you. As the producer of the show, I have so many things on my plate that I'm simply not able to see every movie Jeffrey Lyons & Alison Bailes are reviewing on the show. I try to, because I want to be as informed as possible to decide where to slot movies in a particular week's show, what kind of clips to use (because you wouldn't believe how bad studios are at promoting their own films. They often send truly awful clips to media outlets, which makes it nearly impossible to put together a review/feature that makes sense).

When Twilight came out last October, Summit Entertainment only screened it once before opening, at 7:30pm. Now, this makes it inconvenient for critics. Ask most of them, they'll tell you a 'take it or leave it' scenario usually indicates the film isn't very good. This is true.

Sometimes, and this is becoming the case more and more these days, the studios know they have a critic-proof film on their hands so they don't need to hold many screenings. Do one of them so you don't get labeled as a 'so bad they didn't screen it advance' movie, but just one. This saves lots of $$. And let's face it. All those people who read Stephenie Meyer's books weren't going to be dissuaded from seeing the movie by anything critics said. It hurts me to say that, because my livelihood depends on people caring what movie critics think.

But there are certain franchises and characters that defy any sort of critical effect. Star Wars, Harry Potter, Tyler Perry ... and Twilight.

So my point before I went off on my tangent was, I didn't skip it on purpose. I couldn't make that one-shot screening, and then I just never made it to the theater to see it because frankly, vampires don't really float my boat. This fascination with bloodsuckers completely escapes me. I don't watch True Blood, I have Let the Right One In on my 'To Watch' pile, and I have never read any of the Twilight books.

But this weekend I decided to finally pop in the dvd that's been at the bottom of that aforementioned 'To Watch' stack, and I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised. After a slow start, I got into it. By the end, I was genuinely interested in seeing where the story goes with the 2nd film.

However, this is far from a masterpiece. And if anyone from Summit Ent. is reading this, please, PLEASE, reinvest some of the ridiculous piles of $$ you made on the first film to improve the special effects for #2. Because they were laughably bad in Twilight. Every time a vampire showed off his talents it looked about as impressive as the slo-mo FX from "The Six Million Dollar Man." The sequence where Edward takes Bella to the top of the mountain appeared to have been done on a college student's iBook. You wanna be a big-dog franchise in Hollywood? Gotta pony up the $$ to look the part. That won't cut it a second time.

Also, can someone please get Kristen Stewart to smile at least once? I know she's not thrilled to be part of this media spectacle but for the sake of Pete's love, you don't have to look miserable in EVERY SINGLE FRAME OF THE MOVIE. She's taking teen angst to new levels in this and Adventureland. Her agent needs to find her a romantic comedy in the worst way.

But those two major problems aside, count me as one who is looking forward to the sequel. And I don't think I'll wait six months after opening day to see it.

Science Fiction Making Real Comeback

2009-04-12T17:23:00.001-07:00

As I sit here watching the futuristic film "Sleep Dealer" on a clear, cold NYC evening (it comes out next week in NY/LA - we'll review it on REEL TALK next weekend), It dawned on me that we're starting to see the return of the thinking man's Sci-Fi.

By that, I don't mean movies with silly premises and genre cliches ("The Invasion") or films with good ideas and lousy execution ("Jumper"). I'm talking about pictures that go to the heart of what science fiction is all about: Examining issues impacting the real world through the prism of speculative scenarios.

"Sleep Dealer" for example, is a story set in a near-future world basically run by corporations, where water is a precious commodity held over the heads of the less fortunate. It also involves people's memories as a valuable asset bought and sold like drugs. I'm halfway through it (I paused the screener to write this) and it's fascinating/disturbing at the same time.

It reminds me of the kind of science fiction films made in the 70s and early 80s, like "Soylent Green" and "Outland." Those films questioned the direction of modern society and theorized where we were headed, was not a very nice place. Depressing, sure. But it made you think.

That all changed with "Star Wars." No, I'm not going to bash George Lucas for changing the direction of the genre (and movies in general). I'm a GINORMOUS fan of the Force. But as much as I love the SW universe, I usually find myself drawn to less swashbuckling type of science fiction fare, such as "Blade Runner."

Over the years, those type of movies, real morality tales wrapped in lavish production designs and set in dystopian futures, have sort of disappeared from cineplexes. Science fiction certainly hasn't. But besides the Terminator and Matrix series, what other Sci-Fi films have really made an impact in the past 25 years?

Not many.

Part of the blame probably goes to Hollywood's increasing focus on the bottom line. Tough to take a chance on a genre film that will most likely come with a hefty price tag (due to effects, sets, etc) if it doesn't have the requisite elements to make it a blockbuster. And I don't remember any Spinner Cars on Toys R Us shelves when "Blade Runner" came out, or any Sean Connery action figures from "Outland."

But also, I think the most recent generation of filmmakers, having grown up and immensely influenced by "Star Wars", viewed that as the template for the Sci-Fi they wanted to create. Obviously there were exceptions, like the two I mentioned above, and also "Minority Report," a very underrated film IMHO. But by and large, filmmakers didn't want to make you think; they wanted to wow you, entertain you.

Perhaps that's changing.

Besides "Sleep Dealer" there is also a movie called "Moon" due out this June that I guarantee will have diehard Sci-Fi fans drooling over their 'Starlog' magazines. I caught an early screening a few weeks ago.

It stars Sam Rockwell and is directed by Duncan Jones. The film follows a mining company employee Sam (Rockwell) stationed on the Moon. As his three-year assignment comes to an end, his grasp on reality is beginning to slip, exacerbated by the extreme loneliness of the job. He begins to doubt his true purpose there and the paranoia only gets worse. Besides dastardly corporate behavior and a healthy skepticism about our dependence on technology, the movie examines how our tech-obsessed society is isolating us, even as humanity continues to overpopulate the earth.

With a masterful performance by Rockwell as its lynchpin and a doozy of a plot twist to boot, "Moon" is as compelling and thought-provoking a science fiction film as I've seen in years.

The director Jones, who is David Bowie's son FYI, does a great job capturing the clausterphobic atmosphere, the remoteness Sam is forced to endure. It's practically a one-man play, because for most of the film Sam's only company is a robot named GERTY (voiced in perfectly creepy fashion by Kevin Spacey).

Even more impressive is that the film is a true indie production - the budget was a reportedly miniscule $4 million. That's a pittance for almost any kind of film, much less science fiction.

Do yourself a favor and check the film out when it hits theaters in June. Same with "Sleep Dealer" next weekend. If you're a fan of intelligent science fiction that doesn't have one laser blaster or manhunting robot in sight, then you need to support these movies. And pray for other filmmakers with vision to jump into the genre.

Otherwise, prepare yourself for a lifetime of Nic Cage nonsense like "Next" or "Knowing."

Ugh. Talk about a frightening future!

Not Taking Yourself Too Seriously

2008-10-19T17:51:00.000-07:00

When every step you take, every word you say, is scrutinized under the white-hot glare of the media spotlight, it has to be tough to be one of the four key players in the presidential election. No one, I mean no one, has it tougher than Sarah Palin. The Alaska governor is simultaneously being second-guessed and skewered for anything she says or does.

Don't take this as a defense of Gov. Palin. Trust me, it's not. Any ridicule she's received, she's earned. That aside, I must admit I was impressed and entertained by her appearance on "Saturday Night Live." She showed a sense of humor, decent timing and moose-like thick skin during her two spots on the show.

Think about it for a second. She went on SNL, a program that's been merciless (and very funny) in its treatment of her. Not only did she stand there and watch her doppleganger, Tina Fey (and how great a word is doppleganger?), poke more fun at the Hockey Mom's patented Palinisms, she also stood next to Alec Baldwin!

Baldwin, who is at least No. 2 or 3 on the Republican Party's Arch-Enemies List, stood there and ripped Palin right in front of her (although he was pretending it was Fey)...and Palin took it like a champ.

I know considering the state of the McCain campaign that his running mate pretty much had to do this (just as McCain had to go with his tail between his legs to Letterman and beg forgiveness this week), but still...it took Stones for Palin. While I certainly don't plan on changing who I vote for based on a candidate being a good sport, Palin did impress me by being able to have a sense of humor about everything.

I could have done with out the 'raise the roof' antics during her appearance on Weekend Update, but she did show a little rhythm, boppin' side-to-side with Seth Myers during Amy Poehler's hilarious Palin rap.

While it may be too little, too late to help the Republicans stay in the White House, at least Palin's proven that McCain's VP mate has a better sense of humor than Dubya's ever did.

It Just Occurred to Me...

2008-10-12T19:29:00.000-07:00

As I sit here watching the Patriots stink it up against the Chargers on Sunday Night Football, a few things came to mind.

Has anyone else noticed that with the crumbling economy turning our lives upside down and depleting much of our savings, the watercooler talk around the office always begins now the same way: 'So, guy in cubicle #4, how much has your 401K dropped? Only 70%, Office Corner Dude. So much for my retiring at 62. Guess i'll be the afternoon barista at my local Starbucks until i'm unable to stand for more than 45 minutes without wetting my pants. But, it could be worse.'

Ah, the resilient American spirit.

But just like during the Recession of the 70s and going all the way back to the Great Depression, at least we still have that wonderful weekend distraction known as football. Be it college or pro, the gridiron clashes are a perfect way to take your mind off the fact that your retirement plans have been torpedoed by the Mr. Potter-like greed of Wall Street.

Did you catch that Texas-Oklahoma game Saturday? Unbelievable. Whenever you want to convince a nonbeliever why college football is unlike any other sport, they should pull up that game on TIVO. It had everything: big matchup (#1 vs. #5), tradition (Red River Rivalry baby!), huge plays, great individual efforts and a game that was close until the end.

The entire afternoon was full of upsets and wild finishes that serve as a reminder why the college game is the best brand of football. I love the NFL but that's a corporate game. It doesn't have the fire that a game between in-state college rivals has. Don't believe me? Ask any of the Texas-Oklahoma fans at the Cotton Bowl Saturday what's louder: The Red River matchup or a Cowboys game.

Speaking of the NFL, if you don't like Kurt Warner, then you don't like football, PERIOD. Guy went from bagging groceries to NFL MVP to washed-up backup. Now he's returned to prominence and he has the Arizona Cardinals looking like a playoff team in the weak NFC West. I can't believe they beat my Cowboys today, but if they're going to lose, at least it was to Warner. The guy is one of the league's shining examples.

On a side note, my fantasy football team is in the tank because Matt Cassel is not even a poor man's Tom Brady and can't get the ball to Randy Moss.

One other football note: Another reason I like college football more than the NFL is that it's easier to pick college games against the spread. If you like to bet on game -- and really, who doesn't? -- putting money on the NFL is downright foolish. It's impossible to accurately and consistently pick winners in a league that encourages and thrives on parity.

Look at this weekend alone. At least half the favorites lost. Monday night has the Giants on the road against Cleveland. The defending champs are favored by 9. Smells like a trap.

I promise I won't spend this much time talking football -- at least not often. But Saturdays & Sundays, please indulge me.

Who actually thought Faith Hill was the perfect choice to sing the theme song for SNF? Does she scream 'football theme song singer' to anyone?

HE IS ... MCLOVIN'!!!

2007-08-15T18:28:00.000-07:00

The guy on this fake ID is the next teen idol. Mark my words, after SUPERBAD drops this weekend and takes all the box office business from Nicole Kidman & Daniel Craig's THE INVASION (raise your hand if you know ANYONE who's going to see it this weekend), McLovin' will be a star! Awkward HS Juniors in clique-run high schools across the country will be printing their PhotoShopped fake IDs with one-name monikers ..

McJiggy ....

McGangsta

McFreshman ... [its not as easy it looks, believe me.]

As Fogell, Christopher Mintz-Plasse comes THISCLOSE to stealing the very funny pic from Jonah Hill & Michael Cera (who play Seth & Evan, who are based on the movie's writers and inspiration, lifelong friends Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg).
The scene where he shows Seth & Evan his fake ID is hilarious, an instant classic ...

"You changed your name to McLovin?!?"

"Who are you ... Seal?"

McLovin is one of several great characters in the 2nd funniest movie of the summer (KNOCKED UP still holds on to the title). SUPERBAD is the PORKY'S for the new generation, and much funnier than any of the AMERICAN PIE movies. Go see it. Find out for yourself.

SDCC '07 - Riding The Comic/Graphic Novel Gravy Train

2007-07-29T17:11:00.000-07:00

Is there anyone in Hollywood NOT involved with a comic book these days? At this year's SDCC everyone from Rosario Dawson to Neil Young (yes, THAT Neil Young) unveiled new comic book & graphic novels.
Look, I'm all for artistic types stretching their craft and trying new things .. but its getting kind of ridiculous.
My big beef is that a lot of these people aren't actually creating these new projects they're involved with. They're doing the publication equivalent of 'executive producing.' And that's not how graphic novels or comic books or manga WORK.

You can't produce a graphic novel or comic book. You can't present one either, unless your name's Stan Lee. Otherwise, you haven't earned that distinction. You can write, pencil, ink, letter and/or edit one. Because then you're involved in the true creative process that creates a comic or GN.

Maybe I'm just splitting hairs here but I'm not that impressed when I hear about Rosario Dawson's GN "O.C.T. - Occult Crimes Taskforce" - because she didn't write or illustrate it. She may be involved in the storytelling process in some way but if she's not handling any of the two primary tasks, how much input into the story can she have? [BTW, O.C.T.'s first TPB is due out soon, and Dawson announced at Comic Con that more stories are due.]

Same thing with Neil Young. DC announced at their Vertigo panel plans to have Josh Dysart write the GN adaptation of Young's 2003 album "Greendale." At the panel, Dysart said the book "...is about a woman who finds her place as an activist. It's a blend of surrealistic Vertigo, my aesthetic and Neil Young." It was also said Young would have significant input -- whatever that means.

Look, I'm a big Neil Young fan but last time I checked he had no comic book experience so chances are he's not doing much more than giving the occasional piece of advice to the writer about what certain songs in the album meant. I could be completely wrong about that ... but I bet I'm not.

Not all of this new wave of 'Hollywood graphic novelists' take such a hands-off approach. Actor Thomas Jane ("The Punisher," "Stander," the upcoming "The Mist") has launched his own comic publishing firm, RAW Studios, to put out traditional comics as well as digital comics online. Jane is partnering with "30 Days of Night" creator Steve Niles on the project and Jane is co-writing the books. That's a big difference. [I'll have more on Jane's multitude of multimedia offerings in my next post. He's a busy guy!]

My concern with this new trend is that it cheapens the hard work, the dedication comic pros put in to making their books. There are no shortcuts for true artistic endeavors. Brian K. Vaugh, Brian Azzarello, Neil Gaiman, Dave Gibbons,et all .. none of them have 'ghostwriters' helping them with their stories. Its their work, their vision.

The blurring of the creative lines is giving someone whose main contribution is likely restricted to the promotional front, just as much credit as the person or persons responsible for the story. And that's not right.

I'd love to hear thoughts on this issue, no matter which way you stand.

INNNDYYYYYY!!!! (Guess Who's Back?) -SDCC News

2007-07-27T08:18:00.000-07:00

One of the several big things to come out of Thursday's Paramount panel was the 'live via satellite' appearance by director Steven Spielberg and the cast of Indy 4 sitting on directors chairs. Harrison Ford looked great in his worn adventurer's outfit, Ray Winstone (who's also starring in Bob Zemeckis' Beowulf) and Shia LaBeouf were also there from the film's current shooting location.
Spielberg and Ford shared few details other than the fact that after 18 years, 25 days of shooting have been completed. Ford seemed genuinely excited to be doing another Indy movie and I can't wait to see him working with Winstone onscreen. No confirmation about LaBeouf's role, other than Ford calling him his 'other sidekick.' Spielberg told the audience this movie is for the fans and they're going to get it right - frankly, how can you doubt this crew?
Oh yeah .. almost forgot. Before signing off, spielberg went and grabbed another directors chair -- with the name 'Marion Ravenwood' on it! The crowd in Hall H inside San Diego's Convention Center went nuts when Karen Allen, the first and to many fans the best of Indy's girls, walked into view and sat in the chair.
And she looked amazing!! I mean, really, really good. I'm all of a sudden extremely excited about this movie. Everything seems to be falling into place for a great return for Indy. And while I'm a huge Cate Blanchett fan, I'm hoping Karen Allen gets more than just a cameo walk-on role, because the character of Marion Ravenwood deserves better. Thankfully, it appears Spielberg is well aware of what the fans want with this movie and he wants to get it right.
More SDCC updates later.

San Diego Comic Con '07 - Trek Casting Call

2007-07-26T19:47:00.000-07:00

Big Star Trek news broken @ SDCC today. At the Paramount Pictures panel, director J.J. Abrams revealed Zachary Quinto from "Heroes" will play young Spock in Abrams' still-untitled Star Trek project due out next year. Its assumed Abrams is taking the crew from TOS back to the beginning, maybe as far back as to the Academy. But before the crowd could even settle down from the well-received news of Quinto's casting, Abrams & Co. announced ANOTHER casting note for the movie - LEONARD NIMOY!!
Yep, original Spock will play himself in the new film. When Nimoy walked out on stage, it set off perhaps the most pure form of Fanboy enthusiasm I have ever witnessed, and that's saying alot. It was a great moment.
Meanwhile, Abrams said he hasn't cast Kirk yet and he wants Shatner in the film too but he wants to do it right and not screw with Shatner's legacy or that of Capt. James Tiberius Kirk.
I'll post pix when I return home to NYC and give you updates on Iron Man & Indy 4!!!

Billy Crudup is Dr. Manhattan!!

2007-07-23T13:08:00.000-07:00

So a VERY, VERY well-placed source told me over the weekend that Billy Crudup is definitely, 100% inked to play Dr. Manhattan in the long-awaited and even longer-in-development "Watchmen" movie. Its expected that '300' director and the current King of all things graphically-oriented Zach Snyder will announce this and perhaps other casting notes this Friday @ the San Diego Comic Con during the "Watchmen" portion of the Warners panel.

Interesting decision on both sides. Snyder proved with 300 he 'gets' the source material and understands the responsibility a filmmaker has to bring a well-respected and beloved story to the screen. With "Watchmen" its doubly so because its nearly universally viewed as the apex of comic book literature. He knows if he screws this up, he's toast with the rabidly loyal fans who are bowing at his feet now because of his adaptation of Miller's bloody masterpiece.

What I like about Snyder is that unlike most folks in Hollywood, he realizes that to be a true commercially successful entity, a comic book/graphic novel adaptation should first and foremost appeal to the core fans. Of course, you want casual fans to get into your movie, but if you hook the diehards who are familiar with the source material, chances are you've got a hit. So I'm cautiously optimistic about "Watchmen," despite the fact that I have doubts about how they're going to pull off some of the bigger scenes from the comics.

As for Crudup, this could put him back in the public eye after years of ducking mainstream movie attention. Not even his too-brief turn in MI:III last year was enough to get him off the Hwood Milk Carton he's been on the past few years. If it wasn't for his voice on those 'priceless' Mastercard commercials, you'd think the man who portrayed 'The Golden God' Russell Hammond in the practically-perfect "Almost Famous" had fallen off the face of the earth. He hasn't. He's been on Broadway, but for most movie fans, that's the same thing.

Whatever the reason he's jumping onboard (hopefully he likes the original comics), Crudup's good in ANYTHING. This is a good step forward for "Watchmen." Can't wait to hear who else signs on.

Make This Guy A Star, Already!

2007-07-23T09:11:00.000-07:00

The opening weekend success of "Hairspray" (not to mention the sterling reviews) may finally, FINALLY, solve a nagging mystery in Hollywood - why James Marsden isn't a bigger star?

Just look at the guy. He's annoyingly good-looking, perfectly coiffed and just about always well-dressed. On top of that, the guy can flat out ACT. His work on Ally McBeal, the X-Men trilogy, The Notebook and especially Superman Returns proves that. In Hairspray, he also shows he can sing & dance like a Broadway star. So I ask again, why isn't he a bigger star?

It has nothing to do with off-set headlines. He's never in Page Six or any other gossip columns because he lives the nice, comfortable life of a married man. It may have EVERYTHING to do with the fact he has perfected the role of the third wheel, the guy who NEVER gets the girl. As Cyclops, he may have technically gotten the girl (Jean Grey/Phoenix) but she obliterated him in the third film and always seemed to pine for Wolverine -- so that doesn't really count. In The Notebook, he loses Rachel McAdams to Ryan Gosling. Now, I enjoyed this movie, I did. Thought it was a great love story. My wife, though, LOVES this movie. Its one of her all-time Top 5 films. But she says the one flaw she has with it is that no woman in her right mind would leave a guy like Marsden for a sourpuss like Gosling's character. But it happens anyway!

Then in Superman Returns, Marsden has to compete with the Man of Steel. Impossible, yet, he somehow manages to make you sympathize with his character, knowing he's being held up to an impossible standard, and hoping he comes out of this incredibly awkward situation OK. THAT'S GOOD ACTING.

In Hairspray, the Stillwater, Oklahoma native turns a nothing part in the Broadway show into a scene-stealing effort that's bursting with charisma and conscience. He could have played it in a self-absorbed, Vince Fontaine-styled performance, but Marsden's natural likeability comes through onscreen and infuses Corny Collins with a personality he really didn't have in the Broadway show. If you caught the cast's appearance on TODAY last Friday, you saw it there as well. (Of course, you didn't hear a word from James during the interview portion because they only wanted to talk to the other stars. Talk about a slight!)

So again - why isn't he a big star? Beats me. Maybe casting directors feel he's the prototypical 'too good to be true' guy, someone the audience can't relate to. Could be, the right parts/scripts haven't come his way, or perhaps they have and he hasn't jumped on them. And sometimes, its just bad timing and bad luck. Who knew Hugh Jackman would be the breakout star of the X movies? Or that Preacher (based on the graphic novels), a project Marsden had been actively trying to get off the ground so he could star in it, would keep getting stalled in the Hwood pipeline? To illustrate my point about luck and timing, Marsden told me Preacher is finally getting made -- as a cable TV series. He won't be a part of it. Too bad. He would have been great in a really interesting role. But once again, things didn't break his way.

Regardless, he's way overdue to break out.

We had him on REEL TALK last week and he was one of the most down-to-earth guys we've had on. Laid back, self-deprecating, and very aware of the industry and his place. He seemed genuinely excited about Hairspray's chances of raising his profile. I hope it does that for him. Enchanted seems like another can't-miss hit later in November, which should also show off his sense of humor (he's playing a buffoon-like Prince Charming, as he put it - check out the trailer here. HE's also got a romantic comedy with Katherine Heigl and Ed Burns called 27 Dresses coming out later this year. If this isn't the year James Marsden becomes a big star, then there's no hope.

Keep this in mind. Outside of Hugh Jackman and maybe Matt Damon, name another under 40 star who can do comedy/action/drama/musicals. Think about it and get back to me when someone comes to mind. And I'm only including Damon because of his 'Will & Grace' episode.

So hopefully Hollywood finally smarts up and realizes their next genre-juggling star has been right under their noses, waiting to show what he can do. Someone give this guy a LEAD ROLE!

The Potter Bandwagon

2007-07-17T15:29:00.000-07:00

So yesterday I was talking about how Harry Potter has become the dominant force in pop culture. Admittedly, not such an 'out-there' statement to make. But I have to admit it was funny to wake up and read the front page of USA TODAY's LIFE section today and see their cover story.

Seems I'm far from the only person to notice the bespectacled one's pervasive influence and cash-hoarding prowess.

Also, is there any greater indication of someone (or something)'s "IT" factor than becoming a victim of piracy or getting prematurely leaked onto the Internet? If so, then further proof that it's Harry's world and we all just live in it can be found
here.
If those really are the pages from the last Potter book, I hope they catch the person who put 'em up there. Its one thing to give an early heads up for a preview screening of an upcoming movie, but to go ahead and steal shots of the pages to post them .. its not just wrong but its cheapening how the audience can enjoy the book. Reading photographs of the pages of perhaps the most anticipated book of the last quarter century is not the way people should experience it. So if anyone is thinking of going on an online search for those pages, DON'T! Wait 'til Saturday and buy the book, sit down and read it on the couch, and enjoy Harry's last adventure the way it was meant to be enjoyed.

My PSA is done. Now I'm off to eat some Cuban food at Havana Central (which is pretty good, despite being right in the middle of tourist hell in Times Square).

The King of Pop (Culture)?

2007-07-16T12:04:00.000-07:00

After scoring a mind-boggling $44 million its first day in theaters, $77.4M for the weekend, $140M for its first 5 days .. however you add it up, the totals compute to a ridiculous figure. Mind you, "HP:ATOOTP" is easily the worst-reviewed of the Potter films, so these totals prove the franchise is officially critic-proof. No matter what people say (my guys on REEL TALK didn't like it at all, BTW) the fans intend to go see it. That, along with the stellar box office, must have the executive folks at Warner Bros. exhaling and resuming their Hamptons house-hunting. They're also an indicator of just how strong a hold Mr. Potter has on mass audiences.

In TV a long-running series starts to lose steam, creatively and popularly, after its 3rd or 4th season. In the movies, the decline begins even earlier (Remember how fast the Matrix lost its coolness once Reloaded & Revolutions stumbled into theaters?). And the few franchises that have lasted past 3 chapters (off the top of my head ... Star Wars, Star Trek, Alien, Land Before Time, Halloween, Friday the 13th ..) have all either hit significant stumbling blocks that they could never fully recover from (Phantom Menace, ST: The Final Frontier .. any Land Before Time after the first, Winona Ryder) or degenerated into self-parodying schlock that was churned out just to cash in a quick buck. Harry Potter is different, however.

The unique situation of having the book series that inspired the movies continuing to be insanely popular has helped sustain interest in the franchise beyond the usual lifespan. Also, since the books were a few chapters ahead of when the first film was made, its built anticipation amongst the audience waiting for the chapters they've read to show up onscreen.

I also think the fact that the 3 stars were so well-cast is going to pay off in these last 3 films. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint have really made their characters their own, to the point that the fans couldn't see anyone else in those roles. And now that they've reached their late teens - in real life and in the films - it will make for better movies. Think about it. They're all veteran actors now who have learned their craft in these roles. The next 2 films should only see more improvement as they mature. And maturing along with them, are the fans who have grown up reading the books/watching films. Because Harry and the others have continued to age and grow up and not be stuck in an 'Archie in Riverdale' time warp, the Potter franchise has avoided the potential problem of being left behind by kids who have 'outgrown' the material.

Alot of people, myself included, have criticized the films for being too close to the original source material. Its as if the directors were somewhat lazy and didn't try to take too many liberties with the subject matter. Considering how popular the movies have been, its painfully apparent most people disagree with that assessment. Potter fans don't want a different spin on the stories they read. They want to see them AS IS on the screen, and the filmmakers have obliged.

Now obviously the key ingredient in all this is JK Rowling's incredible characters and storylines. Its a one-in-a-million Perfect Storm that appeals to practically anyone who's ever read them. I have NEVER met someone who has said, "yeah, I picked up the first Potter book, but I just couldn't get into it." NEVER.

My 62-year-old mother pores over each book like one of those 10-year-olds you see on the news whenever a new Potter book goes on sale at midnight. Then she gives them to my 2 nieces, who are 14 and 11. Its incredible. And that's how it is ACROSS THE WORLD. Its important to remember, that no matter how popular he is here in the States, he's that much more popular everywhere else on the planet. Harry Potter may be the last literary phenomenon of our lifetime. With so many other options competing for kids' free time, that's not a far-fetched statement to make. And that's all due to Ms. Rowling's imaginative writing.

The very nature of the books - the story of a boy wizard who learns about spells and real life while dealing with all the complications that go along with both - lends itself to a certain kind of devoted following that a regular, dyed-in-the wool, grounded-in-reality TV show/Movie/Broadway show just can't earn.
Grey's Anatomy may be TV's top show, but you don't see people dressing up as Mcdreamy at conventions do you?
Jersey Boys may be Broadway's hardest ticket to score, but they don't have a crowd of teenage, free-spending fans waiting outside the stage door like Spring Awakening does.

My point is, if you want success, any quality production can earn it. But if you want a Cultural touchstone, you should set the cop drama in space or in Fantasyland or someplace other than Brooklyn. Because the really devoted fans, the ones that make it a 'happening,' that buy all the related merchandise .. want their real-life metaphors wrapped in escapist fare, and they want their heroes to attend a school called Hogwarts.

So in this fragmented, Demo-specific, 500 channel, Internet-always-on universe we live in, a British boy wizard has become perhaps the last across-the-charts singular pop culture sensation. And folks, there isn't anyone - or anything - that's even close.

Whats In Your Playlist?

2007-07-07T22:29:00.000-07:00

I mainly use my iPod for running, and I hear it as I walk to work, which thankfully is only a 10 block walk from my apartment to 30 Rock (yes, I work in the same building, just 2 floors below, for the same company ((NBC)) that Tina Fey ridicules on her hilarious sitcom).

Latest additions to my playlist: couple new Bon Jovi songs, "Any Other Day" and "Lost Highway" which is a sickeningly addictive song. Those guys know how to rock a catchy tune.

Also have Fergie's "Big Girls Don't Cry", a new Martina McBride song .. and as for classics, how about The Clash's "Police on my Back"? Perfect song near the tail end of a run when you're starting to fade. The moment that comes on your adrenaline spikes. God Bless The Clash.

I'm up to about 400 songs on my Nano and I usually don't blow anything out 'til I'm completely sick of it.

LMK what you've got playing ...

'Prime' Example of A Blockbuster Weekend

2007-07-06T20:39:00.000-07:00

The Fourth of July has been a heavy-hitting weekend for the movie industry for quite some time. It has all the elements that make it one of the Top 2 or 3 weekends of the year for Hollywood, alongside Memorial Day and Thanksgiving.

This year its no different, except for the sheer variety of the movies being offered up. First you have the comedy "License to Wed" which -- despite the fact it looks incredibly lame -- features a proven favorite (Robin Williams) in a role perfectly suited for his bombastic, ad-libbing comedy skills.

Then you have the 800 lb. gorilla of the holiday, and maybe the entire summer, in "Transformers." I've seen it and it was a true cinematic experience. With so many CGI-heavy 'event' pictures being made these days, you don't really get to experience something so ... BIG very often anymore. But Transformers felt different to me. And no, I'm not one of those super-Transformers fans from the 80s. When the toys came out I was 13 and was just starting to stiff-arm myself away from my geeky pre-teen passions. That said, the moment in the film where all the Autobots are revealed was one of the best 'Geek-Out' moments EVER. Trust me when I say this is not a movie you want to see in an empty theater. This movie is meant to be shared with an audience full of Ringer Tee-wearing, toy-collecting fanboys. Oh, and don't sit close to the screen. You'll thank me for it later.

But while I think Transformers is definitely THE MOVIE to see this weekend, running a close second would be "Rescue Dawn" starring Christian Bale. Based on a true story, it has you on edge 5 minutes into the picture. Bale is always good but here's he's surreal. He plays Dieter Dengler just different enough so that you know this is not some cookie-cutter escape drama. Bale's POW is a picture of madness, but also one of dogged determination. The best thing about is that Bale plays him with wild eyes and Texas-sized intestinal fortitude, and makes the audience believe that nothing will keep him from escaping.

Because its such a dominating performance, Bale's work will overshadow everyone else, which is too bad because Steve Zahn really impresses with his work as a fellow prisoner. This could be the role that breaks him out of the goofy sidekick prison he's been trapped in his whole career.

Director Werner Herzog was born to make this movie. And his fingerprints are all over the film because it just ... FEELS DIFFERENT. In the hands of most of the filmmakers in the studio system, this would have been a by-the-books Prisoner of War drama. But Herzog does just enough to give it a wholly unique rhythm, keeping you from getting too comfortable with the pacing of the movie -- which then puts you in perfect position for the several SHOCKING scenes in the picture.
Excellent movie, one that I hope doesn't get buried in the avalanche of blockbusters this summer.

And you heard it here first - Christian Bale will get an Oscar nod for this role.
And you can hear a really good interview with Mr. Bale on Reel Talk this weekend - or check it out online at www.wnbc.com/reeltalk.

I'm out.

Box Office Predictions

2007-03-22T18:56:00.000-07:00

OK .. so this weekend's new movies is quite varied. Like those plastic-wrapped sets of 8 small single-serving cereal boxes, this weekend holds something of interest for most movie fans.
For the action shoot-em-up fans, there's Mark Wahlberg's "Shooter"...

for fans of more serious subject matter, there's Adam Sandler's 'I'm not just a movie star, I'm an actor!' turn in "Reign Over Me" ...

There's also "Pride," the inspiring, based-on-true-events flick starring Terrence Howard, who is so good, he even made to a pimp seem noble in "Hustle & Flow." Haven't seen it yet but I'm curious to see if swimming can pump up an audience like Boxing or Baseball.

For the kids, you have "TMNT," the rebirth of the Turtles franchise ... and "The Last Mimzy."
Now, while New Line Cinema's marketing department will do their darndest to make sure 'Mimzy' is the big winner this weekend (because their boss, studio chief Bob Shaye -- the guy who FIRED PETER JACKSON FROM THE HOBBIT -- directed it, so money is no object when it comes to preventing this film to bomb), I think the Turtles will be the big winner. Just a hunch but it looks like something kids will really get excited for.

Here's how I think the new movies will do this weekend:

1. TMNT - $35M

2. Shooter - $30M

3. Reign Over Me - $18M

4. The Last Mimzy - $10M

5. Pride - $7.5M

BTW, most of you reading this (anyone? ANYONE? Bueller??) don't know this but I produce LYONS & BAILES REEL TALK, NBC's national movie show which airs weekends on NBC stations around the country (Check your local listings). Its good stuff. Our critics, Jeffrey Lyons and Alison Bailes, review the new films, do interviews with the stars, check out new dvds, industry features and also share a weekly commentary called Final Takes. Click here to for more Reel Talk

OK, shameless plug is over. Enjoy the movies this weekend. What are you planning to see?

A Shell Game

2007-03-20T09:17:00.000-07:00

This weekend, what could be the best test yet of how strong a pull nostalgia has on the 80s Generation will take place. If successful, it could open the floodgates for a pop culture blast of retro-activity that will shake you down to your Pac-Man socks. On the other hand, if it fails ... we may wave bye-bye to rebirths from that gloriously geeky decade for good.

I'm talking about the cinematic return of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. This time out, its called "TMNT" and CGI animation replaces the rubbery costumes of the original trilogy of Turtle flicks that unspooled in theaters starting in 1990. Most people may think this movie's coming out of nowhere. I mean, the Turtles haven't been spotted on the pop cult radar for years. But their return has been a few years in the making, with a new animated tv series, new comic books .. plus, the slow release of the classic 80s cartoon on DVD, which is the easiest way to stir those warm, fuzzy feelings of 'the good old days' that tend to lead to projects like this happening.

I'm actually surprised it took this long to for a new Turtles project to drop. You have to keep in mind, for most kids who grew up in the 80s, the names Michaelangelo, Donatello, Leonardo and Ralphael don't recall the great masters of Art. They're Turtles, dude!

I mean, these guys were huge -- SpongeBob huge, a billion-dollar franchise when that number still meant a BILLION DOLLARS!! And they were multi-platform. They began as an indie comic book, then came the cartoon series (which is what really launched Turtle-Mania), then the merchandise, THEN the films. After awhile, like every other pop phenom, after it was milked dry by the string-pullers behind the scenes, it faded away, stored away like old blankets in the attics of the minds of its maturing fan base.

But with comic book movies so big in Hollywood lately, this makes perfect sense. I haven't seen the film yet, but I must admit I'm curious. I was a casual Turtles fan -- I was in Junior High when they first broke so the cartoons were what I enjoyed when I took the occasional break from my juvenile delinquency -- but I'm always interested in seeing how comic book characters are translated to the screen. As long as they stay true to the wise-cracking, brothers-in-arms personalities the Turtles are known for, I think this could do OK.

What will be very interesting will be who turns out for the film. Will it just be aging fanboys looking to see their 80s favorites again? There's still a very strong collectors market for Turtles stuff - check out what this eBay auction for the original art from the first Turtles comic is going for.

But will the original Turtle fans come alone or with their kids? If I were the studio execs behind this project, I would hope younger kids turn out for it. If the crowds are full of overweight, toy-collecting moviegoers, that won't bode well for the rebuilding of a once-lucrative franchise. Because once they've had their nostalgic fill, those fans will lose interest and wait for the next blast from the past (which is coming in July with the Transformers movie, BTW).

And that's why TMNT's opening is crucial. Whether it does well at the box office is one thing. WHO turns out to see it could help determine if 80s nostalgia is a rich mine with much more left to be tapped, or if its running dry. So if you still have dreams of seeing the 21st Century reboot of the Smurfs like I do, keep your fingers crossed and hope lots of kids go Cowabunga at the theater this weekend.

Critic-al Juncture??

2007-03-18T16:01:00.000-07:00

So perusing the box office totals for the weekend, it seems "300" used its superior fanboy-powered momentum to score a 2nd straight win. This is great news for fans of adrenaline-rush movies with some teeth and comic/graphic novel adaptations in general (I fall into both groups) because Hollywood being Hollywood, there will no doubt be many more movies of this nature hitting theaters in the next year or so as studios try to squeeze this particular lemon dry.
That's probably more good than bad. I'm sure there's already a script on some studio exec's desk about the legendary battle of Roman farmers who stood up and rebelled against the tyrannical produce price-fixers of ancient Rome. I can see the tag-line on the poster already - "Farmers, prepare to plant!"

Anyway, I also came across an interesting article from Variety's Peter Bart about an interesting effect 300's success could have. [check out the full article here]

Bart looks at the growing disparity between critical reviews and a film's box-office performance -- in the case of 300, mostly negative reviews had ABSOLUTELY NO impact on the movie's record-breaking opening. Same thing for 2007's other big box-office winners, Ghost Rider, Wild Hogs and Norbit. All 3 were raked over the critical coals but that didn't stop audiences from flocking to see them. GR's already over $100M and Wild Hogs will clear that hurdle by next week.

Using two print critics as examples, A.O. Scott of the NY Times & Kenneth Turan of the LA Times .. Bart illustrates how many critics today share no common ground with the average moviegoer. Scott trashed 300 and said its was on its way to camp movie infamy. That sounded silly to me when I read it on 300's opening day, and it sounds downright moronic now that it appears the film could usher in a new wave of filmmaking.

Studios no longer kowtow to critics like the old days. The fact of the matter is, they don't need to. Good reviews simply don't impact box office numbers outside of the more prestigious releases during the awards season.

Take horror movies. That genre rarely screens before opening day for critics because studios know that the teenage crowd they're going after with slasher films doesn't care what critics think of the film. As long as the blood runs deep and there's a high body count, they're happy.

I think the problem is that too many critics still view every movie from the same perspective. You can't critique a movie like 300 or Ghost Rider the same way you would Pans Labyrinth or Letters From Iwo Jima. The goal of the films is different, and so should the way they're analyzed.

Ghost Rider for example, wasn't out to win Oscar consideration. It was a popcorn flick aimed squarely at fans of the comic book (and starring a self-avowed fan, Nic Cage, who really got into his role as Johnny Blaze) and judging by the numbers, they were happy with it.

Judging by many of the reviews I scanned when the film first opened, few (if any) critics bothered to research the comic book before seeing the film. So how could they determine if it was faithful to the source material?

One of the first complaints about any movie adaptation of a book is its not true to the original story. The same should be held for pictures based on graphic novels or comic books. And since this genre is so important to Hollywood these days, critics need to pay closer attention.

The same for a movie like the Transformers or TMNT, both based on popular 80s cartoons. Movie critics would do well to do some research and try to understand why studios are so anxious to tap into the deep nostalgia properties like this spark in (mostly) 30-something men who grew up watching them. How can that NOT help them gain a better understanding of the film they're reviewing?

Knowing the intended audience of a movie is more important than ever. Its one thing for a critic to generate anger and frustration among its readers/viewers. But more and more, we're seeing something far more troubling -- indifference.

If you don't believe me, look at the box office numbers so far in 2007. They speak for themselves.

In a nutshell, sometimes a bad movie is a bad movie that deserves a drubbing. Norbit's a great example (or bad .. or .. er, forget it).

Other times, a movie's strengths need to be inspected from a more 'generous' vantage point. I'm not saying don't criticize a movie for fear of alienating its audience (and in return, your audience). But having a deeper appreciation for the movie and its source material could pay unexpected dividends.

Its like the difference between your parents (who listen to the lite rock radio station) and your friend's parents -- the ones who still listen to rock music and know who Fall Out Boy and the Tragically Hip. Whose opinion would you seek out to talk music?

If movie critics of any medium -- TV, print or Internet -- want to maintain their relevance, I think its time to draw up a new game plan. And quickly. The summer blockbuster season's just around the corner!

Time After Time

2005-10-27T22:48:00.000-07:00

That's the name of one of my all-time favorite songs and one of the best songs of the 80s IMHO .. I never get tired of hearing it (check out Cyndi Lauper's reinterpreted version of her song on her new album; pretty cool). For all the grief that the 80s get for greed, bad fashion sense, ugly car designs -- all of that well-deserved criticism, BTW -- the music from that decade doesn't get enough credit. There was some great music being made then .. New Wave bands like the Cars, the Boomtown Rats, Depeche Mode and New Order all churned out incredible songs. So did the metal bands like Judas Priest, Ozzy Osbourne (before he permanently hopped onboard the Crazy Train and drank away what was left of his musical ability), Motley Crue and the lighter fare like Ratt and Bon Jovi. Hey, say what you will about their unwise fashion choices and shameless flaunting of their feminine tendencies (c'mon guys; did you really need that much hairspray?); but you can't deny alot of those bands could write good songs. Bon Jovi in particular were masters of the Pop hook. Go ahead, raise your hand if you can sing along with You Give Love A Bad Name. Don't lie, you know you know the words. I just saw them in concert recently at the Nokia Theatre in Times Square as they were out promoting their new disc. I couldn't believe how well some of their songs have aged .. I hadn't heard Raise Your Hands since like 1987, but when they played it at the concert it sounded like a brand new song.
Bottom line is, a good tune is a good tune. Doesn't matter what the person singing it is wearing or if they're wearing spandex. So if you grew up in the 80s, don't be ashamed to listen to the songs of your youth. There's a reason 80s nights are popular in clubs; its the music, stupid! So hit iTunes and start downloading those closet classics. Whether you liked dance music like Lime (Say You Love Me) or Lisa Lisa (Can You Feel The Beat .. ) -- or metal like the Crue (forget Theatre of Pain; go for Shout At The Devil. Every song on that disc will tear you up, especially Looks That Kill) and Judas Priest (You Got Another Thing Comin' is just a bad-ass song. The utter coolness of this song is probably what made Priest fans overlook all the incredibly obvious signs of lead singer Rob Halford's homosexuality. Yeah, that had to be why they couldn't believe the guy who had a Caesar cut while wearing skin-tight black leather w/chains was gay. Uh-huh. Yeah. Right.).

I do recommend though digging past just the usual Top 40 songs from the era that always get airplay. I've had my fill of "Electric Avenue" and "C'mon, Eileen," thank you very much. Listen to T'pau's "Heart & Soul" .. or "Funky Little Beat" .. or how about "Do You Want It Right Now?" Great stuff!

Ok, I'm out. On my iPod right now: "Only Lonely" by Bon Jovi.

Oh. Yeah.

Weather Woes

2005-10-25T21:29:00.000-07:00

As I stare outside my window here in NYC, another miserably wet (and cold!) day coming to an end, I'm thinking about my mom down in Miami. Hurricane Wilma ripped South Florida apart, left nearly 2 million people without power -- some won't get it back for 4 WEEKS! Can you imagine being without electricity for that long? Think about what that means -- no TV, no refrigerated food, no microwave, no TV, no radio, no computer, no ATM [which means no food, gas or water since without electricity most stores can't use their credit card machines so its cash only], no AC, no lights ...!! This has been an unbelievable year, one that really spotlights how woefully unprepared the world's most powerful and advanced country is for a temper tantrum by Mother Nature. If Hurricane Katrina didn't prove it, Wilma certainly has.
Or .. at least it would to those few people who actually know how bad it is in South Florida. If you're watching the major cable networks, its been buried the past 2 days beneath coverage of the Nor'easter dumping a couple inches of rain and gusting winds across the Northeast. Hey, I live in Manhattan, I'm seeing it firsthand, I know we're having miserable weather. But a major American region is thisclose to an emergency crisis, while not as bad as New Orleans after Katrina, but still much worse than many think, and a lot worse than the rain we're experiencing. We all learned during Katrina how important it is for the media not to get distracted by the story of the day, when a bigger picture item is still unfolding. Unfortunately, news stations and networks are run by the ADD generation, so its become a greater challenge to keep the media's eye on the ball, so to speak. Hopefully, for my family, friends and everyone else down in South Florida, that challenge will be met.

Go Oprah!

2005-09-07T18:52:00.000-07:00

The government's woeful response to Hurricane Katrina has most of the country outraged. It only gets worse with every new story coming out about how trucks carrying supplies were turned away in the first few days after the storm hit, or how it took days for the National Guard to arrive in town to help the overmatched local police. And then there is the just-discovered FEMA memo that shows Mike Brown asked to send 1,000 emergency workers to the region -- 5 HOURS after Katrina hit. The memo also indicated little urgency was being felt on the governmental side.

And then there are the numerous reports of private citizens and companies who were trying to bring supplies in to the region, only to be turned back! My goodness .. but, the good news is Canada's offer to help has finally been accepted -- a full week after our northern neighbors first offered. I wonder how many meetings it took before someone in DC said, "Well, you know, it is the worst natural disaster in our history. Maybe we should accept Canada's help." Unbelievable.

Jay Leno's writing staff couldn't make this stuff up. If this wasn't such a tragedy, it would be laughable how incompetent the agency is appearing. Thankfully, some people do know how to respond to a crisis like this .. who know how to get help -- and get it fast -- to those who need it.

Thank God for Oprah Winfrey!

Her recent shows from the Gulf Coast have been so powerful in their depiction of the sheer devastation down there .. I don't know how anyone can watch it without being moved. Her group of all-star reporters (Julia, Travolta, Rock, Lisa Marie, McConaughey) have really brought the personal stories home. Her regular correspondents (Her Friend Gayle, Nate, Dr. Oz) have also been great.

Where Oprah's show has separated itself from the work done by the networks and cable channels is by showing us the real images of New Orleans -- the dead bodies on the street, lying there like trash. These are our fellow Americans, and they died on the street! The images are graphic, often unwatchable. But we need to see them. We all need to see them, to really understand what happened down there. I applaud her for doing it.

I also give her props for showing the plight of the animals down there. I'll come right out and say it; I'm a dog person. My two dogs, Bernice & Serena, are my kids (check out the photos - bernice is the little one w/the red harness). It took days before the major networks even mentioned the fact that thousands of pets were fighting for their lives. It was as if they felt they were being disrespectful to the human suffering by mentioning the animals' situation. I frankly don't understand that. All those pets belonged to families. I think Campbell Brown on Weekend Today was the first to really discuss how thousands of pets were lost in the Gulf Coast area.

But Oprah's a dog person, as her fans know. So she made sure to turn the spotlight on the four-legged victims of this disaster, using personal stories to drive the point home. Like the guy who didn't want to evacuate without his 14-year old dog .. a dog he's had since he was 10 years old. The authorities wouldn't budge, but thankfully Nate took the dog in and later reunited the two. That poor guy was refusing to evacuate .. refusing to put his own life before his faithful companion. How could anyone who saw that story not see that these loyal animals deserve help, too?

Besides that, Oprah also showed the frustration, the outrage so many of us feel over the response to Katrina.

I've never been her biggest fan; in fact, up until very recently, I would refuse to sit down with my wife and watch Oprah because, like many men, I suspect, I thought she was a man-hating, manipulative, insanely self-absorbed talk show host. But then, something happened. I actually watched one of her shows, the gifts one. And I noticed that she wasn't just giving out extravagant gifts to rich Chicago housewives. She filled the audience with teachers .. people whose lives could really be enriched by the huge windfall. And that's when I became a believer.

So you stay on the Gulf Coast as long as you have to, Oprah. Make a difference. You already have.

So Long, Little Buddy

2005-09-06T19:32:00.000-07:00

Saw the news today that Bob Denver, best known as the title character in "Gilligan's Island," had died. I'm not someone who gets that emotional when a popular figure passes on; My wife and mother-in-law, for example, have sometimes bawled over the death of a celebrity (my wife still gets choked up whenever an old Three's Company rerun pops up - she was a HUGE John Ritter fan). But that's not me.
Usually I think, 'what a shame' .. he/she was great in (fill in the blank) movie/tv show. But I rarely feel as if I've lost someone close to me. Why should I? I didn't know them personally.

With Bob Denver, it was different. He was the star of my favorite sitcom ever. I remember being 6 years old, watching reruns of 'Gilligan' back in Miami (during the days of 4 channels) after school. And watching them -- again and again and again. I bet I've seen every episode of that series a couple dozen times each over the years. And that's why the show is a perfect sitcom. Because people like me, who weren't even born when the show was first on, call it their favorite sitcom. And you can watch it over and over again.

The radioactive vegetables episode? Sure, I know what happens, but I still watch it every time my channel-surfing brings me to TBS. Why? Because watching Gilligan lift those phony props thanks to the radioactive-boosted spinach IS FUNNY! That's just me; I find silly 60's sitcom humor entertaining .. and nobody best exemplified this type of comedy than Bob Denver.

Although he was around 30 years old when the show started, Denver still played the role like a teenager, and I liked that. I identified with him because he was the kid who felt the grownups didn't take him seriously. Of course, he did wreck about 56 chances for them to get off the island .. but that's not the point. I could identify with him. I liked all the other castaways, for various reasons (Mary Ann guys. It's all about Mary Ann) ..but I could identify with Gilligan. Sure he pissed off the Skipper alot .. but without him .. the girls wouldn't have been able to make coconut cream pies. You don't think all those coconuts just fell off the tree, do you?

Here's how much I loved that silly show. When I was in college, I walked into a Gap store and bought .. a Gilligan hat. No kidding. As soon as I saw it .. that's what I called it and bought it on the spot .. purely for the fact that it was a chance to sport the same hat Gilligan did. Now if only they would have had the red rugby shirt.

My wife met Bob Denver during a promotional interview a few years ago .. on a boat! I've had the pleasure of meeting several celebrities .. but that was one celeb sighting I wished I could have made. Because to this day, a big smile comes across my face whenever I watch an old Gilligan's episode.

So here's to you, Bob Denver. You made a lot of kids, in age and in attitude, happy. And this 34-year-old kid wants to say thanks.

Rest in Peace, Little Buddy

(:

Hurricane Katrina

2005-09-01T17:34:00.000-07:00

Folks,

This Blog was started as a way for me to discuss my favorite (and least favorite) aspects of Movies, TV, Music & Comic Books. By the pathetic number of posts I've made since I started this little project (two?! Are you kidding me?) its obvious I haven't taken it that seriously or not set aside enough time. But the events of the past few days in the Gulf Coast lit a fire, so to speak, and I feel compelled to share my thoughts on the devastation down there.

I work in TV news, so a good part of my job is watching all the tape coming in and seeing what the other networks are doing. And words simply don't do the situation justice.

Shock, depression, disgust, heartbreak, frustration -- and anger. Mind-bending, fist-pounding, shout-at-the-top-of-your-lungs anger.

Anger at the delay in responding to help the people of New Orleans, Gulfport & Biloxi, Miss. Their governments, on a local, state and national level, have let them down. Many feel, and rightfully so, like they've been abandoned.

I don't know, maybe the Louisiana Governor's office was too busy congratulating themselves for dodging another Hurricane bullet on Monday to listen to what New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin was saying -- that even though Katrina did not deliver the direct hit experts had predicted, the damage was still extensive.

WHY WASN'T THE NATIONAL GUARD SENT IN IMMEDIATELY? I'm from Miami; after Andrew hit the area in 1992 .. looting never became a widespread problem because the Guard was mobilized immediately .. for that exact reason.

In the months and years to come, as the aftermath of this storm is debated and discussed, one of the decisions I'm sure will be dissected over and over, is the one made on Monday to ingore the looting and focus on rescuing people. Admirable in intent, disastrous in result.

Not that there is a guidebook for this sort of tragedy .. but if there was one, you can bet one of the main rules would be to always, ALWAYS, maintain order. Without it, you have no chance to maintain any semblance of a civilized society. And New Orleans officials tossed out the opportunity to maintain order without a second thought. Now, order has slipped out of their grasp and chaos has taken over.

Some people will say, like the President, that the lawlessness must be dealt with. The looters should be dealt with harshly and ruthlessly. Initially, I was one of those. The scenes of people looting stores and stealing anything they could angered me. Then I paused for a moment and put myself in their shoes.

If I was trapped inside my own city, seeing no signs of help coming our way, what would I do? How far would I go to help my friends and family? As far as I had to, I realized. I know if that was me, I'd be carrying all the water and food I could carry out of whatever store I found.

That said, those people stealing laptops and TVs are annoying me .. more for the fact that they are wasting precious looting time grabbing items they have absolutely no use for. What are you going to do, pull a Macgyver and jerry-rig a power source for the laptop with Duracell batteries?

I heard something tonight on Nightly News that I never thought I would hear in connection with the United States. A reporter was discussing the deteriorating situation when he mentioned helicopters were having trouble making food drops in the area.

FOOD DROPS! In the land of plenty .. of super-sized fries, double-whoppers, sugar-laden cereals, $4.99 all-you-can-eat buffets and half-chicken platters with four sides of your choosing .. we are having trouble making food drops.

For Goodness sake, this is America, not Ethiopa. What I was watching and hearing was something I thought I would only ever experience in a report on the NBC Nightly or CNN at about 45 minutes past the hour. But it was happening here in one of the most unique cities in the U.S. A city that has seen its identity, its past, its civility and hope -- and perhaps its future -- washed away.

Four days into this disaster .. those poor people feel like they have been tossed aside and forgotten. Who can blame them? Where is the help? Where is the help?

Ticketmaster Stinks

2005-03-16T17:19:00.000-08:00

It really does. If an idealistic professor at an American university ever needs the perfect example to illustrate why monopolies are a bad idea, all he/she has to do is hold up a ticket stub to the fill-in-the-blank concert. One look at the obscene service fees they charge per ticket, not to mention the horribly below-standard website that I bet is the cause of more smashed computers and multiple F-bomb &#%$ rants than anything short of a local news cut-in during the last five minutes of General Hospital -- on a Friday.

I tried getting tickets to one of 5 U2 concerts happening in October in NYC. I couldn't get 1 ticket -- not 1 ticket! -- to any of the shows. I have a cable modem so bandwidth isn't the problem -- the problem is a system that can't handle a high volume of traffic. That's the funny thing, though. How can the amount of traffic be suprising? Do they not expect fans of the world's most popular band to flood the Internet trying to get tickets? Maybe the higher ups at Ticketmaster feel their hefty profits are better spent earning interest than reinvested back into their infrastructure. After all, what are upset customers like myself going to do, stop using Ticketmaster and use another service?

Unless you like getting raped and pillaged by ticket brokers, that is not an option. Unbelievable. And I haven't mentioned Ticketmaster's phone service. This may sound like sour grapes, but the next time I score a pair of tickets over the phone on the day they go on sale, it will be the first. And I've been a concertgoer for 17 years.

What a great business. You operate in a field with steady demand, no competition, you can scrimp on customer service because your customers are held hostage by the lack of options, the government does nothing about it and the only people with the guts to take a stand were a grunge band (Pearl Jam) on the downslope of their popularity.

I don't know .. maybe instead of bashing them I should congratulate them on being brilliant businessmen.

24

2005-03-15T10:37:00.000-08:00

Has there ever been a show as addictive as '24?' Seriously, it's like the China White of television. Once you invest two hours, three at most, into it, the show gets its dramatic hooks into you and never lets go. Last night was no exception. Before the first commercial break we saw someone (Paul, Audrey's soon-to-be ex-husband) getting tortured for information (which is a well-known rite of passage for '24' characters), Jack kill 3 bad guys, and a bad guy commando unit arrive looking to kill both of them. All of this while L.A. is in the midst of a blackout caused by an EMP blast (don't ask; just go with it).

L.A. being L.A., a blackout means one thing -- looters! Which of course is used as a plot device to put Jack in a position to pad his body count, which after episode 13(?), is nearing the 2 dozen mark. Mr. Bauer resumed his body-bagging ways in a big way last night, after being noticeably merciful the past few weeks [Last week, he took down those 3 security guards using just his hands and head -- what, he couldn't have snapped at least one of their necks?].

Last night also was proof of another '24ism' -- bad things happen to people who hang around Jack. Poor Paul had a better chance of surviving the day if he would have been working with the terrorists.

I'm really enjoying Season 4 -- I know some people complain that the series doesn't have as many twists but they've really ramped up the action, so I think that's a good trade-off. Besides, I have no idea where the writers are taking us regarding the big storyline, so I'm happy.

But the best part of this season has been the focus on Jack & Tony's friendship. That has been the most well-developed aspect of the show during its history (aside from Jack's tortured existence) and Kiefer & Carlos have really shined in their scenes together. I just hope the bloodthirsty writers don't make Tony's redemption his swan song. Aside from Jack Bauer, Tony Almeida is the show's most well-developed character. But I wouldn't bet this month's mortgage payment on Tony living another day.

Now if only they would bring back Chloe ...