Test Pattern #7 - Part 2

America's Next Top Model (Cycle 16) - The one good thing about this cycle compared to last, was that there really wasn't a clearcut winner from the beginning (I love Ann from last season, but total lack of tension or surprise). The problem is that I don't feel like anyone was really really strong. One of my favorites won, but overall this will be a forgettable season.

Chicago Code (Season 1) - Really great show that is like a hybrid of Law & Order but heavily influenced by the Wire. The new Chicago police superintendent is trying to crack down on corruption, a widespread epidemic in Chicago's political system. In particular, she is trying to convict one alderman who has his hands in the Irish mob, and pays off people all over the city. However, he is good at what he does, so it's hard to get anything to stick. Meanwhile, there is still everyday crime to deal with in the town. We get to know a handful of the officers and one undercover agent, all the more sad that Fox did not decide to renew this show for another season. I guess, I will just have to watch the show creator's previous project, the Shield.

Community (Season 2) - Community was a really interesting show this season. While there were general plot arcs, mainly it seemed as though the show was more focused on being "meta" about genre and television/film conventions. There's the animated Christmas special, the revisionist Western paintball finales, a Pulp Fiction/My Dinner with Andre tribute, and an episode about making documentaries. I think this show is so fun and smart, and really not like anything else on television.

Glee (Season 2) - Nowhere near as strong as the first season, but still some tearjerky moments and attention paid to the life of queer teenagers. The group finally makes it past Regionals, so the driving force this season is to win at Nationals. Relationship-wise, lots of boyfriend swapping, and one of the students realizes she is a lesbian, even if she is not ready to come out yet. The Britney Spears episode was a highlight, and any episode dealing with Blaine (especially the "Teenage Dream" performance. I'm fine with the addition of big girl Lauren, but I don't necessarily feel like she brings light to anything, and the only time you really hear her sing is the Waitresses "I Know What Boys Like"...a favorite of mine, but still. I'm pretty over the Finn/Rachel/Quinn dynamic which is sure to continue next season. Also, Gwyneth Paltrow was fun for one season, but I think she had too much screen time - Bring back Uncle Jesse!

the Office (Season 7) - the Office is a show that I wish would have ended somewhere around Jim and Pam's wedding, and yet I still have to watch. This was Steve Carell's last season, and the last half of this season seems to focus on saying goodbye in one form or another...really a perfect place to stop, but instead, apparently a new boss is going to take over and the show will continue. I liked having Holly Flack (Amy Ryan) back for a few episodes, and the addition of creepy Gabe was a good call in my opinion (all though it seems like he might be gone now). As usual, I wish the supporting characters would have more developed storylines, since this can be such a funny cast. In particular Kelly Kapoor (Mindy Kaling) should be on screen way more because she is the best. I also always want more Darryl, and occasionally more Creed and Kevin.

30 Rock (Season 5) - This show used to be the highlight of NBC's Thursday night line-up, but this year that honor definitely has been handed over to Parks & Recreation. That isn't to say that this show isn't funny anymore, but when you go back and look at the episodes from Seasons 2 & 3, there just really isn't a comparison. The main problem this year was the disappearance of Tracy Jordan. Also, the show made Kenneth do too many stupid things...I think everyone is fine with him being a naive hillbilly, but he shouldn't be made to look like he suffers from a mental health condition. Alec Baldwin as Jack is great as always, but Elizabeth Banks as Avery just can't possibly live up to some of Jack's old love interests (I'm thinking specifically of Salma Hayek), all though, thank God Julianne Moore and her horrendous Boston accent are no longer around.

Walking Dead (Season 1) - AMC is doing a great job of presenting a variety of quality shows. The first season of Walking Dead does a get job of setting up a group of characters in a really high stakes world. A zombie epidemic has been unleashed, and the apocalyptic tone is fantastic. I didn't realize there were only 6 episodes, and things move along quickly. I feel like everyone knows that the end of the season really sucks...it's like the writers wrote themselves into a corner, but I have faith with the return of producer Frank Darabont, and a more hands-on approach, the story can be salvaged next season.

Celluloid #118

In Home

Blow Out (1981) De Palma - Basically a poor man's the Conversation, but still a really enjoyable viewing. John Travolta plays Jack Terry, a sound man for shitty horror films, who also happens to have a guilty conscience for a wiring mishap that occurred while he was working with an undercover detective. One night while recording sound, he witnesses a car drive off a bridge. The accident results in the death of the governor, but Jack manages to save the girl in the car and unwittingly uncovers a larger conspiracy. 4/5 [good]

the Long Good Friday (1980) Mackenzie - Bob Hoskins plays a big shot in the London mob scene. He's trying to make a deal with some American businessmen so that he can eventually get out of the game. Meanwhile the IRA keeps bombing stuff and the cops are totally corrupt, so Harold has a hard time convincing anyone that he wants to be legit and keeping the gang's deals in order. Helen Mirren is really great as Victoria, the girlfriend. Not very action-packed, but still a good crime drama. 4/5 [good]

Thieves Like Us (1974) Altman - Three guys escape from prison during the Depression. They commit a string of bank robberies and hide out with relatives or in small towns. They all amass a reasonable amount of wealth, and two of them even find ladies to settle down with. However, one by one, they eventually reach the end of their good luck streak. 4/5 [good]

Celluloid #117

In Theaters

Bridesmaids (2011) Feig - Annie is perhaps less than thrilled when her best friend Lillian gets engaged. She's even less thrilled when she detects competition from a newer, richer, prettier (?) friend for Maid of Honor. Annie is already bummed out about her life. Her business went bust in the recession, her romantic life consists of a douchey, but handsome Jon Hamm as a callous fuckbuddy, and her two lame British roommates. The oneupmanship of the toast is hilarious, as is the face-off with a young female customer. I could have done without the scatological scene (and the sex scene involving food), but in general a funny and accurate portrayal of the nature o some female friendships. 4/5 [good]

Meek's Cutoff (2011) Reichardt - A feminist Oregon Trail story. A group of pioneers are trying to make it to the Willamette Valley by using a guide that has obviously, but accidentally gotten the group lost. Along the way, they also capture an Indian whom they hope can be a better guide. Michelle Williams is such a badass in this film, even set in an era where the women are forced to listen and never have final say in any decision. Eastern Oregon is both beautiful and really scary - a perfect background for a tense and quiet story. 5/5 [really great]

In Home

Airheads (1994) Lehmann - A goofy film about three metalheads (Brendan Fraser, Adam Sandler, and Steve Buscemi in strangely his most attractive role) who just want their demo played on the local radio station. When normal channels don't work, they end up taking the station hostage with realistic-looking water guns. During their coup, they manage to develop a following of fellow impassioned rockers. The film also includes lots of weird racial statements - I guess still reeling from the Rodney King incident. 3/5 [medium]

the Best Years of Our Lives (1946) Wyler - A bit too beloved of a film about three recent veterans of WW2. One man returns to his family, but struggles to return to his job at the bank that isn't always generous towards fellow veterans. Another captain comes home to his wife only to find that she is a moneygrubber and doesn't love him. - especially when he can't find a decent job. The last soldier was a Navy man who lost both of his hands in combat. His family struggles to treat him the same, but his girl still wants to marry him. Just a bit too sappy and normal for my taste. 3.5/5 [decent]

Don't Look Now (1973) Roeg - A quirky gothic tale about a couple who goes to Venice to cope with their grief over their recently drowned daughter. While in Venice they meet fellow British tourists, one of which is a blind clairvoyant. Even though the seer tells the couple that their daughter is happy where she is, they both become obsessed with contacting her spirit and they keep seeing her image around town. Getting involved with Satanic forces never proves beneficial, and the catastrophes of this film don't make the most sense. However, it's a Roeg film, so that shouldn't be the biggest shock. 3.5/5 [decent]

Easy A (2010) Gluck - Olive accidentally starts an untrue rumor about herself that she slept with some guy from community college. Initially outraged by the accusations, she finds that she actually likes the attention. She then agrees to do a favor for a gay classmate in the form of making people believe that they hooked up, so that he could stop being harassed everyday. Other nerds get in on this arrangement. Meanwhile, Olive's class is reading the Scarlet Letter - obvious parallels with her own life. The film also tries to incorporate some reflection on 1980s teen movies, most specifically John Hughes' films, but it doesn't go far enough or really do anything with this mild analysis. Mostly this film is just too annoying for the amount of voiceover and direct talking to the camera. Plus, the dialogue is just bad. 2/5 [bad]

Teorema (1968) Pasolini - A young man ends up staying with a family for unknown reasons. One by one, he sleeps with or has sexual encounters with all of them. The seem to be possessed by his dick. Once he leaves, each individual suffers. They stop eating or won't get out of bed. The son becomes crazy trying to create art. The parents each seek out random johns. His presence seems to have woken them up momentarily from the pointlessness of their existence, and his departure leaves them worse off than they were originally. 4/5 [good]

Test Pattern #7 - Part 1

OMG! I have been watching so much tv! On top of that, everything that I have been watching as it airs along with the shows that I watch via my computer, are all coming to an end. Hence "Part 1". I'll try to have the second part out later this week...

Big Love (Season 4 & 5) - These two seasons were definitely the weakest of the entire series. The truth is, I just don't really care about Bill's political ambitions. Also, the loss of Roman Grant (Harry Dean Stanton) is a loss of a great villain. I mean, Albee is pretty despicable, but he so clearly hates himself, while Roman was full of delusions of grandeur. Nikki's daughter from her first marriage also joins the mix and creates some predictable drama of her own. Barb starts questioning the role of females in their church. Margene gets too into QVC and New Agey products...a really disappointing development for her character. Ben still struggles to keep it in his pants and is always too self-righteous to ever actually sympathize with him. Speaking of slutting it up, Rhonda is back for a bit. Nikki starts dressing normal. Bill's parents get old and even crazier. Sarah and Scott finally escape Utah. Also, not really into the new opening title sequence for these seasons. All in all, I enjoyed my time with the Hendricksons, even if I don't really like the path the show takes in the end.

Friday Night Lights (Season 5) - I always knew it would be a tearful goodbye with Coach Taylor and Dillon, Texas. I can't even claim that this season is that great. Julie is acting like an idiot in college. Tim Riggins spends most of the season in jail. Luke and Becky have some tension, but really nothing much happens to either one of them. Tammy as usual kicks ass at her job, even without support from the rest of the school. Vince learns the hard lesson that nobody really likes you when your head gets too big. For me, this show has always been it's strongest when the stories focus on Riggins or Matt Saracen. Their presence is sorely missed, but I am so thankful for a real conclusion to this show....a show that really more people should watch if they are into great dramas, small towns, or heart.

Fringe (Season 3) - Season 3 is all about the two universes, and the relationship between Olivia and Peter. Fake Olivia spends some time in our universe, while our Olivia is stuck in the alternate universe. Holes begin developing between the two places, and these provide the background for any "monster-of-the-week" episodes that even happen this season. For the most part, I love this season for how crazy and how serialized it gets. I can't imagine jumping into this show now...you need so much backstory from the past two seasons. That being said, if anyone has invested in this show so far, I can't imagine them being disappointed.

Mildred Pierce (HBO miniseries) - I loved the original Mildred Pierce film and I love Todd Haynes' visual aesthetic, so it's really no surprised that I enjoyed this 5-part retelling of this story of a woman who may be lucky in business, but maybe refuses to see how the people closest to her are the most terrible. These scenes are lush and deliberate. Kate Winslet is lovely, and Evan Rachel Wood plays a great spoiled brat Vida. It's beautiful to watch and still so scandalous to entertain.

Parks and Recreation (Seasons 1-3) - This is the first year that I have diligently been watching Parks & Rec as it airs. I had seen lots of episodes from the past two seasons, but when Netflix offered Season 1 & 2 to watch instantly, I knew it would be a good use of my time to revisit and fill in the gaps. I really like Tom and all of his sleaziness and slang, and am really glad that he got an actual love interest if only for a short time. Ron Swanson is a treat as the straight-man. Donna downing two shots at once is pretty great every time. April is a true favorite...also incredibly straight-faced and angsty and just fucking hilarious. I'm not really sure what Ann's purpose is any more on the show, but Rashida Jones' is so pretty that I don't even care. Watching Mark Brandanowitz transform from local playboy to square was an enjoyable transformation, but I have to say that his departure made way for the welcome addition of the ever upbeat Chris (Rob Lowe) and my current crush Ben (Adam Scott). Leslie is goofy and the perfect heart of this show. It's easy to recognize that this series has become the true star of NBC's Thursday night.

Party Down (Season 1 & 2) - More Adam Scott love! Failed writers, actors, musicians, and comedians unite while working for a catering company. Each episode is a different gig ranging from funerals, to Young Republican meetings, to orgies, and even Steve Guttenberg's birthday. Ron's meltdown is amazing, as are the gags about his giant cock (and the beginning of the use of "cramzi"). The dynamic between Kyle and Roman is really great - one-sided hatred (but deep down sympathy). Lizzy Caplan isn't even the worst as Casey. Just a really funny show and a shame that it couldn't last longer.

RuPaul's Drag Race (Season 3) - Finally someone not black wins! The campier version of ANTM (which is already pretty campy) brings back an all new group of drag queens. Even though I predicted win, place, and show really early in the season, I still appreciated that it wasn't too clearcut who would actually win the whole thing (last season was lacking some serious tension with a clear frontrunner). Loved having Chloe Sevigny and LaToya Jackson as judges.

Celluloid #116

In Theaters

the Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 (2011) Olsson - This documentary culls footage of the Black Power Movement and the subsequent heroin epidemic that marks the end of this idealistic era. The footage is from the cameras of Swedish journalists during that time. It's interesting to see visuals from an outsider perspective coupled with quotes from current hip hop artists. I also found it amusing that the Swedes even utilize extreme face close-ups in their news. This film would serve as a great primer for high school students. 4/5

Incendies (2011) Villeneuve - Twins attend the reading of their mother's will where she has left them with two envelopes to deliver. One is for "the father," the other for "the son"; both people they never knew existed. In order to deliver the letters and unravel the mysteries of their mother's life, they have to travel to her home country of Lebanon. The Radiohead soundtrack contributes to the already incredibly global feel of this film. I found myself getting extremely sucked into this story - one of the best films I've seen this year. 4.5/5

In Home

the Asphalt Jungle (1950) Huston - Later noir film that focuses on four characters trying to pull off a jewel heist. They get away with the crime, but get too greedy (typical). Anyway, pretty standard stuff..and features a young Marilyn Monroe slutting it up. 3.5/5

Scarecrow (1973) Schatzberg - Two men become friends while hitchhiking. One is an ex-con, recently out of prison, hoping to start up his own car washing business. Francis just wants to see his ex-wife and child whom he abandoned to join the Navy six years prior. The two get in a little trouble and do some jail time together, severely straining their relationship. This movie bothered me primarily for the dialogue. It just rings incredibly false. Plus, Francis is always telling weird lame jokes, and I already hate jokes as it is...This is my second attempt to watch a Schatzberg film (the other being Panic in Needle Park) and while he might get lumped in with better 1970s fare, I really think I should avoid him. 2/5