Review: Murder Party

Charming little horror movie though the best parts were the non-horror parts; my next cat will definitely be named Sir Lancelot and there’s now a small part of me that wants to try extreme truth or dare. That’s all I’ll say.

Review: Cougar Town

I believe inside all of the ladies in my life (except possibly the ones I’m related to) is a hyperactive crazy person just like the character Courtney Cox plays on this show (same thing goes for Julia Louis-Dreyfus in the New Adventures of Old Christine). And us ladies all know that we can’t let her out because we will instantly drive all of the men in our lives away.  But just because we practice our whole lives pretending that this facet of our personalities doesn’t exist doesn’t mean that we don’t just LOVE to see someone letting all of it out. As a bonus bit of catharsis the show also has Christa Miller who’s basically reprising her fantastic role as the castrating love interest in Dr. Cox’s life on Scrubs. Besides these excellent ladies there’s also a bunch of awesome male characters including Brian Van Holt (who was awesome in John From Cincinatti) and Ian Gomez who plays the adorable man who is happily pushed around by Christa Miller’s character.  There wasn’t any super creative casting and the look is super cheerful and unoffensive but there’s something about the chemistry between actors and the writing that I just really enjoy. I like it that Courtney took charge of a term that totally trivializes single women in their 40’s and made it less about objectification (and men’s feelings) and more about why the stereotype exists in the first place (women’s feelings) and that it’s ok. I think the less glamorous women feel they have to be, the better, and Courtney is super good at being both beautiful and charming AND totally un-glamorous and crazy. Apparently I am fairly alone in liking this show but I totally don’t care.

Review: Wait Until Dark

I hate it when things don’t hold up over time! This movie made me so afraid as a teenager and I was so excited to see that they were playing it at the outdoor movie theater in town. I went so far as to make it a date movie and dragged my husband to see it. Granted it’s difficult for movies to hold up under his constant ridicule but seriously it was just way way too dated! And Audrey Hepburn could not pull off those pants – skinny asses should stay away from loose, high waisted pants. Alan Arkin, however, was/is totally rad and his whole storyline is still pretty creepy (a dead lady encased in plastic is always a good visual) so it definitely wasn’t a waste of time but I’m still pretty sure that identifying with the protagonist is an important part of your basic storyline and Audrey was the protagonist. Disappointing for me but still a good date movie because everyone enjoys camp.

Review: Life on Mars (US version)

I have mixed feelings for this show. It’s very affecting and the, um, accoutrements (music, costume, sets, etc.) are delicious. But I HATE the main guy and the writing is awkward a lot of the time. I’m only on episode 2, though, so I’m giving it the benefit of the doubt for a little while longer. And, sad as it is, the fact that the man in my life seems to enjoy it makes it that much more enjoyable – not having to listen to his professional level trash-talking throughout the show possibly makes it seem better. I guess the ultimate test is whether I would want to see it if he wasn’t there and the answer is yes. I’d still mentally catalog every cringe-inducing 1970’s colloquialism that the actors struggle to say convincingly but I do the same thing with Criminal Minds and CSI and I LOVE them.

Review: Rome

Rome is/was awesome and I’m not going to argue that. It did smack of basic cable – the same thing that’s weird about Psych and Firefly is weird about Rome but I totally can’t pin down what it is. Also, though I will get a lot of shit if my husband ever reads this, I believe it lands firmly in the excellent TELEVISION category rather than excellent ART on television category. The latter category is I will admit a super small category but at least in my circle of friends, relatives and aquaintences I think it got overhyped like The Tudors. That show is just a soap opera which I will admit to enjoying but I think the only thing about it that gives it any level of my respect is the historical angle and I think they play pretty fast and loose with their historical accuracy (pet peeve: thin women in historical dramas – man, they liked their ladies FAT back then! Fat was a sign of wealth and, therefore, BEAUTIFUL!! Arg!). But this is all details – Rome was rad and it was a bunch of stupidity that forced it too end too quickly.

Review: 30 Rock

Favorite episode – the one where they go to The Cleve. And, though it hasn’t started yet, the line from this Thursday’s show “Another successful interaction with a man!” is so so right. I totally get Liz Lemon.

Review: Dirty Jobs

When I first saw this show I almost couldn’t stand Mike Rowe and every once in awhile he does get on my nerves but I think I get why he’s vital for that show – his super cheerful, tv announcer voice is the perfect foil to what could be the most depressing jobs on the planet. Oyster shucking? ALLRIGHT!! Septic tank repair man? YES!!!!! And you sort of get over the cheeseball voice and gain a lot of respect for him – I mean, he manages to maintain that level of gung-ho attitude no matter what he’s doing and that looks pretty hard at least to me. I guess you could say he’s not a poseur – he’s REALLY doing those jobs. That’s cool. Also cool is watching someone totally incompetent screw stuff up. Always a good time particularly when you’ve had a difficult, fairly disgusting job for reals. I had a fairly disgusting job for a couple years and I remember fantasizing that the clean, upper-middle class customers would some day be forced to clean a fryer or the floor of a fast-food kitchen. Dirty Jobs gives you that kind of feeling – revenge – and I have to say it’s pretty rad.

Review: Cracker

Super good and dark. The characters are really flawed and 3-D and the stories are interesting. There’s nothing bad to say about this one. Robbie Coltrane is just awesome… even my PARENTS liked it and they are crazy people.

Review: Arrested Development

It feels like there’s no reason to review this show – everyone already either knows that it’s brilliant and that it was a total shame that no one watched it OR they can’t stand the humor OR they are my parents and are oblivious/crazy. And, actually, I guess I just said it all. By the way I’m in the “it’s brilliant and it was a total shame that no one watched it” camp.

Review: Twin Peaks

So, I think I was 12 when I became obsessed with Twin Peaks and I have to say I was probably a little young for it but, dude, it had everything a growing girl needed! Incest, drug use, evil spirits, feds, crazy people, talent shows, brothels, amateur girl sleuths,… you name it, Twin Peaks had all the tools I needed to mold myself into the complex and vibrant person I am today. And it’s almost unbelievable that a regular, non-cable television network actually thought it was a good idea to put David Lynch’s subconcious visions on primetime. Totally crazy but it sure gives me some nostalgic feelings for that particular time – now I have to rely on cable for my fix particularly when they seem to cancel every network show I love (Black Donnellys, Pushing Daisies, Veronica Mars) that just happens to be mildly dark. Anyway, I know Twin Peaks season 1 episodes so thoroughly that I don’t even have to watch it anymore – I just put it on as background noise – but I swear everytime I lift my head up out of the painting induced stupor I’m usually in and actually pay attention to what’s on the screen I’m reminded yet again how awesome it is to have something so cool in the world. Yes the sweaters and hairstyles are somewhat dated but, really, not all that much. Some people really can’t stand it but there is always a part of me that wants to put on some saddle shoes and have some cherry pie and black coffee.