Honest Reviews, with a Potential for Snark.

Writing: 9 The Stings out of 10

Acting/Casting: 10 Equalizers out of 10
Filming: 9 Vengeance Unlimiteds out of 10

Overall: 9 Leverages out of 10 (Would be 10 if not for 4^th season clunkers)

The First Rule of the Con: You can’t cheat an honest man.

You might think a show about con artists fleecing marks wouldn’t make a good series….one shot movies, sure. The Sting and Confidence are classic films. Sawyer and Kate on Lost make great characters in an ensemble, but an entire show devoted to a group of grifters? Wouldn’t the tricks get old, and how long can you make the audience root for the bad guys?

Ah…the first rule of the con. The writers on the British show Hustle, sidling up to its sixth season, have several tricks up their sleeves, the primary one being that our bad guys only go after marks that “deserve it” in one fashion or another. The audience wants the team to get these guys. Another trick to keep it interesting, keep the audience guessing…one method is to not always show a whole scene until the reveal at the end…you see just enough for a good, coherent story, but at the end, they often show you just a tad more of what happened after, and that puts a whole new twist on the story. (Some folks would consider this cheating…if you are one, this show may not be for you.) There’s the trick of freezing the action as the grifters walk about the silent statues, holding a discussion about how the con operates, so the audience is filled in…like Broderick’s breaking of the third wall in Ferris Bueller, this stunt works because it’s well done and not overused. Then there are the two most important tricks of all...the top-notch, smart writing and one of the best casts on television.

Leading the pack (for five of six seasons) is Mickey Stone, played by Olivier-winning actor Adrian Lester (best known in the US as Norton in Doomsday). Lester is Denzel Washington with the “class” trait turned up to 11. The man is smooth, quick, and a master of facial expressions. The new-kid on the team (and leader for Season 4) is Danny Blue, a quick scam artist who insinuates himself into the group to learn the long con. He’s cocky as hell, and played by the wonderfully insane Marc Warren (Wanted, Hogfather, the original State of Play miniseries). Warren is heir to Malcolm McDowell’s off-the-cuff masculine quirk, with the range and willingness to play everything from a cold killer to a child-like assassin to an Eddie Izzard-like oddball; his run as Danny Blue may be his best performance yet. And then there’s the woman…known to American audiences as Dexter’s psychotic sponsor in that show’s second season, Jaime Murray got her real start on this show, and is the epitome of exotically charming (and intelligent, to boot.)

But then there’s the two members who manage to be in all the seasons, and they’re the stalwart hearts of the show.

Robert Vaughn (The Magnificent Seven, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., The Towering Inferno) gives a sublimely understated performance as Albert Stroller, the man who trained Mickey Stone and the group's roper (the man who finds the mark). He is the grandfather to this family, the ultimate pro both in the show and behind the camera. Then there's Ash Morgan, the group's fixer (who does everything from making fake webpages to back up a con to "Ash, we need a few thousand bees, three identical briefcases and a squadron of WWI Spitfire 1:12 scale models"). Also a king of the understated, Robert Glenister's six seasons of this character actually outshine his brother's turn as DCI Gene Hunt in the original Life on Mars...and that's a feat so impressive, not even Harvey Keitel could manage it.

Add to this the fact that the casting team really know how to get the best for the incidental character-of-the-week slots (including some heavy names like Richard Chamberlain and Mel White), and you've got one hell of a mix.

The filming on this show matches the writing...top shelf, slick, yet not so impressed with itself it upstages the actors. It's like a fine silk suit or a little black dress, impressive, but always there to be worn by the cast, not the other way around.

The only real complaint is when Lester took a year off, and Warren runs the crew...and the fault isn't in the cast, but the writing. There are some real clunkers in the fourth season, notable mostly because the rest of the show is so bloody fantastic. After this season, Warren and Murray leave the show as Lester comes back, and are replaced by two actors whose characters are perfect substitutes...and can hold their own against this superb cast.

The cherry on top is the damn addictive music. I want a soundtrack. Now.

http://www.amazon.com/Hustle-Complete-Seasons-Adrian-Lester/dp/B00182Z7I4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1258501391&sr=8-1

(Note: 6 episodes a season, so 24 episodes in that 4-season set...little less than two bucks an ep. Not bad for an import.)

PS: Speaking of Vengeance Unlimited, Michael Madsen has 44 projects in ‘09 & ’10. 22 haven’t come out yet. That’s….insane.

Story: 9 Red Candy-like Buttons out of 10
Cast: 8 Watery Gateways out of 10
Filming: 9 Inexplicable Nosebleeds out of 10
Music: 6 Little Keys out of 10

Overall: 9 Frank Langellas out of 10 (With the Caveat that you have to like this kind of movie.)


Goes well with: Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Puppet Masters, Phantasm, In The Mouth of Madness, The Exorcist, The Martian Chronicles, Primer

Sadly, this is going to be short, for the same reasons this blog has been a tad quiet of late...Real Life (tm) has me by the nape of the neck. I say "sadly" because while the movie is getting decent reviews on the whole, alot of reviewers are missing the point. This movie needs folk's attention. And I should preface this by explaining that I am not a Donnie Darko cult member, and do not worship the director, hence the surprised icon on this review.

THE BOX uses a style of filmaking, using modern techniques, that we don't get too much of these days. It harkens back to the old science fiction horror stories that were made into pop culture by the Twilight Zone, but retain the harder adult edge of not just the ending sting, but the dual punch of dread and consequences. Like the classics of Bradbury, Ellison, and Campbell, it also requires you to think.

Given that the springboard is Richard Matheson's classic short story, "Button, Button," that's not surprising (unless you count the fact that nobody ever seems to adapt his classic works without seriously dropping the ball. Yes, I'm looking at you, I Am Legend). While that story wraps up in the first 30 minutes or so...and that's pretty much all you see in the trailers...director Richard Kelly (Donnie Darko) explores the reason for the Box existing, and the aftermath of what happens when someone presses the button. (For  those not familiar with the tale, a stranger arrives with a box. On the box is a shiny red button. If you press the button, you get a million dollars...at the cost of a stranger's life. After you make the decision, they take the box and give it to someone else...who you don't know.)  I can't go into any details without spoilers, but it's a wonderful mishmash of the Viking probe, creepy tell-me-it's-a-nightmare sequences, conspiracies, coincidences that aren't, and bizarre science. 

The overall effect is wonderful...if you like films of this nature. To many folks, this will be long, drawn out, and confusing, both because of the pacing and because audiences are used to being hit on the head with explanations, and this film is a prime example of "show, don't tell." The only time we get exposition is when there's something profoundish in the telling.  The acting of the leads didn't help (although the rest of the cast is superb, including Sam Oz Stone, who plays their son), but this is a damn good film, all told.

However, since it's #6 at the box office (even The Fourth Kind did better), making far less than it cost to produce, it looks like this film is destined to cult status; if this type of film is your cup of Ovaltine, catch it while it's still in theaters.

PS: Frank Langella is fantastic, as always.

 Evil Dead 2, Army of Darkness, Quick and the Dead....remember those?

Quirky filmming, manic energy, great chemistry. Snark galore.

Goofy TV shows, even.

Then Raimi got Spiderman. It seemed a match in heaven...who else could tackle the action and snark of the character so perfecttly?

Only there was a problem...Raimi took the most charming part of Peter Parker, the wisecracks of Spiderman, and pretty much tossed them out the window. Did he make a good movie? Sure. But it's like making a Star Wars movie without the charming rogue character...inconceivable. It neutered the charm.

I'm typing this as we're 3/4 of the way through Drag Me To Hell, and this is like some huge pratical joke. The film is HORRIBLE. This can't be Raimi. I mean, the film has NO chemistry...except for the kitten. The actors all seem to be photoshoped in from other films, not connecting with each other in any way. I mean, this film made Justin Long boring. How is that even possible? The lead actress constantly looks as if she's trying to remember her lines, or just plain confused. It has almost none of the Raimi quirks to the filming...it does have the trademark slapstick goo, but without the charm and the quirk ensemble, they just fall flat. The characters and plotting has more WTF moments than an Illuminati book, with no one acting properly to any situation...the main character bleeds violently over several people, and no one tries to get a doctor or even freaks out past "Did any get in  my mouth?" The frights are plodding and beyond cliche, the plot twists telegraphed from sometime back in 1912....the film is not disgusting because of what's in the film, but because of how much it proves Raimi has lost it. It's like finding your favorite uncle has dropped out of The Royal Shakespeare Company to become a mime in West Peru.

I miss the old clever, funny, manic Raimi. Where did he go, and when does he come back?

On the flip side, Russell Mulcahy (Highlander) did a great job with Resident Evil 3,  Great Mad Max vrs Zombie flick, especially the bird sequence. It's heads and shoulders above the mess of the second film.

 Let's face it folks, it hasn't been since first season, with the exception of the Fun With Sylar bits...him trying to go straight, followed by the climax of last season.

Aside from just being a bit of a mess in general, what the last few seasons have lacked was 1st season's soul...a sense of wonder and awe at things. This season is bringing it back, slowly, with the advent of a not-born-deaf woman who suddenly is able to see sounds (which can't be synthenesia because you have to be able to HEAR the sounds to cross the sensory wires) as well as a uniquely travelling carnival of ability-enhanced individuals, led by the excellent Robert Kneppler with occasional appearances from Ray Park, known to most as the Toad & Darth Maul, who seems to be Seth Green's long lost acrobatic brother. While the former is a scowly, put-upon woman discovering the awe and wonder of this new world...as the audience did in first season, alongside our mains, the latter is closer to Something Wicked This Way Comes, with its entrancing sense of awe masking a dark side...although it seems more likely that they're not evil, just amoralistic when it comes to keeping the family safe. What's a little callous murder if it manipulates things for the better of the family?

The scripts have been better this season, partially due to Bryan Fuller, but this past Monday's was not his, and it was excellent. The acting is better (even from the mains, who were never shabby. As noted in an earlier article, Claire's actress has pegged it to 11 this season, and Sylar's keeps pushing the boundries of what he can do...especially nice given he was merely decent in 1st season. The man is seriously fun to watch in anything he does these days.)

Let's hope they can win back the ratings, because the show's found its feet again.

If you look at ratings (in the US) vrs smart shows, one can see why they get canceled so often. In can lead one to think that most of the US population are blatant idiots (let's not argue the other evidence, it's besides the point in this rant)...however, ratings are biased. 

Think about it. How many Nielsen families do you know. If you know any, are they the type to watch the smart shows? (If they are, or you're one of them, chances are it's an anomaly and should be supported as a rebel mental freedom fighter!)

There's a reason for this...advertisers don't normally want to advertise to smart people. Priscilla Spencer recently tweeted an interview with Emmy-winner Leo LaPorte, one of the media tech masters, about this subject. (LaPorte was one of the people huge with TechTV, which was bought out by a gaming channel that made MTV look like a focused med student in comparison. Tech TV was killed after the buyout.)

In the interview (and headlining the article surrounding the video) is a great story expanding on this point.
****
 Leo says that back in the day, after explaining to a TV exec that it’s worth targeting a small group of smart computer enthusiasts, the exec told him:
Advertisers don’t believe it’s worth advertising to smart people, because smart people don’t pay attention to brand. Smart people make an actual choice, they can’t be tricked or convinced. They research. So we can’t sell ads to a network for smart people.
Then Leo said, “Suddenly television makes sense, doesn’t it?” to a great big laugh.
****
As such, the Nielsens give the impression that the US is full of people that wouldn't know smart, makes-you-think entertainment if it had a chalkboard and a lecture hall. It's a slanted numbers game, because the Nielsens exist for advertisers (and networks to get advertisers to fork over cash), not as an actual readout on US consumer/viewer tastes. 

So the smart programs have to reside on special networks with targeted audiences (which does work...the Equalizer stayed on the air for years despite ratings at the bottom of the networks, because of a specific target audience advertisers were willing to pay for), or to get tricky and slip the smart stuff in with other things that hook an audience that wouldn't normally watch such things. JJ Abrams (and his wingmen) & Bill Prady are experts at this, with Ron Moore being hit & miss. 

Cherish the smart ones, folks. Cherish them.

The Leo LaPort (thanks, Priscilla) article is here: http://smarterware.org/3647/leo-laporte-on-advertising-to-smart-people

I know alot of you are staring at me like a loon. But quite simply, David E. Kelley in wacky mode, be it Boston Legal or Ally McBeal, is a joy to behold. Yes, the show is girly compared to Boston Legal. So?

Kelley has a knack for oddball situations and characters that's well into the genius range. While Alan Shore from Boston Legal may be one of the best characters to ever grace the small screen, it all really started here at Cage & Fish...and John Cage and Richard Fish are characters so oddball that trying to keep up with them is like running a marathon. With a top-notch ensemble cast brimming over with talent (including Jane Krakowski, Lisa Nicole Carson, Courtney Thorne-Smith, Lucy Liu, and Peter MacNicol...although I'm not sure how Gil Bellows got in there, he looks lost most of the time), and a much maligned leading lady (yes, she's a stick, get over it, she's got great facial expressions and a knack for physical comedy), all backed by excellent writers, the only thing the show truly misses is a sense of gravitas that Boston Legal wore like a cape.

And honestly, that's ok. Ally McBeal is a three ring circus, run by the clowns...although, sometimes, the clowns manage to pull the heartstrings as well as make you laugh.

Does the show try too hard? Sometimes, but hey, every show has its up and downs.


But seriously, folks....Cage & Fish. CAGE & FISH.

The series has finally been released in the US (it's been availble in snibbits here, but it's been available in its entirety overseas for ages) for a quite reasonable price. Knowing how long I've been lamenting the injustice of the lack of this show (along with Brimstone, Max Headroom, and others), my girlfriend surprised me with a set this weekend, "for being a good boyfriend."  Woo!

http://www.amazon.com/Ally-McBeal-Complete-Calista-Flockhart/dp/B002DYJ520/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1255442007&sr=8-1

NOTE TO TIGER DIRECT.COM: You're usually so good about this...but 20 bucks off a 800+ buck camera is not an INSANE CLEARANCE special. Please come back down to earth and stop acting like Buy.com. You're already the Guitar Center of the internet.


PARANORMAL ACTIVITY: Worst Ad Campaign ever. If it it hadn't been getting good reviews and buzz from Sundance (and a friend of mine actually knew people who had seen it), I'd have zero interest. "Here's the audience watching our movie! AWESOME!" does not inspire me to go see it. Tell us something about the film, show us the product. (Although, honestly, a pitch of "couple film themselves sleeping to see if there's anything supernatural in the house" is not grabbing me, here.) Don't just show us outtakes of audience reactions to a naked John Lithgow in Dexter.

DR. WHO: For those of us who can't get to the UK Dr. WHo site because we're stuck elsewhere in the world, I have it on good authority (thanks British Jim Butcher fans!) that the final two Tennant specials will not air this year. Rather, one will...the normal Christmas special...followed by the end of the best Doctor to date* sometime in January. Then the launch of the new leading man with the best British Screenwriter in the business at the healm (Moffat, creator of Coupling, Jeckyl, The Fatal Death comedy special for Children in Need, and the majority of the great Eccleston & Tennant scripts).

TIMOTHY HUTTON ATTACK: Nero Wolfe followed by Leverage. My brain hurts.

BIG BANG FOR THE BUCK: Big Bang Theory's back to being one of the best shows on the air, almost as good as How I Met Your Mother (interesting fashion our leading ladies are pioneering due to the Real Life kids.)


*I love all of them, especially Tom Baker, but Tennant's the best, sorry.


 

 The Mongolian bovine monkey zombie flu has kept me from being able to type straight for a while, sorry for the absence. (It's a great diet, though.)

Meanwhile, some ramblings:

Thanks to work plus the mongolian zombie-weasle death flu that a co-worker gave me, I've been absent from here. So here's a few quick notes:

CASTLE: Great start to the new season. Love the new opening. And who knew SJC could actually act as well as write and produce? (All of Castle's poker games that don't involve russian gangsters are filled with real life mystery writers...before he was a novelist, Cannell was Mr. Television. Remember the production sting at the end of your favorite 80's shows who snatched a page from the typewriter and tossed it over his shoulder make the C logo? No? Well, lookee at his creds: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004798/ )

HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER: Great opening ep. Fantastic, creative dodge to avoid people pouring over every episode this season to determine who in the giant lecture hall would be "The Mother." Kudos to CBS for putting this online...minus severl million for having the world's worst buffer programming so a 22 min show turned into 49 mins.

BIG BANG: Opener was far better than the finale from last year. Yay! Also the numbers here were incredible. Sadly, the mosty geeky mainstream show on TV still isn't available for download.

Blast from the part: THE DARK HALF: It's a crying shame this film only exists in a 4x3, might-as-well-be-VHS DVD. It's George Romero's best crafted film. It's one of the best adaptations of Stephen King. And Timothy Hutton's dual performance in this is utterly amazing.  He manages to make Stark the bastard child of Tommy Lee Jones and the darkest, twisted side of Michael Keaton. Yes, cute old Hutton does a mean southern hoss so well I've won bets from people who swore it wasn't the same actor.
http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Half-Timothy-Hutton/dp/0792841328/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1253823334&sr=8-2

 They've retooled Fringe into a US version of Torchwood, complete with the stylized meanicing hero's walk towards the camera, and I think the show may benefit from it.

S2's opening shot was very well done. FOX seems to realize they may have their next Xfiles, as they've tteamed in with Bones and have been promoting the hell out of the show.

Side note: Dalls, Tx's Fencon, where I am right now, is in the hotel we used to love to host Akon in, before the animation con got too big. Woo! And the staff of this con are amazingly organized. I love 'em.

 Sadly, another quick review, as I have to head out to a convention. But this film was too good to not at least mention.

Acting: 9 thumbprints out of 10
Writing: 9 thumprints out of 10
Filming: 8.5 thumbrints out of 10
Music: 8 thumbprints out of 10

Overall effect: 9 thumprints out of 10

Goes well with: Dexter, Collateral

I've always maintained that when cast correctly, Kevin Costner is a damn good actor. The problem is, he uses the writer's creed (write what YOU want to write), which doesn't really work for him. Sorry, Mr. Costner, you're not the fluffy leading man hero type...you're at your best when you play someone cold (no Big Chill jokes, I promise), quirky (Bull Durham), or downright creepy.

He shines in this film.

Mr. Brooks is a film about addiction...it just so happens that the monkey on his back is murder. He's a recovering, never-caught serial killer known as the Fingerprint Killer, and he managed to stave it off for two years before his alto eager/inner voice Marshall, played with subdued, wonderful glee by William Hurt, finally gets him to give in for another Fingerprint Killing the night Brooks is made Portland's Man of the Year. The man who's anal and never leaves a trace screws this one up, and a voyuer (Dane Cook) catches him...but doesn't want to turn him in, he wants him to keep killing and bring him along as well.

So now Mr. Brooks, trying so hard to break his addiction and be the man everyone thinks he is (charitable, respectable business owner and family man) has two voices urging him forward to kill again.

Add to this Demi Moore (who's gotten very good over the years) as a cop with a good track record for catching killers, a subplot with a daughter who mysteriously returns from college that turns more sinister with every act, and another escaped serial killer on the loose, and it sounds like you'd have a mess.

But Mr. Brooks is finely crafted thriller. What's even more surprising is that it's from folks that are  known for family entertainment, like Starman and Honey I Shrunk the Kids. 

The filming is top notch, smooth and crisp and clean. The dialogue is spot on, and even the music is fantastic. Seriously, folks check this flick out.

PS: If you're looking for gore, this film doesn't have much. Mr. Brooks usually kills cleanly, with a silenced pistol. There's one scene that may make some twitch, but this is a film about characters and addiction...like Dexter, it's not about the blood.


The excellent trailer: http://www.apple.com/trailers/mgm/mrbrooks/

Buy it at: http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Brooks-Blu-ray-Kevin-Costner/dp/B000VD5I8K/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1253193778&sr=8-2

Real life kept me from the theaters this weekend, so I missed the adaptation of Greg Rucka's WHITEOUT and the release of 9...how was it? I've not heard good things about story and pacing.

Quick notes:

Tried to watch Ghost Town this weekend. I wanted to like it, I really did. I like David Koepp. I'm not into Ricky G, but I don't hate him either. And I like Mrs. Mulder, though she hasn't shined nearly as bright as when she had her own show or was in Bad Boys. But we just couldn't make it through the film.

The Soloist was gorgeously directed and beautifully acted. Best film ever? No, not remotely. But everyone really gave this flick all their love. Robert Downey Jr is always good, and Fox proves once again that he is a fantastic actor, despite his early career's suggestion that he was just a comedic personality. Keener is also damn good in this film.

Ok, I feel kinda silly announcing my appearance as a panelist at a con on here...I am NOT a rockstar, I've never even played Guitar Hero...but I figure there might be some folks interested in catching me (if not Lois McMaster Bujold, Howard Waldrop, and others), so here's my schedule:

Friday  1:00 pm  Trinity 3
Critique Groups and Workshops

Description: Many writers make use of critique groups and workshops to hone their craft. Where can you find a good one, and how do you make the best use of them once they're found?

___________________________

Friday  5:00 pm  Trinity 1/2
Non-Genre Shows We're Watching

Description: There are plenty of TV programs out there, and they don't all have to be space opera to be enjoyable. We'll discuss what else fans are watching these days.

___________________________

Friday  8:00 pm  Trinity 3
SF Fictionary

Description: Two (or more) teams attempt to out-bluff each other with real and fake definitions and sources for F & SF terms, words, and phrases. Points are scored by either picking the correct source/definition or bluffing others into picking the fake definition.
___________________________

Friday  9:00 pm  Trinity 3
I'm Not Bad, I'm Just Written That Way: The Femme Fatale in Literature

___________________________

Friday  10:00 pm  Trinity 3
Liars Panel

Description: Round out your evening with tall tales from convention veterans. Once the door closes, don't believe anything you hear.

___________________________

Saturday  10:00 am  Addison Lecture Hall
Talkin' About My Regeneration

Description: David Tennant is leaving the iconic role, and Matt Smith will take his place. Also, Steven Moffat will take the production reins. What's in store?
___________________________

Saturday  1:00 pm  Trinity 3
Short Shorts - A Fiction Statement

Description: We're not talking about hot pants, but short, flash, and micro fiction is hot. Come see what it's all about!

Then, that evening, I'm judging the Masquerade.

http://www.fencon.org/


-Michael Ashleigh Finn

 Startup Dates for  Shows of Note:

Bones, strangely in the 8pmEST time slot despite the gore, Thurs Sept 17. (Fox) This show has already been renewed for the following season as well.

Fringe, folloing at 9pmEST, Thurs Sept 17. (Fox) This show not only got justly renewed, it seems to have been made a tentpole. Gorgeous adds for it have appeared everywhere, and the S1 box set gets released this Tues. (If you never saw the show, check out the S1 trailer right here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/mpd/permalink/m2XF0SY462CIVQ/ref=flash_player_2_preplay  If the first few eps left you leaving "eh," try again....halfway through the short S1, it gels into one of the best shows on TV)

The Office, also 9mEST, Thurs Sept 17. (NBC) I'm not a fan, but I'd be remiss as I'm apparently an oddball for not liking the show.

Heroes,  8pmEST Mon Sept 21. (NBC) Yes, some people still have hope for this series. In my case, it's because I love the cast.

House, 8pmEST Mon Sept 21 (Fox) Despite the cast, I gave up on this show a few seasons ago when the same subplot arcs kept re-occuring. Episode sub-plots can re-occur, but arcing plots? Death knell to interest.

How I Met Your Mother, 8pmEST Mon Sept 21 (CBS) Hell, yes. Best Sitcom Ever. No sitcom should ever be this good.

The Big Bang Theory 9:30EST Mon Sept 21 (CBS) A classic case where the bread is better than the meat, CBS surrounded spam with two excellent shows. I suppose one could always surf the internet while waiting for this show to start.

Castle 10pmEST Mon Sept 21 (ABC) Nathan Fillion may have wow'd folks as Captain Mal "Tightpants" Reynolds on Firefly, but this is argueably his best character. This show puts characters first and the murders second, and it pays of exceedingly well. This was one of the shows that made me full of glee when it got renewed.

Flash Forward, Thurs Sept 24 8pmEST  (ABC) New show from some pretty amazing people...the eh premise is lifted by a damn interesting cast. Sadly, it' sopposite Bones, but luckily both shows will be available for viewing online. Still, if this show takes off, I can see people starting with ABC then switching an hour later to watch Fox...Fringe likely has the same audience.

Dollhouse, Friday Sept 25 8pmEST (Fox) Like Fringe, this was another show that started with "It's pretty good. I'll probably catch it next week" and then zoomed into "OMFG, this got good!" by the end of the season. And the never-aired-in-theUS-becausee-FoxTV-never-ordered-it(FoxStudios-made-it-to-get13-episodes-for-the-box-set) flash-forward episode Epitaph One was a surpisingly excellent bonus to the show mythology. The Internet was abuz with it staring the woman behind the Guild and female lead in Dr. Horrible, Felicia Day...and rightfully so...but left out Zack Ward's fantastic turn as the male lead in the ep. We need more Zack Ward.

Dexter, 9pmEST Sun Sept 27 (Showtime) Who knew that one could tell compelling, addictive stories about a serial killer that soothes his urges by taking out other serial killers? And with so little gore? Dexter is one of those rare finds, also with a stellar cast. Scripts, cast, music and film style all blend into one of the best shows of the decade.

Lie to Me, 9pmEST Mon Sept 28 (Fox) Excellent show, excellent cast, damn addictive theme song. This show shouldn't be substainable, based on its premise (A group of micro-expression experts can tell if someone's telling the truth better than lie detectors), but somehow, they've pulled it off beautifuly. And Tim Roth is facinating to watch in any role, but this may be his ultimate character in the long run. 

V, 8pmCST Tues Nov 3rd (ABC) They're remaking the 80's miniseries/show. Hold your breath.

BONUS FEATURE:  Fan Response to James Cameron's long awaited Avatar:

There's an old adage that once Hitler enters a discussion, it's over (called "Invoking Hitler") I assume that's the extra layer behind this viral video of Hitler ranting about how awful the Avatar trailer looks: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAPyipuT-Jg
(Warning. Profanity in the Text. Footage taken from the 2004's Downfall)

 Script: 6 dead junkie diseased livers out of 10
Directing: 6 dead Haitian bodyguards out of 10
Cast: 9 dead coke-snorting wives out of 10

Overall: 8 dead Robert Wagner look-alikes out of 10, mostly due to the last act.

Goes well with: Nomads, The Hunger

This is not exactly a good film, especially by today's standards.  It is, however, a definate classic, a precursor to today's urban fantasy, and has a hell of alot of talent, even if the pacing will leave some people itching to multi-task.

But hey, it was 1981. Most horror of the time involved long, tone setting sequences. And flung cats. This film has both, plus the entire vocal track is looped, so the lip sync isn't always matched dead on, even though the foley work on the sound effects is. The "through the eyes of" effect is horrible, despite being cutting edge at the time. Quite simply, the film is a collection of what we now consider bad 70's cliches.

No, what makes this film (aside from the last 20 minutes) is the cast. (And James Horner's excellent score, precursor to his iconic Wrath of Khan and Aliens soundtracks.)

Albert Finney plays detective Captain Dewey Wilson, pulled out of retirement by a friend on the force to investigate the "strange and weird" slaying of NYC tycoon, his wife, and their bodyguard in Battery Park. What he discovers along the way is that the murders are tied suspiciously to other killings in the slums, with similiar non-metallic weapons and the presence of wolf hairs. Is it a terrorist organization that claims the "world will end by wolves?" The Indian construction workers who claim to be able to shapeshift? Or something less bizarre, but more creepy?

Finney plays his character understated, and it works rather well for someone most of us remember as Daddy Warbucks or "that old grouchy coot from insertrecentmoviehere."  Gregory Hines is alot of fun as his pseudo-partner medical examiner sidekick. Dehl Berti IS the Indian Christopher Lloyd. Tom Waits is nearly invisible in the film, as he chalks another one up in his quest to have more film appearances than Michael Caine. Tom Noonan (who was NOT in Heroes last season, thankyouverymuch) has actual hair and while still an oddball, is charming instead of freaky.

And then there's Edward James Olmos. Young Olmos. Nearly-unreconizable-except-for-the-acme-scars-Olmos. NAKED Olmos. Freaky, chewing scenery for once in his life, wicked warlock of the East Olmos. That's a must see right there.

Although one of three "werewolf" themed films in 1981, Wolfen belongs more with the excellent Pierce Brosnan vehichle Nomads than it does with The Howling and An American Werewolf in London. It's a mood piece until the last act, where it suddenly explodes, and let me tell you, I'm not insulting the human cast by saying the acting of the wolves here almost steal the show. Not only did they use actual wolves, they got them to emote pride, meance and YOU ARE SO *(&%&*$^%#^$# DEAD YOU SIMIAN MOTHER*(^&%&*^ with so much virve that CGI artists today would be shamed. They are freaking amazing.


So, is Wolfen a good film? Not really. Should it be allowed to live? Oh, hell yes.

http://www.amazon.com/Wolfen-Albert-Finney/dp/B000067FP6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1252028663&sr=8-1

 

Bill Prady's Twitter discusion yesterday about dull spoilers for The Big Bang Theory (the laundry machines take 4 quarters!) led to my girlfriend pining for the show, and using the wonder of the internet to ferret out the start of the season (Monday, Sept 21).

But she also discovered this:

The Big Bang Theory: Watch Full Episodes and Video and Join the ...

http://money.cnn.com/2009/08/31/news/companies/disney_marvel/index.htm
 

Disney is attempting to absorb Marvel in a non-hostile takeover:
 
Quote:
 The Walt Disney Co. announced Monday that it has agreed to purchase comic book and action hero company Marvel Entertainment for about $4 billion.

The deal pairs a comic book publisher that just recently began to produce its own movies with one of the largest international media companies in the world.

"This is perfect from a strategic perspective," Disney Chief Executive Robert Iger told CNNMoney.com. "This treasure trove of over 5,000 characters offers Disney the ability to do what we do best."

On a conference call with investors, Iger said the deal will allow Disney to sell Marvel's vast array of characters and properties across different media platforms and in many more markets. For instance, Iger said that Pixar Animation unit was excited about the opportunities that a Marvel acquisition could yield.

"Spider-Man will appear in 'A Bug's Life' sequel," joked Barclays Capital analyst Anthony DiClemente.

Please note, before rumor runs rampant, the Spiderman line was a joke. They aren't really doing that on screen.

Also note:

But Marvel still holds deals with Paramount, Sony and Fox for future movies, including several more Spider-Man films. Marvel chairman Morton Handel estimated that the company has about five more films with Paramount and intends to honor the current contracts it has with other movie studios, even if the Disney deal is inked before the contracts expire.

So, basically, the present contracts hold, and this would allow Disney access to all the other characters. This could be a good thing, folks...Disney, in the past, has been able seperate their family attitudes from Touchstone and ABC, allowing those arms to do what they do best. Hell, The Middleman, which had innuendo flying left and right and made fun of editing swear words, aired on ABC Family. ABC is also arguably the best network out there, when it comes to promoting their shows and giving them a chance.

So we may see Marvel in ABC shows ...with a budget. This opens alot of possibilities, especially if Marvel Studios (Iron Man) stays intact, under Disney's wing.

You were warned that we'd encounter some weirdness along the way.

Ambrose Pierce had the Devil's Dictionary. Little known was the more mischievious (but less poignant) tome, The Imp's Dictionary. Here's a few excepts: 

Croquembrouche: (n) A round Swiss pastry for use in croquet. Not to be confused with Cricketpudding, which no one truly knows how to make. They simply fake it.

Goggle: (n) The search engine created by Charles Babbage & Ada Lovelace to manage their punchcards.

Apocalypticdisestamblishmentaricalifragiliticexpialidociousism: (n) a philosophy of thought that states that the end of the world through applied chaos makes the medicine go down. Usually only supported by mad scientists and writers.

Scott Lynch's Gentleman Bastard books are akin to what Steven Brust's Jhereg novels were when they first hit the fantasy bookshelves years ago...not just a breath of fresh air, but an exhilarating slap of crisp, cold joy as one enters a walk-in freezer from the broiling humidity of the summer sun.

The Lies of Locke Lamorra is the bastard child of Shakespeare and Sabatini, as raised by Quentin Taratino. It's a wonderfully complex story of a band of top notch grifters that get embroiled in the decades-long revenge scheme of someone once wronged by powerful people in the grand city they live in. It's truly epic, and plays with cliches in fantastic ways.

I am normally not a fan of speculative fiction that is so in love with itself that a third of the book is comprised of alien names and terms...the authors tend to forget that whatever linguistical nightmare the story takes place in, it's being told in English. Not so, with Scott Lynch...despite the constant barrage of world details and foreign terms, his writing flows beautifully, and all these exotic ingredients are merely enhancing spices in the hands of a master chef. Even more surprising is when one of these tiny morsels suddenly takes center stage, and becomes very important...many authors would have fallen into a trap of the element being either a sudden surprise, or else beating one over the head aforehand. Scott's approach is much more subtle. Add to all this a knack for well-written, iconic characters and snappy dialogue, and you get a heady mix.

It's really hard to believe this was his first novel.

The Lies of Locke Lamora is really two books in one...we get many interludes, chapters which mostly show how this generation of the Gentlemen Bastard (the mega-scoring, secret grifters that Locke leads in the normal chapters) was formed. Meanwhile, the bulk of the story starts with a con the Gentlemen are pulling on an upper class couple, before they get used as pawns in that revenge story previously mentioned. The problem here is that they don't like being used, and that's where things start to get ...intricate. Who's controlling the chess board seems to change on a regular basis, as predator and prey keep shifting around.

All this is against a backdrop of another world, where humans live in the eternal ruins of a previous race who used indestructible glass-like materials for building, instead of the human wood and stone. The culture is very reminiscent of Shakespeare's Italian stories, with a well developed sense of the mafia-style underworld thrown in.  Magic is rare but existent, mostly in the form of alchemy and the very-expensive-to-hire bondsmagi, a guild from another land who guard their secrets and their members with vehement finality; to kill a bondsmage is to have the entire guild come down on you...and this guild once destroyed an entire empire.

Add into this heady mix a predilection for sudden swearing and creative insults, as well as complex violence, and you have an R-rated, charming fantasy that might just knock your socks off.

You can read the prologue here: www.scottlynch.us/excerpts.html

His FAQ, which to me suggests the man (whom I've never met or even heard of until recently) has a great professional personality: www.scottlynch.us/faq.html

He's under contract for five books in the series, two of which are out (I've just started his second, Red Seas Under Red Skies, which has been described as "Ocean's 11 meets a pirate movie"...and starts with the classic "four people have guns in each other's faces in a standoff" sequence, just substitute crossbows for guns), the third comes out in 2010 as The Republic of Thieves (in which we learn much more about the bondsmagi). As an extra bonus, a collection of two novellas comes out in 2010 as well, The Bastards and the Knives: The Gentleman Bastard - The Prequel.

Get The Lies of Locke Lamora from Amazon here, or his website as mentioned above: http://www.amazon.com/Lies-Locke-Lamora-Scott-Lynch/dp/055358894X/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1251475597&sr=8-3

PS: If you're into audio book versions, it turns out these are read by one of the best british narrators in the business, Michael Page. Most of Page's resume consists of the Classics, and his ability to not only do distinct voices and accents without interrupting his rhythm, but to also switch between elegant diction and Paul Bettany/Marc Warren-esque explosions of disbelief and sarcasm is a joy to behold.

I feel like a Reeses Peanut Butter Cup commercial:

Who got my Kick Ass James Cameron movie in their CGI Kids movie?

Seriously, after 14 yrs, he comes up with a hyperactive version of the Lost in Space answer to Jar Jar Binks?

I weep for young Jimmy Cameron's ghost.

http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox/avatar/hd/