Brief NBC Comedies Reviews: Community, The Office, Parks & Recreation, and Up All Night

i don't have enough to say about any of those shows to warrant an individual post for any of them, as each of the season (or series) premieres seemed more like table setting episodes for the rest of their seasons.

The Office: I don't want to judge yet as it is far too early, but this episode was not very funny...and when it was funny, it was mostly just a side gag as opposed to any character/storyline driven humor.

Community: A fun episode where I was glad to see John Goodman and Michael K. Williams.

Parks & Rec: I question the wisdom of putting Leslie and Ben together if they were just going to break them up in the Season 4 premiere...we shall see how it plays out though

Up All Night: I'm going to stick around for at least through Christmas too see what this show turns into as the pilot was solid and the cast is pretty damn great...Maya Rudolph seems to be a character from 30 Rock though, instead of a dramedy about raising a baby

Moneyball 2011: Review

An Oscar Nomination worthy performance from Pitt carries this film to be one of my favorites of the year

Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 8 Thoughts

After the heights reached by Larry David, Jerry Seinfeld, and company in the seventh season of Curb, it was near-impossible for David to create the same level of magic this season.

Drive 2011: Review

I've decided that I only I really want to write reviews of shows and movies where I feel like have something unique to say, or at least I have a point that I feel is worthy of sharing.  Writing about something just because I can, is a waste of yours and my time (besides, Roger Ebert does that for movies and Alan Sepinwall does that TV, and I can't do it better than them).  With that said, if you're looking for reasons to see Drive, you can go to a million other places because here you will only find frustration.

Modern Family Season 3 Premiere Review: Will I watch this show going forward?

Thor 2011: Review

Of all the films that were designed to introduce one of the major characters from The Avengers, this seems like the biggest cash in/advertisement for the 2012 mega-picture.  This movie felt like a 3 hour epic that was cut down to 2 hours, and in the process, all the heart of the film was taken out, and all that was left was uninteresting action.

Contagion

Strong Ensemble Somewhat Wasted in Plot Heavy Film


Contagion is dutifully directed by sometimes artist, sometimes hack Steve Soderbergh, in a crisp, efficient, if emotionless manner.  The movie is about a disease rapidly spreading with the potential of wiping out a good chunk of the world's population.  Usually in a giant disaster movie, films primarily follow a family; people who are at risk of exposure and lack the means to save themselves.  This film instead primarily focuses on a few government workers trying to come up to a solution.

(SPOILERS AHEAD)

The Debt

The Debt was easily becoming my favorite film of 2011, and just an all around great movie...then the last 3 minutes of movie aired and this movie went from great to lazy.  Let this film serve as an example for how to ruin a great movie with a terrible ending.

Maybe I'm wrong, and maybe you should just see it for yourself.  I'll just leave you with a brief synopsis and some scattered thoughts on the performances.  This ending really through me for a loop; I was all prepared to start promoting this movie as my favorite of the year.  Oh, well.

Louie Season 2 Finale Thoughts (w/ Chris Rock!)

"Waive to me dummy"  
"I will wait for you!"


What a perfect end to one of the finest seasons of a sitcom ever.  Louis C.K. is no doubt a television auteur; he has created a television program that needs to be passed down for generations to come.  It is art.  Uncompromising Art.

Batman Begins

The film that saved Batman

It's easy now to expect another great Batman movie next year, but in 2005, I had never seen a truly great Batman movie (or even a good one as far as I am concerned).  The Tim Burton films were not for me and the Joel Schumacher films were not for anyone, not even Schumacher's mother*.  Christopher Nolan flew in like a hero and saved fans of the greatest comic book character of all time from only having memories of uninspired interpretations of the Caped Crusader.

* I can't confirm this but I would like to think that it is true

Sons of Anarchy Season 4 Premiere Thoughts

I'm not living off my wife.  I can't.

Season 2 of SoA seemed to indicate that the latest great television show had graced our screens.  Season 2 was a roller coaster of emotions, where the audience was living and dying with the characters.  Season 2 ended on a cliffhanger of limitless potential, as Jax's son was kidnapped by an Irish thug and smuggled to Ireland in an act of delusional revenge.  Everyone was excited for season 3, but that season failed to live up to the promise of season 2, and it left many fans and critics lukewarm on the show (although everyone pretty much agreed that the last 15 minutes of the finale was damn fucking great).

Episode Review:

Red State

An admirable failure

Internet Issues over...more posts coming

Hurricane Irene gave me internet issues, but all back to normal now...posts are coming back soon (tomorrow hopefully)