Turn On, Tune In, Turn Off

12 Nov

I said it a few weeks ago before the TV season began, but after Sunday night’s episode, it’s definite: Brothers & Sisters is my favorite show on TV. Dave Annable was so good — he’ll be nominated for awards for this episode — and the whole thing was great. It was definitely one of the top-3 best episodes ever for that show. If you’re not already watching Brothers & Sisters, I can’t recommend it highly enough. Sunday’s installment was overly dramatic and heavier than usual, but most episodes are a perfect blend of drama and comedy, and the cast’s chemistry is so good that it’s like they’re actually a family. In short, watching this show is a really enjoyable way to end the weekend (it’s on at 10pm). Unfortunately, due to the American Music Awards next week, Brothers & Sisters is not on again until November 25. Set your DVR now.

On the other hand, despite what I said only a month ago, I think I’m really starting to tire of Kid Nation. The show has just become way too formulaic, and the way it’s edited, it’s clear the producers are guiding the action (I mean, really. What’s the deal with that pioneer journal??). I’m still amused by Jared, but quite frankly, I can’t stand a whole handful of the kids and how self-righteous and spoiled and annoying they are (I’m talking about you, Divad and Taylor, and especially you, Mike). I know these kids are only, like, 11 (or younger), but they’re driving me nuts. And given how excited I was about this show, it’s a real bummer to say. So I’m hoping Kid Nation gets better because I’m not giving up on it just yet.

And back to the good: Amazing Race is back! This is far and away the best reality show on TV, thanks to its great casting and unpredictability, and the fact that every season is totally different in where the teams go and what they do there. And this season is already off to a good start. The goths have got to go, and the father/daughter team will likely be gone next week. Otherwise, I’m rooting for Lorena and Jason; I think they have the best chance of winning. There are nine teams left, and I can’t wait to see what’s going to happen next.

If, by the way, you’re wondering how many of the shows I said I’d watch that I’m actually watching, you may be happy to know it’s a fraction of the list I predicted. Nothing on Monday or Tuesday; Wednesday is only Kid Nation; Thursday is 30 Rock, The Office, and Grey’s Anatomy; nothing on Friday or Saturday; and Sunday is Amazing Race and Brothers & Sisters. What can I say? I like what I like, and I had a hard time settling into the newbies.

Now, hopefully the WGA strike won’t foul up the current TV season too much …

Family Jewel

11 Nov

Plain and simple, Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead is one of the best movies of the year. Or maybe it would be were it not 5 or 10 minutes too long, and didn’t have as much time-shifting. But that’s minor quibbling when you have such a fantastic acting ensemble and a crackling plot. Philip Seymour Hoffman and Ethan Hawke play down-on-their-luck brothers who decide to rob a jewelry store to get themselves out of dire straits. Of course, nothing goes as planned, and complications arise involving their parents (Albert Finney and Rosemary Harris) and Hoffman’s character’s wife (Marisa Tomei), and soon the boys are in more trouble than before the heist. Director Sidney Lumet keeps the action moving, employing the aforementioned time-shifting device to further shade the characters and reveal their varied motivations, and that works quite well for the first half. But after the first few flashbacks, the device gets tired and it made me roll my eyes. Hoffman and, most surprisingly, Hawke are both excellent, giving performances of intensity and turmoil. Things don’t all go as you expect them to, and when the film reaches its eventual conclusion, not everything is resolved and you’re left wondering what will happen to the characters next. Sometimes that’s frustrating. Here, with all kinds of questionable moral activity going on, it feels appropriate. I’m going to give BtDKYD a strong B+.

The Panera Era Begins

10 Nov

Panera Bread has finally opened up in the space formerly occupied by Zathmary’s.

Now, I know you’re not supposed to embrace national chain stores opening up in Coolidge Corner, but as these types of places go, I have to say I think Panera makes a great addition to the area. After all, it’s hard to get too upset about a new chain opening when it’s one like Panera and not a new McDonald’s or another coffee place.

Between this and the Citibank and Qdoba next door, they’ve given new life to that chunk of the sidewalk with their clean, modern looks, and I welcome a new food option that actually offers good food, as opposed to the unhealthy Quizno’s or the cramped unworthiness of Finagle-a-Bagel. Continue reading →

Wake Up

10 Nov

Of course, one of the worst things about Daylight Savings Time is the fact that it gets brighter earlier now than before.

And the worst consequence of that is when, on weekends, I am woken up earlier than I’d like to be.

Like today.

It was so bright out when I woke up that I figured I had slept late and had caught up on some much needed rest.

Nope. It was only 8 a.m.

I like to sleep until at least 9 a.m. on Saturdays. And I tried to fall back asleep, but no dice. I was up.

Arrgh! Damn you, DST! How long till we spring ahead?

Escape Claus

9 Nov

Ho ho holy crap, is this a bad movie. Fred Claus makes me feel like the Grinch and it’s only November 9. I’m not even sure what to mention here to illustrate why this movie isn’t enjoyable — Vince Vaughn’s tired schtick? bad writing? awful special effects? — so I’ll stick with my initial thought, which is that the biggest waste of all is a jolly soundtrack that includes such gems as the Waitresses’ “Christmas Wrapping” and the Jackson 5’s “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town.” You know a holiday movie is bad when even tunes like that can’t lift your spirits. I’m giving Fred a D, for don’t bother.

All Talk, No Action

7 Nov

If you’re going to go see Lions for Lambs, you’d better bring a shovel, or a first aid kit, because when it’s over you’re either going to need to do a lot of digging to get out of the heavy handed speechifying and verbosity, or you’ll be on the mend from being hit over the head with so much righteousness.

No, Lions isn’t a subtle film, and I guess when you’ve got Robert Redford, Tom Cruise, and Meryl Streep headlining, how can it be?

Continue reading →

For a Few Extra Schillings …

6 Nov

If you ask me, it’s good news that Curt Schilling will be back on the Sox next year, finishing out his career right here in Boston. But the details of his new contract are a little suspect:

<< According to Schilling, who first posted the confirmation on his web site, the deal includes a possible $6 million in incentives in addition to his $8 million base salary: $2 million in weight incentives (based on six weigh-ins), $3 million based on innings pitched, and $1 million if he receives even a single Cy Young vote. >>

He gets $2 million in “weight incentives?” Are you kidding me?? Well, allow me to make this announcement: if the Sox (or, for that matter, any other company out there) wants to pay me $2 million to lose weight and keep it off, I’d gladly switch jobs. That’s crazy. But it’s certainly worth $2 million to me.

Monster Man

5 Nov

The new Continental magazine is now on planes, and in it is my profile of Roger Bart, who you may recognize from his roles as Carmen Ghia in The Producers, George the psychotic pharmacist on Desperate Housewives, or the federal prosecutor who gets into it with Russell Crowe in American Gangster.

Bart was a really fun interview, and I’d like to think the story at least partly captures that. Continue reading →

Real Nice Movie

1 Nov

On the movie spectrum, there are the awesome, award-caliber films on one end, the truly awful ones on the other end, and then, somewhere in the middle, there are the merely pleasant ones — movies with no great agenda other than to provide a diversion for a couple hours.

Dan in Real Life is one of those middle-of-the-road pictures, and it’s meant as no slight to call it pleasant.

Actually, the movie could have been much worse with less talented creative folks involved. Continue reading →

Book Him

31 Oct

Not too long ago I wrote about A.J. Jacobs‘ new book, The Year of Living Biblically, and how much I was enjoying reading it. Well, A.J. will be at the Barnes & Noble in Kenmore Square tomorrow night, November 1, at 7 p.m. I’ll be there. If you live in the Boston area, you should come on down and meet me, have a book signed, get to know the man himself. I’m sure it’ll be a fun event. If you don’t live in Boston, head over to your favorite local bookseller and pick up a copy for yourself. Year of Living Biblically is a very good, thought-provoking, and also very funny book. (And that’s my friendly plug for the day.)

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