364 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(09/25/08 3:43am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It’s not too often that five minutes into an award show the audience can already tell how ridiculously awful the entire long, drawn-out process is going to be. But unfortunately, this year’s Primetime Emmys proved that there’s a first time for everything. Even for those people who enjoy television and all its award-show glory like myself, the 2008 Emmys were as disappointing as possible. Aside from a few of the actual winners, every facet of the show seemed off, and that’s probably why the ceremony saw a 6 percent decrease in viewers from last year’s telecast. People didn’t even stick around for the important awards at the end, it was so awful. First of all – and all due respect to their supposed talent – this year’s hosts were clearly the major flaw in the entire operation. Jeff Probst, Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum, Tom Bergeron and Ryan Seacrest opened the show with a dumb skit “about nothing.” Sure, it was a nice gesture to prove what happens with writers not around, but those five aren’t at the top of any improv lists. Even seeing Heidi have her suit ripped off could not save it. Furthermore, throughout the night the group struggled mightily with all of the scripted bits they were given. Klum overreaches way so much it was annoying, and the weird interaction between Mandel and Bergeron during the “it’s the accountants” skit sucked tremendously. Seacrest has done so many things by now he was comfortable enough, but Probst is still too good for this crap. It’s unclear who was more bored, him or the audience.Secondly, it seemed like almost everyone was cut off during their acceptance speech throughout the night. It’s so weird that in all these years of award shows, no one has figured out how to block off some extra time just in case a winner gets a bit long winded. Maybe they should have nixed the Josh Groban theme song melody – even though it was neat – to do just this. But unluckily for us, that didn’t happen. Instead, as winners were in the midst of thanking the important people in their lives or making enlightening political statements, we were watching a promo for the upcoming season of “Private Practice.” Especially disheartening was when Kirk Ellis, writer of the big winner “John Adams,” noted how happy he was to work on a project about “a period in our history when articulate men articulated complex thoughts in complete sentences,” but before he could take two breaths, the commercial boomed in. Finally, there were a few issues with the winners, mostly in the drama-acting department. It’s arguable that all four winners for lead/supporting actor/actress – Bryan Cranston, Glenn Close, Zelijko Ivanek and Dianne West – were definite surprises. There’s really no way that Michael Emerson (“Lost”) and Jon Hamm (“Mad Men”) should have lost in their categories, but the Emmys are rarely spot-on with what should be. At least “30 Rock” cleaned house. If there were an award for worst award show in recent history, this year’s Emmys would win in a landslide.
(09/24/08 9:59pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Less than a handful of R&B artists can compete with Ne-Yo. Although he might not burn up the dance floor, he has released two commercially and critically successful albums and written an egregious number of singles for other big names. And his third album Year of the Gentleman keeps Ne-Yo out ahead still. Much like his previous two releases, Gentleman is stuffed with unyielding love songs that Ne-Yo writes effortlessly. It’s apparent that Ne-Yo simply loves women, and not in the “ladies man” type of way. When his Michael Jackson-esque croon kicks in with “She got her own thing / That’s why I love her” on “Miss Independent,” there’s no bravado or maneuvering present. The guy just respects women.Even when his silky-smooth voice is partnered with the genre’s benchmark synth-beat sound on tracks like the opener “Closer,” Ne-Yo keeps it honest. Whereas Usher wanted to make love in the club, Ne-Yo’s lyrics paint him as genuinely interested in his pursuit: “Turn the music up in here / I still hear her loud and clear.”The collection’s closer, “Stop This World,” is one of the best songs that Ne-Yo included in the tracklist and sends the album out on the highest note possible. Ne-Yo’s strong and stirring vocal delivery powers the song and keeps it from sounding repetitive. As previously mentioned, a major portion of Gentleman features tracks about the trials and tribulations of the heart, and an album full of material like that isn’t for everyone.However, it’s not that any of tracks like “So You Can Cry” or “Back to What You Know” are bad in any way; it’s solely that the lack of diversity here can be boring. With three albums released in as many years, Ne-Yo is clearly providing great music that’s still better than most of his peers. But if he took a year off and came back with some slightly different material, he’d supplant himself in the upper echelon of R&B.
(09/18/08 4:38pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>“Entertainment.”“Oh, so you mean like celebrities, Britney Spears and Hollywood stuff?”That’s basically the gist of many conversations I’ve had throughout the past year since I began writing as a columnist here at the Indiana Daily Student. It really takes too much time for me to explain to people that when I say I cover “entertainment” stories, I don’t mean celebrities.And thus, my problem.So-called “entertainment” shows, magazines, blogs and Web sites have soiled entertainment journalism for the rest of us. We here at The Pop Culture Register don’t see lo-brow media like “Access Hollywood,” “People,” “US Weekly,” Perez Hilton, etc. as entertainment journalism.Sure, they’re great to look at for the latest and greatest in celebrity baby bump or hook-up news, but celebrities and entertainment are two different topics and should therefore be considered so. In today’s media culture, it seems like there is no chance for the two to be disconnected again. Even worse, it seems that the lack of supposed difference between the two has made real entertainment coverage a joke in the minds of some.We’ve all noticed that our world’s celeb infatuation has allowed it get this way. Somehow, Britney, Paris, Lindsay or some flake from “The Hills” makes it onto the local news telecasts on a regular basis. Why WISH-TV 8 or RTV-6 needs to talk about their latest transgression is beyond me.But that aside, the celebrity coverage isn’t going to change. Fine. What makes me cringe is when people don’t understand what the “news beat formally known as entertainment” really is and why it’s important.Some people enjoy writing and reading stories about the entertainment industry itself, not just the leading faces out front. Television, film and music industry news still matters about as much as it used to (maybe more with the huge proliferation of blogs and online sites dedicated to these topics), but there’s a lack of respect those within this profession seem to get.There’s clearly an audience for this type of journalism, and it’s frustrating to be a person trying to provide those thoughts because so many look down upon it as throwaway material created by guys in their basement that only detracts us from real, hard issues like politics, business or even sports. Obviously, the world’s economy or this historical presidential election coming down the pike is more crucial in a big-picture sense than say, the behind-the-scenes drama of “My Worst Enemy.” But that still doesn’t mean the latter story isn’t interesting to some people.Really, it’s all a matter of opinion and taste. Some enjoy tales of political corruption, while others prefer discussing the development of a major film’s script. No matter what, we’re all still journalists. I hope I speak for other entertainment journalists when I say we never will apologize for covering what we do. Just don’t get me confused with Perez Hilton.
(09/17/08 11:21pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>This is a crucial year for TV. After the writer’s strike ended, fans were uninterested and ratings sunk across the board. The strike hampered new show development, meaning we’ll see shows that rushed into production without regard for quality. It’s going to be dicey, but here are a few issues worth watching out for:FOX deliversThe former fourth-place bum finds itself as the new powerhouse. FOX won the ratings war last season and could do it again. Ratings monster “American Idol” aside, FOX has a solid stable of shows: “House,” “Bones,” “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles” and “24.” Even more surprising, the network looks to have the only buzzworthy new shows of the crop: J.J. Abrams’ “Fringe” and Josh Whedon’s “Dollhouse.” Those two easily have the most interesting plots of all the new shows and enough star power to make them solid hits. Mondays are the new ThursdaysThursday has long been known as the most competitive night, but that is going to change this season. Monday will host 9 shows that have either big ratings power or sizable cult followings. Set your TiVos accordingly because we’ll see “Gossip Girl” and “One Tree Hill” on the CW; “Chuck” and “Heroes” on NBC; “24” and “Terminator” on FOX; “Dancing With the Stars” on ABC; and “Two and a Half Men” and “How I Met Your Mother” on CBS. Expect “Dancing” to win the night, but it will be compelling to see whether NBC can contend with “Two and a Half Men.” People are down on “Heroes” because it sucks, but “Chuck” deserves to break out. ‘90210’ won’t helpEven after a summer of incessant advertising and a big premiere-night, the second episode of “90210” delivered disappointing results. The sinking CW is latching its hopes on the remake of the ’90s teen drama about the California rich, but by the end of the season, “90210” won’t have higher numbers than the much-better “Gossip Girl.” “90210” might deliver modest ratings, but the CW sealed its fate when it decided not to publicize its shows that get decent numbers (“Smallville” and “One Tree Hill”) or its best ones (“Reaper” and “Supernatural”). The CW is so bad, people actually wish UPN was still around.Second-year charmsForgotten because of their strike-shortened runs, second-season shows are in a weird position. Many of them are being marketed as if they’re brand new. And since most new shows will be colossal busts, networks will be leaning on year-two programs that had modestly successful premiere seasons. Aside from the aforementioned “Chuck,” “Terminator” and “Gossip Girl,” look for “Private Practice,” “Pushing Daisies” and “Dirty Sexy Money” to find fans and ratings alike.‘Fringe’ will be the best newbie, ‘Crusoe’ the worstWith a cryptic, mythology-tinged story, “Fringe” could become the new “Lost.” The creative staff knows how to tantalize the audience while keeping them interested, and the cast is top notch. It’s damn time Joshua Jackson had something to do post-“Dawson’s Creek,” and Lance Reddick is one of the best actors around. Although the premiere had disappointing ratings, “Fringe” should grow into a sizable hit and cult show.NBC’s “Crusoe,” on the other hand, will be dreadful. It is based on the book “Robinson Crusoe,” where an English shipman finds himself stranded on island in the 1600s. NBC thinks it’s “Cast Away” meets “MacGyver,” but we know it’s going to be perioddrama garbage. Three others that might make it, three that won’tThese shows could be decent: “The Mentalist,” “Eleventh Hour” and “Privileged.”However, these won’t last: “Do Not Disturb,” “My Own Worst Enemy” and “Life On Mars.”It’s going to be a crazy year, so power up those DVRs and prepare for the worst.
(09/17/08 11:15pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In today’s TV landscape, shows get canceled so quickly it’s almost impossible for them to build up a solid fan base. So when a television show lasts seven seasons, it’s a pretty big deal. Even for a show like “Smallville,” which isn’t the most critically acclaimed or widely popular, it’s still cool. But staying power isn’t everything. The seventh season of Clark Kent’s early years continued to deliver mixed results, basically like every other season of the show.At times, year seven of our peek into Superman before he dawns the cape proved some of the best story lines in the show’s 152 episode run, but also some of the absolute worst. Throughout the year, Clark (Tom Welling) struggles with the arrival of his Kryptonian cousin Kara (Laura Vandervoort) while trying to finally settle down on the farm with his love Lana (Kristin Kreuk). Meanwhile, Lex (Michael Rosenbaum) takes his final descent into darkness and uncovers tremendous secrets about the mysterious Veritas group.Much like previous seasons, “Smallville” shined when Clark and Lex were the focus of the episodes, and not the relationship triangles featuring Lana. Even though he doesn’t get much credit, Tom Welling delivers solid performances, even when he’s handicapped by awful writing or when he has to play other versions of Clark, like Bizarro. However, the lack of main plot threads throughout clearly divide the season. The first half focuses way too much on the boring Kara and Clark’s supposed domestic bliss with Lana. Yet the season’s last seven episodes are possibly the best string of quality episodes in the show’s entire history. The Veritas plotline might be a tad convoluted, but it keeps the show fresh and wraps up loose threads from the previous years. Sadly, the special features here are just as uneven as the episodes. There are commentaries on two episodes, but definitely not on any of the episodes that deserved them. The mini documentaries on Kara and Jimmy Olsen are solid, but not great. “Smallville” might not be the most impressive show on television, but season seven did provide some great highlights. Now if only Clark would freaking fly already.
(09/17/08 10:48pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Pop music is oh so fickle. In 2006, Gym Class Heroes released one of the most fun, catchiest albums of the year, As Cruel As School Children. But it was widely ignored until suddenly an old track from the act’s previous effort, “Cupid’s Chokehold,” took the world by storm.School Children was re-released with the old track included, and the band’s branded style filled the airwaves. Now Gym Class are back to prove they’re no one-hit wonders.Their new record, The Quilt, is full of ambitious, genre-blurring jams that easily get stuck in your head. But it's ultimately too uneven. It tends more toward the hip-hop side, featuring lots of guest stars, including Busta Rhymes and The Dream. Yet the full-band sound that made School Children so tremendous isn’t found as often here.The Quilt begins with the boisterous, brass-fueled “Guilty As Charged” that features British diva Estelle delivering a fantastic vocal in the chorus. Frontman Travis McCoy’s flow is cocky, quick and chock-full of pop-culture references, which means he’s at his best. Bonus points for excellent references to “The Wire.”The hip-hop infused tunes “Drnk Txt Rmeo,” “Peace Sign/Index Down” and “Cookie Jar” are all solid in their own right. Each includes catchy choruses and relatable thoughts from McCoy, but his lyrics don’t always come off as well as he thinks. They’re all actually saved by other elements: “Rmeo” by McCoy’s singing voice, “Index” by Busta and “Cookie Jar” by Tricky Stewart’s beat.Midway through, the album finds its footing. “Catch Me If You Can” isn’t as blatantly confident, but actually sticks more after repeated listens. McCoy flows about his past while Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump brings his patented great vocal.Other bold choices like “Don’t Tell Me It’s Over,” “Live A Little” (a pop-punk ditty sung by bassist Disashi Lumumba-Kasongo) and “Live Forever (Fly With Me)” (featuring Daryl Hall) at least keep The Quilt interesting.The title for Gym Class Heroes’ new album couldn’t be more fitting. The Quilt feels patched together with both solid and weak material. It doesn’t fall apart from the seams, but it sure won’t win any awards for overall strength.
(09/12/08 2:29am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The world could have quite literally ended Wednesday morning, and chances are you had no idea anything deadly was even happening.A doomsday situation involving a global catastrophe or the appearance of an enormous black hole was actually possible. But again, you more than likely had no clue about any of this.It’s extremely disappointing that the majority of the mainstream media glossed over the fact that scientists flipped on the largest, most powerful particle-blaster in history 100 meters underground early Wednesday morning.Sure, it’s a science story, and the general public doesn’t like or know much about science. Heck, I normally could care less about it. But a lot of people legitimately feared this thing, the Large Hadron Collider, could have messed up our entire planet.And although it didn’t rip the space-time continuum to pieces or cause an electromagnetic imbalance requiring a person to push a button every 108 minutes to save the world, the LHC story should have been covered more.There was definitely major conflict to cover. The $8 billion project has been constructed and planned throughout the last 14 years by CERN underneath the French-Swiss border, and there have been different attempts to get it axed throughout. Most recently, one group of individuals filed an injunction to get the startup pushed back due to safety concerns, while another filed a human rights suit due to the LHC’s possible effects on the world.Controversies aside, this thing is obviously a crucial development in the physics field. Once this bad boy reaches full power in the coming months, the protons in the LHC will be throttling at 99.999999 percent the speed of light. During its highest output, there will be 14 trillion electron volts pumping out. The people operating the LHC are honestly looking to re-create the Big Bang.Why isn’t that appealing? The LHC is one of the coolest (and perhaps deadliest) scientific inventions to in recent memory.Why weren’t any talking heads yelping out about how this could end the world or how it could change it? Couldn’t someone have covered the angle where some stringent religious people said it was worthless to re-create the Big Bang because it didn’t happen in the first place?Either way, if there was ever a time for the media to pick up on a science story, it should have been now. The LHC was mentioned sparingly by the mainstream media until two days before it was turned on, but it really could have been a huge story. Maybe in October when it really fires up, it will get more coverage.It’s clear how little we care about scientific advancements in this world. The whole place could have been ripped into a dark spacey abyss, and it still couldn’t beat Bristol Palin’s pregnancy for space in the news.
(09/10/08 11:00pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Last year, the Writer’s Guild of America strike screwed up a lot of things for television productions and fans alike. The strike lasted 100 strenuous days, disrupting production on basically everything and left fans with nothing to watch.And even when most of the high-profile shows returned in the spring, they’d lost most of their momentum. Thankfully, NBC’s high-profile comedy “The Office” experienced the exact opposite: Post-strike season four was actually better than the pre-strike episodes.Season four of the show saw Jim (John Krasinski) and Pam (Jenna Fischer) finally admit their feelings for one another and become a couple. Meanwhile, Regional Manager of Dunder Mifflin Michael Scott (Steve Carell) struggles with his own domestic life, as Jan (Melora Hardin) has moved in since she was fired at corporate headquarters. Even with the focus on the relationship between Jim and Pam that most fans had been clamoring for, season four of “The Office” is clearly the program’s most uneven. And really, the issues with content stem from NBC’s need to have hour-long episodes. The season’s first four episodes, all an hour long, are hilarious in spots, but struggle with keeping a story going. Once the half-hour episodes return, so does the constant humor. The second half of the season really delivers when the focus turns away from Jim and Pam and onto Michael, who breaks it off with Jan and finds it difficult to pick up new employees at a job fair. Steve Carell consistently proves why he’s one of the funniestguys around.Much like previous sets, the special features here are tremendous. There are more than an hour of deleted scenes that add tons of depth and humor to the plot lines. Also included are four solid commentaries, mock “The More You Know” ads and a funny blooper real.“The Office” is easily one of the best comedies on TV, and even a weak season still trumps almost everything else.on the air.
(09/10/08 10:36pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Since 2004, few bands in the “punk” scene have grasped the hearts and minds of fans quite like Underoath.They’re Only Chasing Safety catapulted the Tampa, Fla., act and the post-hardcore/metalcore genre into the mainstream consciousness with an unmatched combination of ferociousness and hooks. But with 2006’s Define The Great Line, screamer Spencer Chamberlin took more control, resulting in a truly epic sonic experience that hasn’t been met.Until now.Underoath’s new record Lost in the Sound of Separation further extends the boundaries they destroyed with Define. The album is categorically dense, full of ear-tingling anthems that morph into grandiose crescendos. It’s devoid of the crisp and catchy choruses powered by drummer/vocalist Aaron Gillespie that made the band so popular, but the thrashing work done by everyone quickly erases any doubts. After their near implosion due to Chamberlin’s substance abuse issues over the past few years, it’s obvious that Underoath made sure to put all those combustible feelings into Separation. Chamberlin’s screaming oozes emotion without sounding repetitive, and his lyrics hauntingly reveal the demons he’s battled (“I’m no leader, just a mess / The only thing in my way is myself / I messed up like I always do” ).Although older fans may be disappointed with the band’s emphasis on the spacey and expansive, the tracks that incorporate those elements are wonderful. The dueling tracks “Emergency Broadcast : : The End Is Near” and “Desolate Earth : : The End Is Here” do an exceptional job of creating an atmosphere about them that few bands can match. “Too Bright To See, Too Loud To Hear,” the band’s attempt at a ballad, is also quite beautiful. Gillespie delivers a really great vocal performance with some bite while the other members provide unobtrusive hand claps and gang vocals. And once Chamberlin explodes into the track to help Gillespie deliver the line “Good God can you still get us home,” the song takes on a whole new life.Lost in the Sound of Separation is a watermark for any other band in the metalcore genre and absolutely Underoath’s best work to date. They’ve clearly weathered internal storms and separated themselves from everyone else.
(09/03/08 10:52pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Today’s music scene sees green artists somehow pick up major label deals without playing more than a handful of live shows, talent be damned. But new Columbia Records signees Valencia have strongly established themselves over the past three years since the release of their debut, This Could Be A Possibility, as an archetypal pop-punk workhorse. Valencia’s new album, We All Need A Reason To Believe, only further explores the band’s sound in a way that should be received by loads more fans.Instead of pursuing the completely charted waters of heavy production, Valencia have concocted 11 tracks oozing with raw emotion. Believe is jam-packed with soaring hooks and thumping guitar work without being overly poppy. Not too many of the tracks could rule the radio waves, but repeated listens uncover immensely solid pop-rock ditties that leave the listener wanting more.As an album opener, “Better Be Prepared” couldn’t be any better. After a quick and quiet intro from vocalist Shane Henderson, the song torpedoes into a monster catchy chorus. Yet the bridge delivers something a smidge different, featuring a noticeably emotional vocal and a simple string section. Not too deep in, it’s apparent that Believe is best when Valencia manages to teeter betwixt the loud and the soft while delivering constant jolts of optimistic energy. “Where Did You Go?” includes vivacious guitar and drum work throughout while Henderson delivers beaming lyrics like “I get a little down on my self / But when you came around the world felt new / I opened up my eyes to the light / And I saw deep inside of a love that was true.”And although the album is slightly formulaic in the middle, Valencia maneuvers to keep each track fresh. The last three songs, “I Can’t See Myself,” “The Good Life” and “Free” close Believe in just as strong a fashion as it began. With pop-punk in such a dreadful state, it’s hard to think it can ever pull itself out of this overproduced lull. But Valencia gives us all a reason to believe the genre can be saved.
(09/03/08 10:00pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Loads of films have been made about the college lifestyle, but most of them follow a similar formula. It’s apparent that Hollywood needs to go back to the drawing board, because we’ve all seen too many laugh-free “comedies” about high school seniors or college freshman discovering how we do things each weekend, all while learning something about themselves. Unfortunately for viewers, the producers behind “College” didn’t feel this way and put together yet another rubbish rip-off. “College” follows three high school seniors, the “normal” one Kevin (Drake Bell); the sloppy, fat one Carter (Andrew Caldwell); and the geeky, McLovin’ wannabe Morris (Kevin Covais) on their preview weekend trip to Fieldmont University. After they discover that they can’t stay in their assigned dorm, the guys make their way to a frat basement. The frat’s King Kong – Teague (Nick Zano) – allows them to stay, but only so he can haze them incessantly. Of course what follows is a weekend full of hysteria, hijinks and high times. The most glaring problem with “College” is that there is simply no original thought displayed on the screen throughout its running time. Obviously, with a film like this, one expects every plot point’s conclusion to be abundantly clear when it’s introduced, and also that a few laughs will ensue. However, this film delivers no chuckles whatsoever, and instead hinges all its hopes on gross-out gags involving bodily fluids or homosexual tendencies. The main performers aren’t that great, but “College” probably could have been even worse. Bell was much cooler in “Drake and Josh,” and most likely only took this job to scrub away at his “Nickelodeon” image. Ex-“American Idol” contestant Covais still looks 13 years old and still sucks. The rotund fellow, Caldwell, does his best with the typical “fat friend” jokes. Although the film’s R rating allows for a fair amount of nudity, swear words and attempted sexual innuendos, “College” is simply not funny. The film should be titled “Middle School,” because those in that age group have to be the only people who enjoy this.
(08/27/08 10:58pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Although it used to be a shinning gem among the science fiction rubble, the “Terminator” franchise lost a fair amount of its shine due to the disaster of 2003’s “Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.” Abandoned by mythology mastermind James Cameron, the third film did little more than allow Arnold Schwarzenegger to collect an enormous paycheck. Yet the failure on the big screen didn’t keep the Connors away from the small screen, and Fox’s series “The Sarah Connor Chronicles” has revitalized the story.The show follows Sarah and John Connor (Lena Headey and Thomas Dekker) in their post-“T2” lives circa 1999, when they are constantly on the run. But when two Terminators infiltrate John’s school (one to kill him, one to protect him), the Connors decide it’s time to fight back. With the assistance of the “good” Terminator Cameron (Summer Glau), they jump to 2007 in an attempt to destroy Skynet yet again.For a weekly television series based on five hours of film (the show thankfully ignores “T3”), “Chronicles” is a refreshing, honest addition to the “Terminator” mythos. It’s clear that the crew gives special care to the past while adding interesting layers to the Connor story. In the first season the show covers a lot of ground, including stopping Skynet, Terminators with non-killing missions, and how John deals with his destiny.Even though it’s a TV show, everything about it feels like a weekly motion picture. The performances are strong, especially with the mid-season addition of Brian Austin Green in a role too good to spoil. Green surprisingly makes the chemistry between all the leads ever better. Moreover, the special effects and action sequences look great throughout. With a strike-shortened season, the DVD set only includes nine episodes, but is jam-packed full of superb special features. Included are better-than-average commentaries on three episodes, deleted scenes and an all-encompassing documentary that details the show’s inception.In its short run, “The Sarah Connor Chronicles” was clearly one of the best new shows last season. The show is solid in all areas, from the writing to the score and will continue to terminate the competition.
(08/27/08 10:30pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After starring in a hit television show, the obvious next step for an actor is tackling the silver screen. Movies clearly offer an even wider audience than television and allow actors to extend their career horizons. However, it seems like a lot of TV stars have issues with transitioning into films, whether it be because they picked a terrible first script or because they find themselves trapped within the confines of the TV character’s persona. Even for established character actors like Rainn Wilson who find major success with a breakout show like “The Office,” it’s rough. And Wilson’s first starring role in “The Rocker” is sadly no different.“The Rocker” sees Robert “Fish” Fishman (Wilson) booted from his Cleveland-born hair metal band Vesuvius just before the group hits it big in the 1980s. His departure still burns Fish 20 years later as he lives a dead-end life while wishing to turn back the clock. Just as Fish feels all hope is lost, his nephew Matt (Josh Gad) invites him to play drums in his band. With Fish on board, the band gets all the right breaks and finds themselves on the fast track to success.Although Wilson and his co-stars seem like they care about their performances, nothing in “The Rocker” is remotely memorable. The plot is predictable and paper-thin; none of the jokes really hit; and clichés about the rock-n-roll lifestyle are everywhere. Wilson is basically playing a watered down doppelganger of his “Office” megalomaniac Dwight Schrute, only with more shots to the crotch. His chemistry with the other stars, Christina Applegate and musician Teddy Geiger, is decent in spots, but it’s not enough to save the film. Even cameo roles by the hilarious quartet of Bradley Cooper, Will Arnett, Jason Sudekis and Fred Armisen fail to put the movie past the chuckle-level. Really, Geiger’s vanilla music is the highlight of the film.Just like many of his TV cohorts, Rainn Wilson’s first headlining film is a far fall from his work on television. It’s not that “The Rocker” is overly awful or that Wilson doesn’t have the chops to carry a film on his own, it’s just that we all know he can do better.
(08/13/08 5:33pm)
Early in this decade, no label had more momentum than Drive-Thru Records. Many of the bands that were first in the pop-punk trend came from Drive-Thru, including New Found Glory, The Starting Line and Midtown. At the height of their success, the label’s brass concocted Rushmore Records in an attempt to get some creative power back from Geffen, who had been snatching up their talent. One of the first signees to Rushmore was The Mile After; but after a year, the band parted ways with the whole Rushmore/Drive-Thru family and Rushmore ended up folding. Now almost two years later, The Mile After have finally released their debut full-length, Armada.
(08/06/08 11:37pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In case you haven’t heard, the Summer Olympics officially begin this Friday in Beijing. Chances are you have heard all about this year’s games, but you don’t really care. You might claim to care during group conversations or to hold on to some novel idea of patriotism, but you don’t really care because most of the sports bore you and in the month of August there are better things to do than watch air rifle competitions. But it's OK to have pent up frustrations about the Olympics, and how they make you feel like such a red, white and blue tool. I’m here to let you know that most of us other common folk feel the same way about the Olympics as you do. Not many people in America really, truly care about the Olympics, for the same reasons we don’t really care about policies in Washington or violence in Africa: it seemingly doesn’t affect them personally. No matter how much NBC and its sister networks want to convince us, we all know that each USA victory in a random event doesn’t fill us with as much pride as it would have in 1984. Americans aren’t as patriotic as they once were due to the road our country has been heading down in recent months and years. And watching athletes we’ve never seen before the opening ceremonies go off to win medals in sports most of Middle America doesn’t give a crap about isn’t going to make us forget about gas prices or the housing crisis. Sure, it might fill us with some pride momentarily, but then we’ll go back to our daily issues and problems.To most Americans, the Olympics don’t really matter before the opening ceremonies or after the final medal count is tallied. It’s not that the Olympic athletes from our country don’t have our support or that we don’t want to defeat Russia or China or any other foreign power, because obviously it’s awesome to enjoy that in the moment that it occurs. But most of us just have more important things to worry about this month, and getting lost in the swirling hype around the games that the media tries to force down our throats just isn’t worth it. Having deep patriotic feelings and pride in the good ole’ USA simply doesn’t appeal to our self-centered culture.The problem with the Olympics aren’t the lackluster sports presented or the lack of knowledge of the general public about the events, it really stems from the media and advertising companies that want everyone to think the games are the most important world event since the last one. Today’s Americans don’t need to be relentlessly told how crucial the summer games are to morale; they just want to aimlessly watch random badminton or ping-pong matches for a while until they change the channel. I think we all like the Olympics, we just hate being told how they should make us feel or how important they are. Call me a dumb American, but to me, it’s just sports.
(08/06/08 9:31pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>For the last few years, on-the-cusp music acts have been salivating to make it on a certain soundtrack. But surprisingly, the platform they’ve all been clamoring for isn’t a brand-new TV show or a blockbuster movie. Instead, it’s a video game: Madden NFL Football. Whether or not through overzealous hype or actual merit, the soundtrack of the annual Madden football video game has essentially become one of the most coveted spots in the music industry. Electronic Arts, the “powers that be” behind the game, want everyone to believe that being a part of the video game juggernaut’s soundtrack is crucial to an up and comer’s career and intends to make a media event out of releasing the track list each July before the game hits shelves in August. However, it’s time someone calls EA’s bluff. Aside from benefitting from the ungodly amounts of hype behind it, being on the Madden soundtrack doesn’t mean anything. I refuse to believe that it has truly changed any struggling act’s career or truly lit the world on fire. Sure, it’s not a bad place to be, but there are at least a few reasons why having a track on Madden won’t add much to a band’s record sales.Granted, ever since Madden became a whirlwind global sensation in the beginning of this millennium, it’s opened up a lot of opportunities for EA to take advantage of that success. And although they claim they’re looking out for bands on the rise and trying to help young kids discover new artists instead of having to listen to the same radio dredge, it’s all just another way for EA to promote themselves and make money.Tracking back to when the soundtrack really became important, it seems that the game can really only claim helping to break three artists: Good Charlotte in 2003; Yellowcard in 2004; and Fall Out Boy in 2006. That’s somewhat impressive, but it’s not as if those bands owe a lot of their success to EA or the game. If anything, since the soundtrack for Madden became a big deal, it has done the opposite of what EA said they would. They continue to place songs from already-established mainstream acts on the game, even though they’re supposedly trying to fit the power against mainstream radio or MTV. A quick browse over this year’s list includes Busta Rhymes, Linkin Park, Disturbed, Gym Class Heroes, Good Charlotte and Shinedown. Not-quite-struggling indie artists trying to get their big break. It seems like once the soundtrack meant something EA probably got the licenses for tracks from the highest bidder. Maybe not, but it would make the smartest business decision, and we all know that’s all this entire gimmick is – business.It’s not that the Madden soundtrack is a bad thing; it’s quite fine for a massively popular video game to include some mediocre to good music to get more fans to buy. But it’s about time for EA and anyone brainwashed by them to cease thinking that the world of music is changed annually with each subsequent soundtrack release. After all, it’s still just a video game.
(08/03/08 8:18pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>This week, Dayton, Ohio’s Hawthorne Heights will release a new album. Chances are the album, “Fragile Future,” will be mediocre pop/rock at best that won’t raise much fuss except for the Hot Topic set, and even those fans might be long gone. The band has fallen hard and fast since late 2005 and early 2006, when they were at the forefront of the scene. But considering everything the members of Hawthorne Heights have been through in the past year, the fact that they’re still a band says way more about them than any three-minute generic rock song ever could. When Hawthorne Heights rose to stardom a few years back, the phenomenon surrounding them always seemed a bit weird. Sure, lots of lackluster bands make it big commercially, but the crowds at the 2005 Hawthorne Heights shows I attended were unimaginably large. More shocking – or maybe not – was how dreadful the band was live, yet every teenager in the crowd sang their heart out as if each track was their lifeline. Once their second album “If Only You Were Lonely” hit and debuted high on the charts, it seemed like the Hawthorne Heights machine was nowhere close to being slowed down. But then came all the garbage with their label Victory Records, who they sued for breach of contract, copyright and trademark infringement, fraud and abuse.And then screamer/guitarist Casey Calvert shockingly passed away on their tour bus of an accidental combination of medications on November 24, 2007.For a band full of guys who never felt quite comfortable with the spotlight, Calvert was full of life any time any fans met him. It’s easy to give out paper-thin condolences when someone dies, but the outreach of support from fans on Web sites like Absolutepunk and MySpace was chock-full of personal stories about Calvert. To Write Love On Her Arms even created a shirt in his memory, which helped assist his family with funeral costs.So obviously it’s unfathomable to imagine how the guys in the band felt during those dark days after Calvert passed away, but no one would have thought any less of them if they would have packed it in and went back to Dayton, never to be heard from again. To make matters worse, they were dealing with the lawsuit against their label, which sunk “If Only You Were Lonely” because of the case. Now, basically three years after the band was at their most popular, Hawthorne Heights is releasing a new album without Calvert and on the same label they had all the problems with. It’s unclear how they patched things up. Sadly, the fans that were behind them back in 2005 and during Calvert’s death probably won’t support them as much now, if only because Hawthorne Heights isn’t part of the “in” trend anymore. And although I’m not a fan of their music anymore, the guys of Hawthorne Heights deserve everyone’s respect and admiration, not as musicians, but as human beings.
(07/30/08 11:30pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The music industry is oh so fickle. Somehow green bands with lackluster skills and experience pick up record deals on a daily basis, while seasoned ones with some talent remain unnoticed by artists and repertoire people across the country. Virginia’s My Favorite Highway happens to be of those bands seemingly glossed over by the record-label folk, but that didn’t stop them from putting out a solid EP – 2006’s Anywhere But Here – and their brand new album, How To Call A Bluff.On How To Call A Bluff, My Favorite Highway have seasoned and matured their piano pop/rock sound, but just enough that the tracks here feature a more solidified sheen. The musicianship has improved from their previous work, but the band’s strength stems from vocalist David Cook’s wonderfully crafted lyrics and unique vocal delivery. A name is about the only thing he shares with the “American Idol” winning guy with the same name.Each track on the album includes a hefty portion of twinkle and shine, even when the lyrics might not completely match. And although some of the lyrics sometimes seem a bit too heavy handed, it’s quickly forgotten once the hooks kick in. “Bigger Than Love” is one of said tracks, featuring lyrics like “If there’s a hole in your heart you gotta pull it together/ It takes the courage to start but now it’s better than ever” that make you laugh and smile at the very same time.Although most of the tracks follow the same sonic pattern, My Favorite Highway successfully switches it up every now and then “Say So” sees the band rock a little bit more than usual, with crunching, pop-punk-like guitar work and an increased pace all around. They channel OneRepublic on “Walking On A Wire,” with arena-ready production and a soaring chorus. And Cook delivers a wide-ranging vocal performance on the album’s beautiful closer “Steel City.” My Favorite Highway’s knack for unspooling glimmering pop/rock ditties is fairly flawless on How To Call A Bluff. One would hope it’d be enough to get some record-label attention, but the band seems to be doing more than fine on their own.
(07/30/08 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In the past, Comic-Con International, held in San Diego each summer, was known as sort of a geek haven. It was a place where the subject of mainstream’s disdain could feel safe because they were surrounded by their own. Generally, it was simply known as one of the larger conventions for a bunch of geeks to dress up in costumes and get their comics autographed by high-profile scribes. But not anymore. With the increasing success of comic-book films and other cult properties in recent years, major movie and TV studios and video game properties now look to the Con to make a huge splash each year. It’s become a cornerstone of the entertainment industry on an annual basis, with attendance numbers ballooning every year.However, all the bright lights and Hollywood stars aren’t sitting very well with the true-blue geeks whom Comic-Con was created for. As usual, they’re crying foul and claiming that the Con has sold out, which has caused massive traffic jams on the floor and less access for everyone involved. The major attendance numbers even has the Con board thinking about moving out of classy San Diego.Now, as a closet geek myself, I can understand the comic book crowd’s anger over this issue. It’s never fun to have your personal yearly holiday overrun by the supposed Hollywood machine. But in the end, this explosion of Comic-Con is really nothing but a good thing. Crowds and long lines aside, the glamorizing of the Con has done a lot of good over the past few years. Think about it; now people in Iowa or New Hampshire know what Comic-Con is and possibly might have an interest in it. The convention gets loads of mainstream press coverage nowadays, with major pop culture outlets like Entertainment Weekly and TV Guide putting out frequent reports on the comings and goings throughout.Moreover, before tent pole films and cult TV shows made it to the Con, there wasn’t any one place for those fans to gather and celebrate their favorites. There are such things as film geeks and TV geeks too, so it’s only fair that they get some love as well. Bringing huge films and shows to the Con has become a win for both Hollywood and the fans. Diehards get to see footage of films to be released next year or hear spoilers for upcoming TV seasons, as well as meet some of their heroes. And the studio suits get to measure the hype behind certain projects with a great degree of accuracy. They’ve figured out that “geeks” make them lots of money and are more honest than run-of-the-mill fans; no one will give a project a more honest evaluation.Sure, Comic-Con might be getting a bit too big for its britches, but aside from crazy “Twilight” fans and the lack of hotels surrounding the convention center, Hollywood’s presence has seemingly made it accessible to more people. Which sadly means more people in costumes.
(07/23/08 8:22pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Picture this scene: an extravagantly beautiful amphitheater filled with the most gorgeous TV stars, all spiffed up in their most dapper red-carpet garb. Imagine that it’s all an award show. For kicks, let’s call it the Emmys, which supposedly honor the best from TV. Two of the medium’s most dazzling starlets, say Jennifer Morrison and Evangeline Lilly, take to the stage. “We’re here to present a very special award to a truly fantastic group of people,” says Lilly after a bit of lame cue-card inspired award show dialogue. “That’s right,” says Morrison. “No one could pull off this type of performance year after year without it going unnoticed.”“Yes because most of the viewers don’t realize that someone has to make certain that this award show delivers the worst, uninspired nominations of any award show this side of the Teen Choice Awards,” quips Lilly. “So this year a special lifetime-achievement award is going to... the Emmy voting committee!”A group of older folks stand up, embrace and make their way to the stage where they all accept golden statues. One of them, a male, emerges to give an acceptance speech into the microphone. “This is really an honor to be standing up here tonight receiving this award after so many years of being responsible for who else gets one of these glorious statues,” he says. “We all recognize our responsibility each year: watch only a sole episode of each show to determine its value and attempt to force our lackluster opinion over the popular vote.” Another female winner takes the microphone, fighting back tears. “We’re really so proud to be the committee that continuously allows the commercially popular shows like ‘Boston Legal’ and ‘Two And A Half Men’ to receive more nominations than universally-recognized superior products such as ‘The Wire’ and ‘Friday Night Lights’,” she says. “Year in and year out, we have two ways of coming up with our great choices: kissing up to the shows with the most buzz and simply nominating the same people we have in the past, and frankly it’s worked brilliantly for us.” Finally, one more grabs the spotlight, even though the melodramatic please-get-off-stage music is playing. “You can keep playing that song, but this is my time,” she blurts. “I’d now like to apologize for actually giving a few deserved shows some praise this year. We usually don’t understand the plots on those smart talkies like ‘Lost’ or ‘Damages,” but sometimes the mainstream press loves them so much we sadly give in. But we shouldn’t have, and instead have given their spots to those simple shows that make us smile like ‘Heroes’ or ‘Grey’s Anatomy’; we dropped the ball, but it won’t happen again. Thank you all!”And scene. This won’t really happen when the Emmys air this fall, but it might as well. Time and time again, the Emmys deliver mostly dreadful nominations, so why not give out this award? Because mostly everyone else that wins in major categories is just as dreadful.