364 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(04/10/08 3:48pm)
Although the HBO show spills over with ideas about intriguing topics, “John From Cincinnati” doesn’t follow through with answers to most of them. Even armed with a great cast and hair-raising questions, the show couldn’t be saved by its own awfully slow pace. No season two, John; back to Cincinnati you go.
(04/10/08 3:26pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Most of us first heard of Moby due to the success of his 1999 album Play, the first album to ever have all of its tracks licensed for commercials and other marketing purposes. The album ended up selling very well, making Moby a bit of a household name. Yet he hasn’t been heard from on a consistent basis since 2002. Now he’s back with a new album Last Night.Last Night sees Moby switching his style yet again. Whereas his most popular albums – Play and 18 – included loads of samples from collected field recordings and his most previous one – 2005’s Hotel – featured no samples at all, the sound on Last Night is dance-club-inspired. The strongest tracks are those where Moby lets the dance-club feel run wild. “Everyday It’s 1989” features a beat that organically grows throughout the song, starting as simple and head-bobbing, but then moving to a more layered composition. The song pulsates and almost shrieks into your ears in the latter half.“Disco Lies” might be the most fun track on Last Night. It has a great beat, perfect for hand claps throughout the club. And even though the lyrics in the song are pretty lame, lyrics don’t matter when one is getting down to Moby’s dance songs.However, Last Night is not without its hiccups. There are a few tracks with misplaced raps involved that don’t agree with the solid beats Moby lays down (“Alice” and “257. Zero”). The last handful of tracks supply more relaxed vibes than the party-scene atmosphere of the first 10. “Degenerates” is the worst example; the track drones on for far too long with not many changes. And even while some of the other ambient songs aren’t bad, they just don’t belong on this album.When Moby gets the manic-atmosphere of the club scene right, Last Night is a really solid album. Yet, in his foray into tranquility toward the album’s latter half, things slow down a bit too much. This leaves the album feeling much like a night out: Some things you’d like to remember, others you can’t wait to forget.
(04/10/08 12:06am)
When the WB and UPN combined to create the CW network just two years ago, I was optimistic. While dissolving of the WB — mostly owned by Time Warner — and UPN — owned by The CBS Corporation — was a disappointment because the two did offer above-average programming most of the time, merging seemed genius because the CW would have the best of both worlds on its airwaves.\nYet less than two years into the CW’s broadcast history, the network has not improved itself one iota, and in fact, is probably in a worse place now than either the WB or UPN were before the merger. And although there are a few factors the CW can’t control, most of their own missteps have led them here.\nFirst of all, the CW cannot really be blamed for their anemically awful ratings. For the period of March 24 through March 30, the CW averaged 2.3 million viewers, more than 5 million less than the worst “big” network, NBC. They should be given a pass for being a second-year network and having a target demographic of 18-34 year olds, even if most of their shows did a bit better on their previous networks.\nHowever, a fair number of the decisions the CW has made regarding programming and scheduling have soured its chances of becoming a respected network. The executives started off on the wrong foot in 2006 by not bringing relatively popular shows “Everwood” and “Blue Collar TV” over and passing on the excellent “Aquaman” pilot from “Smallville” executive producers Al Gough and Miles Millar. Then they followed those classic decisions by not picking up “Invasion” after ABC cancelled it, even after flirting with the idea for a while and then canceling cult favorite and critical darling “Veronica Mars.” \nEven with all of those decisions enraging potential fans, the CW still had a chance to turn it all around coming into the 2007-2008 TV season. Three of its new scripted shows, “Reaper,” “Gossip Girl” and “Aliens in America” were considered by many pundits to be some of the best in the new crop of programs. \nBut of course, the network’s shoddy scheduling format put “Reaper” all over the place and “Aliens in America” is as good as cancelled. “Gossip Girl” is the only one of those shows, all of which are high-quality, that is guaranteed to make it to a second season, and only because it appeals to enough teen girls. \nMuch worse, the CW’s best scripted assets are “Smallville” and “Supernatural,” yet neither gets as much plugging as does junk like “One Tree Hill” and reality shows. Instead, both are placed on Thursday nights, the hardest timeslot during the week, where they struggle to get viewers. And although it’s good to see them holding their own against the major networks, putting one of them on another night would benefit the CW tremendously. \nThe CW is never going to move out of fifth place, but by making continuously dreadful judgments about its programming and schedule, it’s guaranteeing that the margin between it and the major networks will only grow. It almost makes you wish for the days of Michigan J. Frog and the Dawson.
(04/03/08 4:18am)
Chances are that if you aren’t considered “emo” – a term that has mutated so much over the past few years – at least a part of you can’t help but laugh at those who are. \nYet as funny as it may be to chuckle at 14 year olds loitering near Hot Topic, emo haters in Mexico are taking things past flaming MySpace and to a whole new level. Over the past month, groups have been prowling the streets looking for any emos so they can get rid of them through violent means, and they even have the support of a television personality. \nAs much as emo kids are hated here, it’s never gotten to the point of mass-organized beat-downs. Aside from asking the obvious “What the heck?” question, these altercations signify that emo culture is out of control. As an individual who’s maneuvered in and out of the emo label, I’m shocked to even see this “culture” turn into almost another race of people. Inside the walls of secondary school, I comprehended the sharp distinctions of group dynamics. But in the real world, I would have never thought emo kids would be the subject of such scorn aside from pity or laughter.\nAll the anti-emo rhetoric in Mexico has stirred up another sub-sect of this oddity. “Scene kids” – those who have an even more ridiculous appearance featuring highly-teased hair, hundreds of bracelets, pounds of eyeliner and unironicly loud T-shirts – are now using their primary means of communication (MySpace) to distinguish themselves from emos.\nObviously, sub-cultures are part of our world, but why are people letting the groups battle it out when almost all of them are still of middle-school age? The ever-growing networking possibilities of adolescents worldwide need to be curbed. Kids are now in a level of supposed hyper-development, in which the trends they motor through now have more outlets for expression. There has to be a point where someone (read: parents) steps in to tell them that they’re all the same, no matter what their Buzznet or what the “How to Be a ____” wikiHow they constantly visit says. \nAs a die-hard fan of the music that used to be labeled emo, a title that I’m not sure even fits anymore with all this ruckus, I can’t help but wonder how we made it to this point. Three years ago, most of the bands that played music that supposedly catered to these groups just played shows.\nBut once a few gained some popularity in the mainstream, where current emo/scene kids first heard the bands, everyone realized that because all the music sounds the same, whoever had the hippest image would make it. As it was marketed more to kids with their parents’ dough, these heinous trends only exploded further. \nThere’s a lot of blame to be passed around for this unbelievable situation – parents, technology, Pete Wentz – but some of it has to fall back on the scene itself. And it’s time for scene heroes such as Wentz to step up and implore kids to chill out. Of course, that’s just what they need – something else to cry about.
(04/02/08 7:09pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Panic! At The Disco burst into the mainstream in 2006 with heaps of off-the-wall pop songs and “guyliner.” As their popularity with girls mesmerized by lyrics lifted directly from Chuck Palahniuk soared, the pretentious vaudeville gimmick turned many off. But as polarizing as they’ve been, their transformation – including dropping the ! – on Pretty. Odd. is bound to get the message boards talking. The still-too-pretentious title to the new album describes it perfectly. Whereas their debut wove tales of alcoholism and broken marriage over drum machines, Odd. presents the band’s sunny disposition as they wear influences of 1960s Britpop on their sleeves. Panic has turned its sound on its head, as Odd. includes chill pop tunes (“That Green Gentleman [Things Have Changed]”), Disney soundtrack B-sides, (“She Had The World”), and beautiful ballads (“Northern Downpour”). Even more oddly, most of the experiments are a success.It’s clear that the band grew as musicians while recording because the variety of instruments stand out boldly. A cacophony of horns, flutes and organs flutter about, and while sometimes they’re laid on too thick (“The Piano Knows Something I Don’t”), it’s still interesting. Two tracks in the middle (“Downpour” and “When The Day Met The Night”) are two of the best pop songs you’ll hear all year. The stripped-down “Downpour” features acoustic guitars, piano and Brendon Urie’s best vocal performance as he sings “I missed your skin when you were East / You clicked your heels and wished for me / I know the world’s a broken bone / Melt your headaches and call it home.” “Night” personifies the band’s new sound: trippy guitar riffs, vociferous brass work and a string section. Unlike most tracks on their previous effort, there’s a slow build to a vivid explosion of exuberance. If the chorus doesn’t get stuck in your head, there may be something wrong with you.Not only does Panic deserve credit for taking huge chances with their sound, they also deserve some for making this record great. While sometimes they try too hard to recreate the vibes of their influences, they’ve made an album that requires you to listen to it more than once to get it. That in itself is pretty odd.
(04/02/08 5:29pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Virtually unknown last year, Jim Sturgess quickly gained some worldwide popularity due to his performance in the Beatles-inspired musical “Across The Universe.” While throngs of females scream for him as if he really wrote the songs in “Universe,” his upcoming choices will determine is career trajectory. So far, he’s on shaky ground, having a supporting role in the melodramatic mess “The Other Boleyn Girl.” Sturgess needs his new film, “21,” to advance, not impede, his career. “21” follows Ben Campbell (Jim Sturgess), a Massachusetts Institute of Technology genius who has just been admitted to Harvard Medical School but doesn’t have the $300,000 for tuition. After shining in Professor Mickey Rosa’s (Kevin Spacey) class, Rosa invites Ben to become a member of a blackjack card counting club. Even though he knows it’s wrong, Ben joins to pay for school and because his crush Jill Taylor (Kate Bosworth) is in. Ben and the rest of the team head to Vegas on the weekends – counting cards, winning big money and becoming whole new people, until it all catches up with them.This is the kind of film that requires the viewer to suspend all ideas of a “good” movie, or “quality” dialogue, in order to enjoy it. “21” doesn’t make that too hard. The plot, lifted and fictionalized from a nonfiction book, is ridiculous in its improbability, and the dialogue is continuously over-the-top. Nevertheless, the film manages to be damn exciting in its ever-increasing pace.Aside from the over-dramatics, the film’s primary issue is that it slides into classic (read: cliche) progressions as characters stab each other in the back, reunite and then screw each other over again. There’s not one turn that can’t be predicted. The interactions and arcs are as elementary as you can get. Who could’ve guessed that the old hotshot on the team would get jealous of our hero? Or that the self-centered hero wouldn’t just quit after winning the money for school and instead take his talents too far, screwing his “real” friends in the process?The performances, however, are solid. Sturgess does an excellent job carrying the weight, and his character’s arc is at least somewhat realistic. Spacey is legit as always, proving he’s better as a supporting actor. His Mickey Rosa character is slimy and over-the-top, right up Spacey’s alley. Those two really propel the film, as Bosworth is as wooden as ever and Laurence Fishburne’s turn as security agent Cole Williams is awful and confusing.“21” takes itself too seriously in parts, reducing its heightened plot to screwball farce. Yet, the film is fast-paced enough to entertain the audience throughout, which is all it should do anyway. It’s not a film to put a lot of chips on, but it’s good for a handful of thrills you won’t want to admit you had, just like a weekend in Vegas.
(03/27/08 3:18pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>While their less talented peers have found success, The Matches’ more complicated approach has left them without a ticket on the emo gravy train. The Oakland, Calif.-based band have shared the stage with the scene’s most popular, but their previous album, 2006’s Decomposer failed to attract much attention. Undaunted, The Matches are back with another album full of orchestral emo, hoping it catches on this time.Hope sees The Matches further blur the lines between multiple genres, which set the band apart from most everyone else. Present are pop anthems (“We Are One”), clunky experimental jams (“From 24C”) and old-time ballads (“Darkness Rising”). Sprinkling awkward arrangements and string sections throughout, The Matches manage to make it work.The diversity of sounds leads to the best tracks throughout Hope. The aforementioned “From 24C” has a hard-to-define rhythm that bumps along slowly with random guitar parts slipped in as vocalist Shawn Harris’s voice weaves a tale of a scorned lover sneaking into an ex’s apartment: “Faith oh faith, is a way to believe lies we need / Then to be faithful is to be truthless / But that’s more than I need to say.”But the band shows that its music can switch genres up at the blink of an eye. Harris and his fellow Matches motor through “Yankee In A Chip Shop” in just more than two minutes, creating a great head-bobbing pop-punk gem. Sure the chorus sees the band repeating the bizarre title over and over, but the gang vocals make up for it.“Wake The Sun” is the best track because it combines The Matches’ best experimental qualities. The mid-tempo mix uses quirky riffs, ringing bells, Harris’ talky vocals and quality lyrics that don’t quite make sense. Harris muses, “Who hired the walls of the station / To arrest my imagination / Profit from my place under the callous thumb”; it’s weird, but oh so catchy.A Band In Hope probably won’t put The Matches much closer to the mainstream limelight, but it should. The band’s creativity is nearly unmatched within the scene, which makes them untreatable for some. All they and intelligent music fans can do is hope they get their due.
(03/26/08 11:55pm)
By now, almost everyone knows that the music industry is in trouble. In just a few years, the enterprise has shrunk considerably, from $15 billion in 1999 to $11 billion now. Record sales have declined 25 percent since 2000, and the ten top-selling albums in the U.S. sold a combined 60 million copies that year. In 2006, the top ten sold a paltry 25 million.\nMost point to a crucial event that became the catalyst for this decline: Napster. \nYet while Napster set the music world on fire, the industry’s reactions to it did nothing to put it out, and in fact, probably indirectly fueled it. Nine years later, the music industry doesn’t really have anyone to blame but itself. \nAfter Napster burst onto the scene, no one can blame the industry for not knowing how to handle it; at that point, no one had a clue that it was going to revolutionize the way Generation Y would use the Internet or that it would lead to Kazaa, Morpheus or LimeWire. But once Napster was axed and Metallica’s Lars Ulrich was whining in a court room, the industry probably thought it had the fad squashed. \nBut as the peer-to-peer and illegal sharing networks continued to grow at rapid rates, the industry did nothing. Instead of taking the initiative, it sat back until third parties like Apple had to figure it out for them. Meanwhile, the Recording Industry Association of America has decided to terrorize users — primarily college kids — on an individual basis, wasting time and resources that it could’ve been using to think up fresh ideas. \nThey’ve failed to see that illegal sharing probably can’t be stopped, as 1 billion songs are traded on peer-to-peers each month. But people are enjoying downloading legally, too — 4 billion tracks have been downloaded on iTunes in five years — and the industry braintrust has yet to cook up good ideas to get the people who love music enough to pay for it to do so. \nLuckily for all the industry insiders reading this, I have a few simple solutions:\nActively use online arenas to your advantage. Most importantly, labels must pay attention to “leaks” of records and how to combat them. Labels should offer online pre-order deals that include a stipulation where as soon as an album illegally leaks all over the Internet, those that have pre-ordered it legally would be given digital copies or have their hard copy shipped to them immediately. Then not only would consumers still get the album early, but they’d also have a high quality, legal version of it.\nBe patient with your acts. Sales suck, but it’s ignorant to cut an act after one struggling album. There must be some time to cultivate the act and let the fan base grow, etc. Use the Internet to promote them for next-to-nothing — something indie labels do, but majors don’t — and get them on any tour possible. Make them work.\nAll this sounds like something a smart person would’ve told music moguls in 2002, but they’ve still ignored it for the most part. \nEveryone has a unique theory on the industry’s woes. Blender magazine says it’s because of the death of the CD single, Chuck Klosterman blames a shoddy economy. At this point, we’re all right.
(03/26/08 7:35pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>While “Heroes” gained mainstream popularity and “LOST” captured the minds of intelligent viewers, the most consistent high-quality genre show on television found a home on the lowly Sci Fi Channel.The re-imagining of the campy 1970s “Star Wars” rip-off “Battlestar Galactica” became one of the best-written shows on TV over its first two seasons, turning a stale idea into a modern show with surprisingly biting commentary.The third season of “Galactica” sees the human survivors of the Cylon robot attack stranded on the planet of New Caprica and under robotic Cylon control. The humans react with insurrection that leads to loads of infighting, discussions of right and wrong and a suicide bombing. Eventually, they make it back aboard the Galactica and deal with other issues including a treason trial, the civil rights of deckhands and, of course, trying to figure out who is or is not a Cylon, the tricky human-appearing robot enemies.The biggest problem with season three of “Galactica” is the use of more stand-alone episodes later in the 20-episode arc. After the opening four episodes chronicle the issues within New Caprica, the episodes get much broader and tend to lag a bit. However, the show’s production is so good and the relationships between the characters are so intense that even weaker episodes seem great in comparison to lesser shows. True to “Galactica” DVD form, the set includes extensive features. Creator Ron Moore’s podcasts for almost every episode provide great insights into production and address many fans’ concerns.The video diaries from Galactica’s other developer, David Eick, give little looks into many episodes throughout the season. The most important aspect of these features isn’t that they’re so groundbreaking; it’s that the viewer can obviously see how much the people involved with “Galactica” care about the show and its fans.Although it’s the weakest so far, season three of “Battlestar Galactica” still includes a number of fantastic episodes that any other show wishes it could produce. With only one season to go, the journey to Earth is almost over for Galactica, and it’s about damn time everyone jumps on board.
(03/20/08 2:24pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>There was a time when it could have been argued that Martin Lawrence was legitimately funny. His television show “Martin” and film roles in “Bad Boys” or “Nothing To Lose” propelled him into stardom in the mid-1990s, but since the turn of the millennium, Lawrence has appeared in one overly dumb “comedy” after another. What’s worse is his decision to star in poorly made family films, completely erasing the few remnants of his raunchy, edgy image. He’s followed up last year’s “Wild Hogs” with the Disney-produced “College Road Trip.” The film follows college-bound Melanie Porter (Raven-Symoné) as she attempts to figure out which university to attend. To do so, Melanie organizes an all-girl road trip to various universities to scope out what they have to offer, which her father subverts by insisting that he direct the trip. Melanie has her heart set on Georgetown, but of course, her overprotective father, Police Chief James (Lawrence) requests she stay closer to home at a school like Northwestern. “College Road Trip” is exactly what you would expect from a Disney movie staring Martin Lawrence: awkward encounters with “different” people – in this case, karaoke-singing tourists – Lawrence’s character producing unlimited non-laughter-inducing outbursts, and of course, a goofy animal (here, it’s a little pig named Albert). Obviously, this tired formula isn’t a good thing for any viewer who is over the age of 8 or isn’t brain-dead.All of the performers seem to be hamming it up even too much for a Disney film. Donny Osmond’s turn as the over-annoying and hyper-psyched dad is terrible, even coming from someone of his talent. Symoné basically plays the same character she does on “That’s So Raven,” which will at least appease the target demographic. Frankly, the pig brings home the bacon when it comes to laughs throughout.“College Road Trip” is a film everyone without a Disney fanatic of a child should avoid. The hyperactive performances do nothing but annoy throughout the film’s running time even at a mere 83 minutes. It’s safe to say that Martin Lawrence’s career has officially gone on a road trip straight to the hell of mediocrity.
(03/19/08 5:12pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Bloomington’s own eclectic act Murder By Death has risen through the ranks of music fairly quickly over the past five years. Its use of diverse song arrangements and the concept record has garnered the band loads of respect. Now its members are looking to continue their success with a new record label – emo-scene powerhouse Vagrant - and a new album, Red of Tooth and Claw.Murder By Death’s new album presents the band’s unique style: Adam Turla’s raspy vocals, creaky arrangements and fascinating lyrics. The band has said that the theme of Red of Tooth and Claw centers upon “Homer’s Odyssey of revenge, only without the honorable character at the center,” arguably the most interesting story they’ve based an album on. “Fuego!” includes all the band’s best into one great song. The twangy guitars in the opening lead into Turla’s smoky vocals, as he sings “The heat floats on top of our skin / Like an ice cube in a glass of gin / I can’t even hear the words you say / I need to leave, but I want to stay.” The song recalls a dirty, hole-in-the-wall tavern in an authentic way.The album’s closer “Spring Break 1899” is a bit of a diversion because the band ignores the usual epic-ness and instead simplifies things to create an earnest track. While the verses are reminiscent of a 1950s ballad, cellist Sarah Balliet’s work and Turla’s heart-wrenching vocals dominate from the midway point on. For new listeners, the biggest issue with Red will be the inability to relate to some of the lyrics. Artistically, the words have a lot of value because they weave together the tale told by the band, but they don’t make an automatic connection emotionally. Lyrics such as “The ghosts were howlin’ in the late afternoon / We were singin’ along to the same old tune” from “Ash” are a perfect example.With their new album, Murder By Death continue to challenge their own style. Although at times alien, Red of Tooth and Claw will eventually latch into your mind and blow you away.
(03/19/08 2:13am)
The newspaper is dead. Or at least dying a slow, excruciating death that should come to fruition within the next decade, as the Internet and other alternative outlets of media take over.\nThat’s the story we’ve been fed since the 1990s, but I always had trouble believing it – mostly because newspapers have absorbed all the onslaughts over the years. They survived radio. They survived television. \nYet, with the information released in the annual State of the News Media report by the Project For Excellence in Journalism, I think all the warnings are finally getting to me. To put it softly, the future looks terribly bleak.\nConsider the following from the report: in 2007, newspaper circulation dropped 2.5 percent, company earnings were down 10 percent, newspaper company stocks took huge hits – Gannet lost 35 percent of its value, McClatchy lost more than 70 percent – and advertising revenues went down 7 percent. And don’t forget more than 750 employees were axed in just the last month at major papers such as The New York Times.\nThe only good news is coming from the online divisions. Web sites have improved tremendously, which has led to a 3.7 percent increase in online readers. But even the good news comes with a smack in the face with a sock full of nickels. Ad revenue online only increased 20 percent last year – whereas it had been increasing at a 30 percent per-year rate in recent years – and only 7 percent of total revenue is coming from online advertising. \nThe simple solution to the revenue issues would be to make online users pay for content just like they would to read a hard copy. And while publications like The Wall Street Journal are getting away with this, it’s just impossible for most. The “democracy” of the Internet wouldn’t allow it because there will always be some site uploading news for free. And they cannot charge people to upload user-generated content for the same reason. The Internet has made us all not want to pay for anything.\nSadly, it seems newspapers don’t have much choice but to continue emphasizing the partnership between the print side and the online side of their publications. Many papers have been online for a less than a decade. The process is still in its infant stages. They’ve tried things that didn’t work – pop-up ads – and things that did – comments. And that’s what they’ll have to continue to do. \nPeople still want news and still want to get it from traditional news powers, just in alternative formats. Continue to produce great content online, and the readership will continue to increase, which could bring in an increase in ad revenue. The industry just needs to realize that newspapers can survive and even be profitable in the future; they’re just not going to be mega-profitable. \nAs depressing as it is, patience can see the industry through. People need the news, and we’re going to continue to give it to them, even if it is from a makeshift newsroom in our basements because we couldn’t pay our printing utility bill.
(03/06/08 1:53am)
This week, the cable TV network TNT announced that it was developing at least 14 new original programs, all of which they hope to have on the air by 2010. TNT is hoping the programming will contribute to an all-original primetime slate.\nTNT’s move into more original programming – it already has hits like “The Closer” – is just another sign that the idea of the big four networks (ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX) controlling all the quality shows is as good as dead. In fact, it’s arguable that the major broadcast networks are no longer the primary source of upper-echelon TV shows at all. The migration from broadcast networks to cable and pay-channels like HBO isn’t a new concept, but in today’s scheme of things, it’s more evident than ever.\nWhen asked, many critics would say the best shows anywhere on television are on premium channels. These would include “The Wire” and “Big Love” on HBO; “Dexter” and “Brotherhood” on Showtime; “Mad Men” on AMC; “Damages” and “The Shield” on FX; “Monk” on USA; and the aforementioned content on TNT.\nWhile that’s not to say there aren’t really great shows on network TV – “Friday Night Lights” and “Lost” primarily – it’s just \nthat the chances of building a successful and thorough narrative are much slimmer.\nThe primary reason for producers taking their shows elsewhere is due to the ever-suffocating pressure of advertisers and the FCC. Combined, the two make running a show an immense struggle on the creative end, so moving to less affected outlets seems smart. Being on one of the major networks also opens shows up to constant barrages of outcries from parent and other interest groups that simply don’t bother on lesser-known channels.\nAll of these issues lead to shows being canceled far too quickly without being able to create and sustain both a great storyline and a fan base. The corpses of many good shows lie at the feet of the majors because they weren’t able to get comfortable in their time slots or attract the right ad revenue.\nSo, as Turner Entertainment Networks President Steve Koonin says, the creative people are now coming to the non-major networks and looking to develop programming. Shows on these networks can be freely created and not see their counter-culture ideas scrapped. However, it wouldn’t be fair not to note the downsides of airing a show on a network like A&E or Showtime. Clearly, the ratings pale in comparison and the general public isn’t going to know about the show immediately. Additionally, the budgets are often going to be a bit smaller. But these sacrifices have been and should continue to be made. Smaller networks will be more satisfied with tinier ratings because they don’t expect as much. And as long as a steady audience is present, the production costs have seemingly worked out in the end.\nUntil the major players are willing to compromise with content and censorship, the migration to lower-profile networks is something that will only continue. Maybe in a few years when FOX is trotting out another anemic season of “Prison Break” and TNT combats it with a stellar show, someone will wake up.
(03/05/08 6:34pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Although she’s one of the biggest artists of all time, Janet Jackson has struggled in recent years. Her last two albums, Damita Jo and 20 Y.O., were pretty forgettable. She’s stayed in the news through her various controversies, whether it be the Super Bowl flashing or her ever-fluctuating weight. But Jackson is back yet again trying to recapture her success with Discipline.Janet’s last few albums haven’t been as successful because she has strayed away from more serious topics and swapped them with sexually fueled dance tracks. On Discipline she sticks with the latter sound, creating a handful of soulless pop songs comprising some of the worst lyrics of the year – lyrics that cannot be saved by a few interesting beats. The beat on “Feedback” seems perfect for radio, and Janet’s vocals are fine. The lyrics, though, are horrendous. It works OK until she delivers classic lines such as “Flyer than a pelican find another chick better than I don’t see her / Cause my swag is serious / Something heavy like a first day period.”Another issue for Discipline is an utter lack of originality. If the beat in “Luv” sounds eerily familiar, that’s because it sounds like it was lifted right from Kanye West’s “Good Life.” And “Rock With U” sees Janet repeating the title over and over for four minutes.Discipline’s ballads don’t make up for any of the album’s errors either. “Can’t B Good,” “Never Letchu Go” and “Greatest X” continue the trend of oversimplified lyrics as Janet basically whispers over dreary arrangements. “Greatest X” is the worst, featuring winning lyrics such as “I loved you, and you loved me / I just couldn’t see tomorrow / Now I know in my heart you’ll always be the greatest X ever.” Something like this wouldn’t even be expected from JoJo, let alone a legend like Janet. With Discipline, Janet again follows current trends in music. Sadly, the results are laughable, and she’s forgotten what made her popular in the first place. And until she remembers, our generation of would-be fans will only remember her for racking up record FCC fines.
(03/05/08 4:37pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Films about former kings seem to never get old. Just when you think every story has been told from the 16th century, yet another movie is released showing the contrary. There must be a quota in the industry that at least one historical film has to be released every six months. 2008 is no different, as “The Other Boleyn Girl” continues the trend.“The Other Boleyn Girl” tells the tale of the Boleyn sisters, Anne (Natalie Portman) and Mary (Scarlett Johansson), and their rise through the court of King Henry (Eric Bana). The Boleyn family uses their daughters’ sexual appeal to seduce the king in his attempt to produce a male heir. Henry ends up having relations with both daughters, tearing the Boleyn family and England apart in the process. As one of the aforementioned historical stories, “The Other Boleyn Girl” throws a bit of a wrench in the narrative, focusing more on the intricate moves of the two women than the wartime victories of the king. The story includes twists every 15 minutes that feel like melodramatic cliffhangers used right before a commercial break during a made-for-TV movie. There are times when the film expects the viewer to accept inconceivably dumb moves on the characters’ part or lapses in reality. Henry is painted as someone who chases around young women and does stupid things to get their attention. It’s hard to believe he’d throw away an important relationship with the Church over one woman, especially as the women are presented in the film. Characters leave the court for faraway places only to return three minutes later and get pregnant almost as quickly; there is really no idea of a continuous time line.The performances by the three leads are as good as can be, but the material they’re working with is too melodramatic and over-the-top, and they play it exactly that way. Portman at least looks to be having fun playing a conniving slut, while Johansson seems bored and blank as usual.“The Other Boleyn Girl” has a somewhat intriguing story and spectacular period costume design, but the melodramatics are too much to handle. While fans of the genre will enjoy it, tales of incest and stillbirths aren’t for everyone.
(02/28/08 4:13am)
Recently, I found myself watching the “Knight Rider” remake/TV movie/backdoor pilot on NBC. Though not a fan of the original, I gave the program a chance, mostly because there wasn’t anything else on. Sadly, the only things I remember about the two-hour program were how atrocious the acting was and how the entire thing was nothing more than a blatant ad for Ford.\nActually, let me take that back. I also recall the continuous plugs for the network’s new show, “My Dad Is Better Than Your Dad,” yet another reality program like those NBC has been pumping out for months. At first, I was disgusted with the addition of more reality shows to the NBC slate. But then I realized something.\nThis is NBC, and based on its recent programming decisions, I wasn’t too surprised. \nI see NBC as the laughing stock of the major networks because of wonderful pieces of “entertainment” just like “Dad.” And the primary reason for the network’s demise: co-chairman of entertainment Ben Silverman. \nSince being named to that position in mid-2007 despite little experience — he somewhat had his hands in the Americanizing of “Ugly Betty” and “The Office” — Silverman has destroyed the miniscule amount of momentum the Peacock network drudged up before Kevin Reilly stepped down. Reilly, now the head honcho at FOX, was the primary force behind NBC’s few quality shows — “Friday Night Lights,” “30 Rock” and “My Name Is Earl.”\nThis is a network that used to be home to the likes of “Seinfeld,” “Hill Street Blues,” and “The West Wing.” Now, it is continuously beaten into the fourth position in the ratings. And what has Silverman done to change any of this?\nFirst, he took the network’s two “flagship” shows, “Heroes” and “The Office,” and attempted to milk them to death for the 2007-2008 season. “Heroes” got 30 hours combined with a spin-off called “Origins” while “The Office” got an unprecedented 30 episodes for the 2007-08 season. The move was obviously a bit much considering the first chunk of “Heroes” episodes was a disaster and the special one-hour editions of “The Office” struggled as well. \nSecond, Silverman has been slowly murdering of one of the best shows in the past ten years, “Friday Night Lights,” by moving it to the Friday night timeslot of doom. Just because it goes with the show’s title doesn’t make it a good idea. And now, post-writer’s strike, Silverman has been lobbying for anyone that asks him about “FNL” to “watch ‘30 Rock,’” because it’s “the best show on TV.” \nFinally, he’s allowed NBC’s schedule to be filled with pathetic reality game shows like “Amnesia” and “1 vs. 100.” And even when he and NBC have presented “original” material it’s been product placement-laced reboots like “Knight Rider,” or trash such as “Bionic Woman” and “Lipstick Jungle.” \nNBC and Silverman should be ashamed of themselves. Their programming is clearly the worst on network TV, and yet they continue to sabotage themselves by making bonehead moves that will guarantee they stay at the bottom. Let’s just hope no one gives them the great idea of rebooting other old classics like “Alf” and “The A Team.”
(02/27/08 7:28pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Films about teenagers and their “problems” haven’t had much success in the past few years, mostly because they follow the same tired formula. People have been waiting since the 1980s for mainstream teen films with as much heart as “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” or “The Breakfast Club.” The past six months, however, have given us two of said films: “Juno” and “Superbad.” A third film can now be added to that list: “Charlie Bartlett.”Charlie Bartlett (Anton Yelchin) is attempting to fit in at a public school after being kicked out of various private schools. After noticing that many kids at the school are having problems, Charlie takes it upon himself to become their unofficial psychiatrist, giving them relatable advice and huge sums of prescription drugs he obtains by fooling his own doctors. Nevertheless, Charlie isn’t quite ready for his new position as leader. He must deal with the consequences of his actions from Principal Gardner (Robert Downey, Jr.) and fight off his own demons. While “Charlie Bartlett” doesn’t have a groundbreaking story line, the heart its characters have makes it an enjoyable film. Almost every character in the film is completely likable, even its antagonist Principal Gardner. The problems that much of the student body has – feeling alone, lost, confused – are obviously realistic. To use prescription drugs to solve teens’ problems here, and then to take them away only to have the kids feel even better, indicates a bit of a commentary on the way parents handle their children today. The lead characters’ performances really help this film. Yelchin carries it with a charismatic ease and seems able to play the whole range of emotion without difficulty. Of course, Downey brings his usual greatness and is now comfortable playing characters who have had similar problems to those in his own life (in this case, alcoholism). The chemistry between the two works so well it’s hard to see Downey as an antagonist at all. “Charlie Bartlett” is a teen-centric film that deals with some real problems kids are having today and does so in a heartwarming way. Sometimes, it’s over-the-top and a little awkward, but that’s how teenage life is.
(02/21/08 4:11pm)
Tomorrow marks the one year anniversary of one of the saddest days ever for pop culture junkies of this millennium: the end of “The O.C.” \nYes, “The O.C.” was a fluffy teen soap that went from phenomenon to complete trainwreck seemingly overnight. And yes, it wasn’t always the best-acted show [read: Mischa Barton]. But, I truly believe that no TV program has shaped the actions of the generation of people between the ages of 15-22 and that no show has created more trends within the medium itself within the last handful of years. As a cultural text, “The O.C.” should be remembered for doing these things and not for falling apart two episodes into season three.\nWhen it debuted in August 2003 , no one was really ready for it, but by the end of that year, it was arguably one of the biggest shows on TV, primarily because of its young tween-inspired audience. But most people have already forgotten what the show did for that audience.\nThat age demographic was the first group of really young people with cell phones and they saw them being used to the fullest extent by people supposedly their age on the show. The constant referencing of bands, films, and comic books allowed the audience – still very impressionable – to find new things that could inspire them. And let’s not forget “Chrismukkah,” the merger of two holidays that some people now recognize for real. \nSure, lots of television programs inspire and influence the cultures around them – and some have even done it in similar ways as “The O.C.” – but I think no show has been more effective most recently. The show is most always grouped with “Beverly Hills, 90210” or “Dawson’s Creek,” which are fair comparisons. Yet while those two shows influenced the culture in fashion and ideals, they didn’t ever do them both as well or as often as Ryan Atwood and crew.\nBut the show really transcended the TV medium as well. Without it, I think that the landscape of television would be very different. Think about when it began; the shows dominating at the time were procedural dramas like “CSI:” or reality junk like “Survivor.” But once “The O.C.” gained momentum, a lot of its traits rubbed off into some of the new shows that now dominate the tube.\n“The O.C.” really emphasized the “episode-ending montage sprinkled with the indie track of the moment” craze that’s now used in many shows. As is the aforementioned integration of pop culture – especially music – phenomenon into storylines. And while the show’s extreme self-reflexivity hasn’t been matched yet, it will. Not to mention, the number of carbon copies – both scripted and reality – that hatched from it.\n Maybe “The O.C.” was just another flash-in-the-pan teen melodrama that didn’t influence our culture, but instead exploited it to its advantage before being so wrongfully cancelled last year. And maybe its supposed cultural worth is only existent to diehards who are still irate it was canned. But I’m not afraid to admit that I miss the Cohen family because in some way, I know “The O.C.” changed my life.
(02/21/08 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In the past, it seemed really easy for “true” punk fans to bash Simple Plan for being too, well, simple. The band delivered two albums full of pop hits that brought it worldwide success from teenage girls without driver’s licenses and scorn from scenesters who thought they were “poseurs.”But Simple Plan never claimed to be anything other than a pop band. As such, its members deserved a miniscule amount of respect for staying true to themselves, unlike punk wannabes Good Charlotte and Sum 41. At least until it released its latest effort, the self-titled Simple Plan.Simple Plan completely erases any remnants of pop-punk in the band’s sound and instead replaces it with terrible over-the-top production. Although none of the band’s musicians were ever that strong, any strength they had is nonexistent here, while singer Pierre Bouvier whines over arrangements that were probably rejected by Fall Out Boy.The biggest culprits of this are “The End” and “Generation,” both of which feature Bouvier’s dreadfully failed attempt at a more suave delivery along with beats that sound like they’re coming from a high-school pep band. The latter includes truly triumphant lyrics such as “It’s going down tonight / We’re gonna do it ’til we die / Cause I got no reason to apologize / That’s my generation.” If that’s supposed to be some anthem for our generation, then we really are in as bad a place as all the pundits say.It wouldn’t be a Simple Plan record without a sappy piano ballad like the hits “Untitled” and “Perfect,” but here the band got carried away a bit. “Save You,” “I Can Wait Forever” and “No Love” all follow that same formula. Of course, you expect some mediocre lyrics from Simple Plan, but “There’s only hate / There’s only tears / There’s only pain / There’s no love here” is pathetic for even its standards.Simple Plan had a good thing going as the uber-popular pop band of this decade. Unfortunately, its failing attempts to up the ante by including more diverse arrangements like direct competitor Fall Out Boy prove they were better off keeping things simple.
(02/14/08 5:00am)
There is no question that Lenny Kravitz is a really cool dude -- one of the coolest, in fact. The thing is that the man hasn't had a big single since 2000's "Again." Since then, he's released two albums that have been moderately successful, but his star has definitely faded a bit. But now, Lenny's back with It Is Time for a Love Revolution.\nThe best words that would be used to describe Love Revolution are probably the exact words that have been used to describe all of Lenny Kravitz's albums for years: good guitar work, a few interesting arrangements and a handful of sappy ballads. It seems Kravitz assumed that the easiest way to recapture some of his past success would be to write and produce similar-sounding tracks. By doing so, he has created an album full of songs that run together and in the end, bore. \nLove Revolution opens with two typical Kravitz tracks, "Love Revolution" and "Bring It On," both of which feature his classic funk-rock type of sound. They're not bad songs, but when you listen, they sound so much like his past songs that you easily get caught up picturing him doing an "Are You Gonna Go My Way"-esque video for them. \nUnfortunately, it only gets worse. "Love Love Love" is nothing more than Kravitz listing off all the things he "don't need," which include: television sets, politicians, trains and shiny golden chains, among many others. And why? Because he's got love.\nEven the slower tracks, including the first single "I'll Be Waiting" and "A Long And Sad Goodbye," just aren't that interesting. The latter includes lyrics about a fractured relationship with his father: "Papa you meant the world to me / Why did you abandon me?" that just seem too sappy and elementary coming from a man of Kravitz's age.\nOn Love Revolution, Lenny fails to offer anything remotely new. Most of the songs here are too long and too boring to get into. Diehard Kravitz disciples will probably enjoy it, but it's safe to say the revolution attempt failed.