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(11/17/09 10:25pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>At this point it’s cliche to say this (and even cliche to say it’s cliche), but Pixar has done it again. After “Wall-E” got some Oscar buzz in 2008, it seemed like the animation experts had peaked, but “Up” is even better and ultimately one of this year’s best.Though most of the story – old man Carl Fredicksen (Ed Asner) uses balloons to fly his house to South America – is a thrilling action tale, “Up” is much more than that. The opening sequence chronicling the life and death of Carl’s wife is truly heart-breaking and certainly sobering for the first 15 minutes of a Pixar film.However, once the tears dry, the action turns to South America and Dug the talking dog appears, “Up” fires off one goofy joke after another. While there may not be anything overly original about it, there’s just something about cranky old men, chubby young kids and slobbering pets that is completely irresistible. And whereas “Wall-E” beat the audiences over the head with its message of “save the environment or else,” “Up” only stops the beautiful, heart-warming fun to remind us that we should live life to the fullest no matter how old we are – and that’s absolutely OK.
(11/13/09 1:29am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The world is going to end on Dec. 21, 2012 – I heard all about it in 2007. Obama isn’t an American citizen and perhaps is part of a Muslim conspiracy to take down the West – ditto. The swine flu vaccine is either a drug company ploy or population-controlling killer – I knew everything to know right when swine flu became an issue.Not to brag or anything, but I’d like to think I was on the ground floor for all the “crackpot” theories that have dominated headlines over the past year, and it’s all because of the long-running AM radio program “Coast To Coast AM.” The show has been giving me a 4-hour dose of alternative news and discussion for nearly three years, but when I try to share my thoughts on their topics – alien hybrids, 9/11 as an inside job and how we’re all going to be in FEMA camps by 2020, just to name a few – with other people, they scoff and call me a conspiracy theorist. Fine, call me whatever you want, unnamed hater. But in a time when it’s pretty obvious that all the major sources of news are compromised – TV folks are more worried about becoming headlines themselves and raising their profile, newspapers are trying to simply stay alive and the internet is still a Wild West of fact or fiction – what’s really the harm in exploring all views, even if they’re inherently or traditionally nutty?I would never say that I believe everything I hear on “Coast To Coast” or the ancillary things I read based on what I hear, because clearly some of the people who propose theories on the show are masters of hearsay, speculation and circumstantial evidence.But at this point, I could say the exact same for Glenn Beck or Keith Olbermann. But the connotation that comes with an interest in UFOs, New World Orders and Cryptozology just isn’t fair. There is absolutely nothing wrong with pursuing the truth and attempting to solve the mysteries of our universe, even if the questions aren’t ones that most are comfortable asking. It’s especially frustrating to be scoffed at even if I can provide evidence and links, as sometimes it feels like the real “conspiracy” is that the governments, churches or whoever the heck is in charge have pushed the idea that all these theories are fundamentally crazy just to keep the truth from the public. And even worse, these days it seems that the “mainstream” media is willing to suppress alternative news until it’s useful for them. Take the three examples mentioned in the opening of this column. “Coast To Coast” had been covering 2012, the birther movement and swine flu conspiracies long before they came to the forefront, but once CNN or Fox News got hold of them, they seemingly become more verified – except that the mainstream media waters it all down to just the shocking headline. Thus, I’m fine being a conspiracy theorist. If everyone’s lying, I’d at least rather be lied to by sources posing interesting questions instead of toeing the line between controversy and status quo.
(11/12/09 12:59am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In the newest edition of the podcast, host Cory Barker is joined by Brian Welk, Brent Williamson and Paul Mattingly for a discussion about the last six weeks of film and the hype surrounding 'Avatar.'Check it out on the WEEKEND Multimedia page.
(11/12/09 12:56am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In the latest edition of the WEEKEND Watchers Podcast, host Cory Barker
is joined by WEEKEND co-editor Megan Clayton in a discussion about the
'Mad Men' finale and season three overall.
Check it out on the WEEKEND Multimedia page.
(11/11/09 11:56pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Ah, sweeps. The time of the year that networks pull out all stops – event programming, stunt casting, major deaths – is both good and bad for television. Sure, it brings us some really gripping television – like a character’s death last week on “FlashForward” – but it also introduces us to clear ratings-grab material – like the triple cross-over event between the “CSI:” programs – that usually sucks. Here are four programs that will use the ratings-bait period to improve not only their numbers, but their stories as well. What to watch SHOW: HouseEPISODE: “Teamwork”WHEN: 8 p.m. Monday on FOXThe writers haven’t been able to keep the quality as high for the rest of the season as they did for the amazing two-hour movie-like premiere, but it has been nice to see the old gang back together, right. Well, get ready to be pissed, because this episode sees one of the original cast members leave the hospital and the show for good. Though the move feels a little suspicious, hopefully it means even bigger things for the other team member who’s closest to the one departing. SHOW: The PrisonerEPISODE: “Arrival” through “Checkmate”WHEN: 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Tuesday on AMCThis mini-series remake of the uber-classic 1967 British program of the same name features an impressive cast – Ian McKellen and Jim Caviezel – and looks to be aiming for a similar trippiness, but we know how these things usually go. But come on, Mad Men is over, it’s only six hours and at least it seems ambitious (which is more than you can say for most mini-series). It surely won’t touch the original, but it will be fun to see Gandalf and Jesus go head-to-head for three days. What to DVR SHOW: GleeEPISODE: “Ballad”WHEN: 9 p.m. Wednesday on FOXThis over-the-top, kinetic newbie treats every week like sweeps week, with its breakneck-paced stories and intense drama. Though I was initially skeptical whether Ryan Murphy and his team could keep up the infectiousness seen in the pilot from week-to-week, Glee has completely won me over, even if the adult conflict interests me more than whatever goofy hijinks are happening with the students. SHOW: Melrose PlaceEPISODE: “Cahuenga”WHEN: 9 p.m. Tuesday on the CWI can’t believe I’m saying this, but the Melrose Place reboot isn’t awful. Sure, most of the cast cannot act a lick, the plots are ridiculous and the murder mystery didn’t go over as well as the writers hoped, but there’s reason for hope: Heather Locklear is back and this episode sees her resume the role that made her famous in the ’90s, which means she’ll go toe-to-toe with the only current cast member who has any chops: Katie Cassidy. Plus, to make room for Locklear, Ashlee Simpson Wentz was fired and the murder mystery has been solved. Rant of the week I feel like I’m beating this dead horse too much already, but if there was any question whether or not Mad Men was the best program on television, last Sunday’s finale squashed it. After making us dwell impatiently with the Drapers and their marital issues for most of the season while a number of the Sterling Cooper standbys got the shaft, “Mad Men” mastermind Matthew Weiner made up for it in what has to be the quickest-paced and coolest hour of the program ever.It’s a testament to Weiner and his writing staff that they can craft both extremely slow and difficult-to-watch efforts like last week’s JFK-assassination-centric hour and then just blast viewers with a legitimately feel-good finale that many are relating to a heist film. As last week’s episode played out like a more suffocating “Revolutionary Road,” the finale zoomed along like “Ocean’s Eleven”– and both were great.
(11/11/09 5:41pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Say Anything’s third major-label album is the completion of a “Back to the Future”-like trilogy. First album “... Is a Real Boy” is a classic for its wit and heart (like the 1985 time travel-heavy film); the massive, 27-song follow-up “In Defense of the Genre” is better but more confusing (like the smart “Back to the Future Part II”), and this one is a return to the original’s form, just not as well executed (exactly like “Part III”).“Say Anything” still features vocalist and songwriter Max Bemis spouting his combination intelligent and ridiculous lyrics (existentialism and pinkeye get a mention in the same line on “Do Better”), but the heavier guitars that backed him before have been replaced with hand claps, strings and keys, leading to a more pop sheen.Nevertheless, “Do Better,” “Less Cute,” “Mara and Me,” “Eloise” and “Ahhh ... Men” would be found on any Say Anything “best of” mix tape and are some of the sharpest tracks heard all year. “Say Anything” might be a little softer than expected, but just like “Back to the Future Part III,” it’s still a fun conclusion to this chapter of Max Bemis’ life.
(11/11/09 5:03pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>“Paranormal Activity” might be getting all the buzz right now, but “Food, Inc.” is the scariest movie of the year. As a sobering and sometimes overwhelmingly shocking look into how the food we eat every day is prepared from the very beginning to the bitter end, “Food, Inc.” displays how big business and the mechanization of food is ruining the lives of people in numerous ways. With only a few major companies controlling the process, farmers are being forced into loan-hell, immigrants are given work and then ratted out once the companies are done with them and both crops and animals are being treated like utter shit. And that’s before you even get to how this all affects us when we actually eat it.The accounts here are predictably one-sided (no one on the other side chose to comment on their dubious practices), leaving us only to wonder what the hell really goes through their minds – but we can guess it has a lot to do with money.
(11/05/09 1:01am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In the latest edition of the WEEKEND Watchers Official Podcast host Cory Barker and Adam Lukach plead people to watch the criminally-underrated (in their minds) 'Smallville.'Check out the pod on the WEEKEND multimedia page.
(11/05/09 12:30am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>With the television season nearly two months old and the major sweeps period just beginning, now seems as good a time as any to step back and evaluate what’s happened. And as far as I am concerned, there is never a bad time to give out fake awards, so let’s combine the two. New show-centric awardsBest new show, comedy: Modern FamilyCommunity might be filled with more pop culture references and serious LOL moments, but this show’s realistic portrayal of, well, modern families puts it over the top. Family features wonderful performances from top to bottom, especially from Eric Stonestreet and Jesse Tyler Ferguson as gay couple Cam and Mitchell. The ABC laughter has been the season’s most consistent comedy, period.Best new show, drama: White CollarNo offense to the infectious Glee, surprisingly solid Vampire Diaries or sharply written The Good Wife, but USA has done it again with its newest dramedy White Collar. Matt Bomer has taken the charm he showed in guest spots on Chuck and added some much-needed depth to his performance here as a white-collar criminal with a heart of gold. Like all USA programs, Collar balances the comedy with the drama and the serial with the procedural very well, creating an enjoyable hour that’s almost worth staying home on Friday for.Most disappointing new show: FlashForwardI’ll be the first to admit that I let the pre-release hype get to me, but even with taking that into consideration, FlashForward can be labeled nothing but a substantial disappointment. The program’s writers understand that a mythos-heavy show like this needs character balance but have yet to write a character-heavy scene that pops. Throw in a lack of gravitas in relation to the post-blackout world, stiff-as-a-board acting from most of the main cast and an over-reliance on cliffhangers to draw the viewers in and we might have the newest Heroes on our hands.Returning show-centric awardsMost improved sophomore show: Parks and RecreationAs a number of us discussed on the latest episode of the WEEKEND Watchers podcast (shameless plug, I know), if November 2009 me would have hopped in a DeLorean and told May 2009 me that Parks and Rec would be the funniest comedy on NBC Thursdays and perhaps all of television, I would have punched him square in the mouth. But just as The Office made a huge jump between its freshman and sophomore seasons primarily because of the changes made to the Michael Scott character, the writers of Parks have figured out how to write for Amy Poehler’s Leslie Knope. If for nothing else, Nick Offerman’s minimalist performance as Ron Swanson makes this one a must-watch every week.Best single episode: Mad Men – “The Gypsy and the Hobo”As compelling as the Fringe or House premieres were, they don’t quite touch the can’t-even-breathe-it’s-so-tense effect that Oct. 25’s Mad Men had. The scenes between Don and Betty Draper in which he finally reveals his box-load of secrets to her were absolutely amazing and probably helped both Jon Hamm and the program itself wrap up Emmy awards for 2010. No writing staff knows how to slowly build up the tension like Matt Weiner and his team, and the fact that two more episodes remained after this one (meaning more dramatic explosions to come) made “Gypsy” even more effective. Most disappointing returning show: 30 RockThe Season 4 premiere might have been pretty solid, but subsequent episodes saw the once-best comedy on television fall right back into the creative slums it found itself in last season: excessive guest stars, a complete lack of character development and the biggest one – the inability to be legitimately funny. Some might chalk up the 30 Rock backlash to the cultural elite getting bored, and that is probably partially the case. But go back and watch the first half of Season 2 and tell me the show is just as good now.Momentum can change in an instant, but the way things are going right now, expect many of these winners to be exactly the same once May 2010 rolls around.
(11/03/09 10:17pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As one of the “punk” or “emo” scene’s biggest heroes, John Nolan’s first solo venture has been highly anticipated all year. And just as he did with Taking Back Sunday earlier this decade and Straylight Run a few years later, Nolan has delivered something vastly different from anything he’s done previously. While he shredded on the guitar for Taking Back Sunday and tickled the ivory keys for Straylight, Nolan expands his musical horizon further on “Height,” introducing chimes, xylophones and organs to supplement his incisive lyrics. The three opening tracks of “Height” are all great efforts, with “Til It’s Done To Death” bouncing along to Nolan’s key work, “I Don’t Believe You” playing with some interesting orchestral elements and “Screaming Into The Wind” funking around while Nolan spits acerbic lines (“Guilt is relative / So is sin / It makes it easy to pretend”). “Height” is not without its flaws, as the middle of the album drags, the musical exploration sometimes muddles up the compositions and Nolan doesn’t take nearly as many chances vocally as he does musically. But in a time when innocuous sameness rules in music, Nolan’s risks here are worth it no matter what.
(11/03/09 9:08pm)
ABC kind of missed with FlashForward, can V make up for that?
Program: V
Timeslot: Tuesdays at 8 PM on ABC
Starring: Elizabeth Mitchell, Scott Wolf, Morena Baccarin, Logan Huffman, Joel Gretsch, Morris Chestnut
(10/30/09 1:41am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>I never thought I would say this: Ease up on ESPN. Once the spunky, irreverent sports network defined by the great combination of offbeat humor and sports reporting, ESPN is now an ubiquitous presence in all things sports. Certainly things have changed since the mid-to-late 1990s when “SportsCenter” was product-placement-free, Keith Olbermann was not yet a liberal twit and Geocities was still alive and well on the Web. Now the “World Wide Leader” more or less sets the sports agenda every day, raising ethical questions like “If Ben Roethlisberger is accused of sexual assault and ESPN doesn’t cover it, did it really happen?” And there’s also Chris Berman and Stuart Scott, who suck.However, even as someone who frequents sports blogs every day, I think ESPN has been given a raw deal. Major blogs like Deadspin and, to a lesser extent, The Big Lead seemingly take great pride in publishing random rumors and half-truths about ESPN talent that would make Perez Hilton blush. And while a number of the stories end up being at least partially true – like in the recent case of baseball analyst Steve Phillips’ sordid affair with an ESPN production assistant and subsequent drama involving a restraining order, panicked 911 calls from Phillips’ wife and ultimately Phillips’ firing – the damage done to ESPN’s image is too harsh. Yes, Phillips’ situation is sad for his family and disappointing for a company that has faced issues like this previously with other on-air talent like Harold Reynolds and Sean Salisbury, but the projection of an image onto ESPN based on the actions of a select few isn’t quite fair. Sexual relationships between co-workers are not to be taken lightly but what worth does the knowledge really have to us? How is ESPN supposed to control the actions of all its employees, especially when they are scattered all around the world at all times? It’s not as if these sorts of melodramatic inter-office dramas don’t happen elsewhere (which still doesn’t make it right), and yet no media outlet gets criticized as much as ESPN. Thus, while so many Web sites focus on the off-air comings and goings of the “World Wide Leader,” they fail to recognize how ESPN is slowly changing its actual content. Take the 30th anniversary-celebrating documentary series “30 for 30”: The usually hands-on media power gave 30 filmmakers the chance to make whatever sports documentary they wanted as long as it was about something that happened since 1979 and clocked in at less than 52 minutes. The results so far have been fascinating; far better than any documentaries ESPN has done in the past and exponentially better than the 25th anniversary celebration that gave us Stu Scott preaching about how awesome ESPN was – or in other words, everything we had grown to hate about them. So sure, Chris Berman is still awful, the incessant Yankees/Lakers/Brett Favre coverage is vomit-inducing. But ESPN is doing some good things, and even if it was not, we should spend more time criticizing the on-air product instead of the off-air drama.
(10/28/09 8:04pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Music fans are damn fickle. On top of the pop-punk world with its widely respected debut, “Chroma,” Cartel saw fans turn on away when the band recorded 2007’s follow-up in a bubble sponsored by Dr Pepper and broadcast on MTV. But armed with a rediscovered underdog complex and a refined sound, Cartel are in a position to bat away all the flip-floppers from the bandwagon with “Cycles.”Whereas the recorded-in-a-bubble, self-titled release had no heart or energy, “Cycles” is kinetic and emotive, as efforts like “Conventional Friend” and “Retrograde” see frontman Will Pugh let loose to prove he has one of the best voices around. Though nothing here stands up to the pop-punk near-masterpiece that is “Chroma,” Cartel have nuzzled into a very solid and polished pop-rock niche. Even repetitive lyrics cannot keep “27 Steps” and “Only You” from being instantly catchy.With hopes of radio success long gone, Cartel have found an identity with “Cycles” that should keep fans from ditching the band ever again.
(10/28/09 7:39pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Since a tiny version of my face is found next to the word “TV” once a week, the first thing random people ask me is, “What shows should I be watching?” Seriously – this isn’t just me posturing or creating a false sense of importance. People ask! Thus, the following paragraphs discuss the three shows you should absolutely be watching, even if it means going back and catching up on DVD immediately. Plus: a must-see newbie hits the airwaves this week.SHOW: “Fringe”EPISODE: “Earthling”WHEN: 9 p.m. Thursday on FOXAfter a rocky 10-or-so episodes, “Fringe” kicked things into a whole new gear last spring, delivering one tremendous mythos-based episode after another and probably last season’s best finale. Season two has legitimately been even better than that, as the writers have intelligently pushed Josh Jackson’s Peter to the forefront and have been able to slowly develop the most intriguing overarching plot this side of “Lost” in a way that is so damn tense and intriguing. Whereas last season there was a clear divide between the “case of the week” and mythology episodes, those elements have been smashed together pretty well in every episode, meaning even the mythos-light efforts propel the story forward in some way.SHOW: “Friday Night Lights”EPISODE: “After The Fall”WHEN: 9 p.m. Wednesday on DirecTV 101Cable programs like “Mad Men” get the awards-show love and “Lost” is heralded by the geek crowd, but for my money, it is hard for any television program to touch the brilliance of “Friday Night Lights.” The chemistry between the cast members, specifically Connie Britton and Kyle Chandler at the center, is ridiculously perfect, and when paired with the always-solid writing (let’s just forget that the season two murder plot didn’t happen), scenes crackle with energy and emotion. NBC more or less gave up on this show two and a half years ago, but give them credit for at least paying for some of the production costs while DirecTV covers most of it. With season four just beginning, the episodes won’t hit NBC until 2010, but surely you have a friend who has DirecTV or can procure it by “other” means.SHOW: “Supernatural”EPISODE: “Changing Channels”WHEN: 9 p.m. Thursday on the CWI have harped on people to watch this one since early 2006, even before I had a stupidly popular television-centric column. As good as the mythology of “Fringe” is and the chemistry between the actors on “Friday Night Lights” is, “Supernatural” does both of those things better. Though the show was always really, really great, seasons four and five have been humorous, self-referential and yet intelligent and deep. I hate to sound like some hyperbolic fanboy and I would also never undercut the quality of “Lost,” because I think it is the best program on the air right now. However, “Supernatural” seriously gives it a run for its money. They will never get the credit they deserve because they are a genre show on the CW, but Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki have better chemistry than any other two actors on television – period. New show alertSHOW: “V”EPISODE: “Pilot”WHEN: 8 p.m. Tuesday on ABC“V” has been marred by a slew of production problems – script delays, production stoppages and showrunner changes – and insane rumors, such as ABC won’t let the show use the word “alien” because it might turn away women or non-geeks, that led ABC to plan on airing season one using the “pod system” that worked so well for the third season of “Lost.” Great, remember how annoyed we all were with those damn polar bear cages? However, the “V” pilot was nearly universally loved by critics. Sure, it’s a remake of a campy ’80s series about aliens infiltrating our culture by pretending to be our friends, but it also stars the best performer of “Lost” season five, Elizabeth Mitchell, and looks to be headed in a darker direction than its predecessor.
(10/27/09 10:12pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Watching “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” the first go-around was
a sick chore. I thought maybe Michael Bay had inadvertently made a
150-minute torture porn flick, it was so awful.
But four months later, I was ready to give it another chance – and my
God, it’s even worse. The smaller screen might curb possible seizures
caused from watching a beyond-words amount of robots smashing together,
but it also makes things even harder to follow.
It turns out the DVD cut of the film still includes the ridiculously
racist twin Autobots, terrible acting from nearly everyone in the cast
and no lack of LeBeouf yelling “No!” (didn’t Bay see the YouTube video?),
meaning “Revenge” is still the worst movie of 2009.
I am far from a film snob, but what this film’s success means for the
medium’s future is troubling. Always eager to one-up the previous
year’s big-time box office bait, Hollywood is bound to go even dumber
and even bigger in the coming years – meaning we are screwed.
(10/26/09 8:24pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In the latest episode of the WEEKEND Watchers Official Podcast, host Cory Barker is joined by sports media scholar Travis Vogan for a discussion about the ESPN documentary series, "30 For 30."Check out the podcast on our Multimedia Page.
(10/22/09 2:19am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In the latest episode of the WEEKEND Watchers Official Podcast, Cory
Barker and John Barnett discuss season six of 'Lost' and also touch on
'FlashForward.'
Check out the episode of the podcast.
(10/22/09 12:17am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>With Halloween almost upon us, many of us will be looking for any sort of media that could scare us half to death. But instead of dipping into the DVD collection for your copy of “Let the Right One In” or heading out to see “Paranormal Activity,” stay in and watch television. There are a number of programs this week that will deliver the scares – because they are so bad. I will not suggest a division between live watching and DVR’ing, as 20 minutes of these programs will have you covering your eyes.SHOW: “Heroes”EPISODE: “Strange Attractors”WHEN: 8 p.m. Monday on NBC“Heroes” jokes usually come fast and furious in this space, but mocking has given way to ambivalence this season. Well, until now. The program is just as poorly written, horribly acted and terribly paced as it has ever been, and do not let some deranged fanboy tell you differently. Most of the plotlines this season either don’t make a whole lot of sense (the whole Sylar-is-Nathan thing) or are ripped straight from other sources (Hiro’s bucket list, the traveling circus), which means it’s just like any other season of this atrocity. Of course NBC wouldn’t cancel it.SHOW: “Brothers”EPISODE: “Mike’s Comeback”WHEN: 8 p.m. Friday on FOXI think we all knew giving former NFL’er Michael Strahan his own sitcom was a horrible idea, but it’s even worse than imagined. It might not reach “According to Jim” levels of unfunny, but it’s damn close. Strahan and his on-screen brother Daryl “Chill” Mitchell have absolutely no chemistry, the plotlines blatantly follow sitcom-by-the-numbers frames and, unsurprisingly, Strahan is horrendous. HORRENDOUS!SHOW: “The Forgotten”EPISODE: “Canine John”WHEN: 10 p.m. Tuesday on ABCChristian Slater’s second straight dramatic flop (along with last year’s “My Own Worst Enemy”) is much like “Brothers” in the sense that there is absolutely nothing original about the way its stories are told. Sure, “The Forgotten” features regular citizens solving crimes instead of police officers or crime scene investigators, but it follows procedural archetypes to the T and is simply boring. I would say more, but I cannot remember anything else about the program – aptly titled, I guess.SHOW: “Gary Unmarried”EPISODE: “Gary Tries to Do It All”WHEN: 8:30 p.m. Wednesday on CBSWait, “Gary Unmarried” is still on? Jay Mohr has never been funny, and putting him through the CBS old-people-friendly filter, he’s even unfunnier. Get it? Unfunnier is like unmarried. If you think that joke was bad, I dare you to watch this. Rant of the weekAfter an extremely uneven and at times, unfunny (see, I did it again) third season, “30 Rock” returned last week with a solid effort, which is hopefully a sign of many good things to come. Though the season four premiere was propped up by the great chemistry between Alec Baldwin and Jack McBrayer and one funny Tracy Morgan scene, the B story with Liz was awful and Jane Krakowski’s Jenna is still as annoying as she was in the pilot.However, after a slew of guest stars and an attempt to cram more one-liners into 22 minutes than any show ever has before bogged down season three (and really the second half of season two as well), the focus on the economy and the state of NBC is a welcome sort of return to form. If the writers are willing to let characters other than Jack or Liz develop while staying on-point with the somewhat serialized story of the company’s downfall during this economy, things should improve for what used to be the best comedy on television.
(10/20/09 9:21pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>“Out of Ashes” is an album full of tracks that Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington couldn’t mold into his main band’s sound – meaning more straightforward rock that is far less interesting. Sure, “Dead By Sunrise” is an OK addition to the “rock” genre that is currently devoid of many acts with that much talent, as efforts like “Fire” and “Crawl Back In” deliver heavier-than-expected guitar work and a rougher vocal from Bennington. However, nothing here is lasting. Backed by what would-have-been-cool-four-years-ago atmospherics from Julien-K band members, Bennington growls on about “serious” issues in the most generic way possible in tracks like “End Of The World” (“When you can’t buy gas / And you can’t pay rent / And what you’ve got left is the government’s”) while the synthetic drum work on “Let Down” is mostly LOL-worthy.“Dead By Sunrise” is far from bad, but there’s a reason Bennington couldn’t work many of these songs into the next Linkin Park album.
(10/20/09 9:10pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>While most of their peers have drenched themselves in neons and synths, Sherwood’s Southern California-Beach Boys-esque pop sheen has put them on a whole new level since 2005’s “Sing, But Keep Going.” And with their latest, “QU,” the band only improves that sound, resulting in one of 2009’s better pure pop releases. The album’s highlight, “Ground Beneath My Feet,” opens with ridiculously infectious piano-twinkling before kicking into a high-energy explosion that dares you not to dance while vocalist Nate Henry croons deceptively poignant lyrics like “And I look around to see the ground beneath my feet / The final thrill, the quiet spill, the vile retreat / Do you see the waves running away from me?”Other efforts like “Worn” and “No Better” see Sherwood take things in a more sincere, slightly darker direction, but the results are the same.The former is a simple acoustic duet with guest Molly Johnson while the latter is a surprisingly deep look at divorce. More mature and sophisticated than their still-solid previous albums, “QU” is a must-listen for anyone who loves sunshine-soaked pop.