Ben Stiller is best alone

A Night at the Museum is a funny kids movie. If you've never been to the American Museum of Natural History in NYC, this is a much funnier way of touring the place, with the exception of their new Hall of Biodiversity, which rocks and is not in the movie at all. Basically Ben Stiller becomes the new night-time guard at the museum, replacing Dick Van Dyke, Mickey Rooney, and Bill Cobbs. The first night he's left with a list of instructions, the first of which is "Throw the Bone". This gimmick of the instructions was really funny and should have been kept up rather than watching Ben Stiller try to settle disputes between the wild west and the roman empire in his weird comedic way. However, there are lots of really funny moments throughout, including how they figure out how to save the day when the previous guards try to steal the pension they were denied. There are all kinds of special effects that are really effective and funny, but the overall feel for the movie is very kid-centric. It's all the benefits of the museum while sitting on the couch.

Random rant...

I can't tell if this is only due to the Writer's strike, but is it weird that Bones showed its Christmas episode last night? This happened last year with Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (a moment of silence for its unfortunate demise) - their Christmas episode aired on December 4th, and then they ran repeats for 3 weeks. The same thing with Bones and House - no new episodes until the new year now. How hard would it be to run the reruns NOW, and then the Christmas themed episodes AT CHRISTMAS! Done ranting...thank you.

Definitely Enchanted

It's pretty much impossible that you haven't seen the previews for Enchanted everywhere for the past few weeks. Which means, you've already seen the first 20 minutes of the movie. Personally, I was a little annoyed that I already knew so much of the movie from previews alone - considering I hadn't gone out of my way to watch them. However, after the stuff I'd already seen was over, the movie is delightful. It had an unexpected ending and lots of funny characters that were never even seen in the previews. The squirrel, Pip, can't speak when he's brought into our world, and his miming techniques are awesome - he mimes the entire scene of the bad guy giving our princess a poison apple. Amy Adams was a scene-stealer in Junebug and finally gets her leading role and plays the naive ingenue perfectly. She starts out seemingly insane with her hopes for a good world, and while some of that wears off, she's still a fount of optimism that seems to imbue everyone around her. McDreamy is terrific as the workaholic divorce-lawyer father who can't believe Adams insanity. Oh, and when she makes all her clothes out of his curtains, the result is priceless. A wonderful movie for kids and their parents, boys AND girls.

My cup of geek love overflows

This week 3 stars from Buffy and Star Trek appeared on 3 different shows, and did it with flair. Eliza Dushku played a Britney-inspired starlet with problems on Ugly Betty. Seth Green played a patient of McSteamy's on Grey's Anatomy, who hit on Meredith's sister before his neck started bleeding. And finally, Wil Wheaton played an evil comic book collector on Numb3rs. It was just fun.

Bee Movie is better than a B

Bee Movie just mostly for adults. There are small things that will appeal to kids - all the bees dressed in various outfits only in black and yellow, stirring honey, the small fry wanting to fly with the big kids, and a bee trapped under a glass. The rest of the story is really meant for the adults accompanying the kids - being trapped in the same job your whole life, not having a right to fight against abuse, the global significance of the loss of bees for pollination. However, the number of jokes that go along with all the bigger messages makes it a really fun movie for any holiday weekend. Jerry Seinfeld is the main voice of the movie, with a few sidekicks in Matthew Broderick as his best friend since kindergarten (a week ago in Bee world), Renee Zellweger as his mixed-species love interest, and John Goodman as the evil lawyer trying to prove that bees have no right to their honey. The rest of the cast is terrific based on the list but I have to say I didn't notice their talent for the most part. Chris Rock has a few seconds as a mosquito, and Patrick Warburton (Seinfeld's Puddy) as Zellweger's human boyfriend are fun. Overall it's a good movie with lots of sly humor and themes geared more towards adults than kids. Also, the animation is really terrific.

The return of Project Runway

Tonight the best reality show on TV returns for its fourth season. Project Runway on Bravo returns with Tim Gunn, fashion guru, and Heidi Klum, supermodel. This show has been more and more fun with each season. There's no viewer participation - only official judges who have real experience in fashion decide who stays and who goes, and while I don't always agree with who they pick at the end, they do tend to get rid fo the least talented each week. There's lots of bitching and infighting, but the challenges are always fun to watch. They had to design a whole dress out of recyled material like bags and bottle caps, and paper. They've designed useful fashion for dressing for airplanes for hours and arriving impossibly fresh. And my favorite,a "garden party dress" out of garden supplies including flowers and leaves. The challenges are always kooky, but speak to the individual styles of the designers as well as thinking outside the box. Plus, Tim Gunn makes it work by advising them all how to improve. Watch it and judge for yourself...Bravo, Wednesday 10pm.

Lions for Lambs

The new Redford/Cruise/Streep movie is a rarity in Hollywood today: a movie for grown-ups that includes no sex, romance, or even much swearing. Yet this movie is still completely made for grown-ups. It's written more like a play in three locations interspersed in real time - a senator's office, a poli-sci professor's office, and a mountain in Afghanistan. There are only 6 real characters, and most of what they do is talk. Cruise is a young senator who is telling a veteran reporter, played with the expected brilliance of Streep, about how he planned a new "strategy" for winning the war on terror. He seems to be arguing all the standard points on that side of the argument, but he does it with a genuine attitude that is lacking in real-life politicians. Streep questions him at every point, and their discussion is a well-written debate on how the war should be fought and won. They bring in topics that always get pushed aside, like the role of the media in the war, and why the same questions keep getting asked. The second location is Redford (who also directed really well) talking to a student about why he's stopped attending his class. The kid, Andrew Garfield, is terrific holding his own against Redford. There are flashbacks to his presence in class, and he even gets to explain why he stopped buying Redford's argument's about the political landscape of today. When asked why Redford cares if he attends his class Redford tells him about 2 other students with the same potential as Garfield, who took a project Redford assigned and decided to enlist after they graduated. While Redford said he was "disappointed they enlisted, he revered their reasons for doing it." That is the final location, watching these two former students begin to take a snow-covered mountain in Afghanistan, implementing the new strategy Cruise is describing to Streep. Overall, the story is well choreographed, showing the real-time causes and effects of decisions in Washington, while recognizing that these are real people who are remembered by others back at home. The acting is terrific, and the movie doesn't try to preach as much as make you think about what you know and what questions aren't being asked. It didn't change my mind, but it definitely opened it a bit further.

Two new cute movies

In honor of election day, I took the day off and went to the movies. I wasn't in the mood for anything super-hyped, and was finally at a cineplex that offered more than 2 movies. So I saw Martian Child with John Cusack and Dan in Real Life with Steve Carell. Both were really good and triggered the same sense of goodness and hope. Martian Child tells the story of an adopted child who thinks and acts like he's from Mars. Cusack plays the recently widowed (is that even the right word for a man who lost his wife?) adoptive father of 7-year-old Dennis, who wears sunglasses and sunblock 'beacuse Earth's sun is too sunny', and a weight belt because 'Earth's gravity is weak' and he doesn't want to float away. Dennis is so convincing throughout that you're not sure he isn't a little bit Martian, but his masking his attachment and abandonment issues this way make the story and its resolution more hopeful than incredibly sad. Cusack is wonderful as the new parent who is also a famous sci-fi writer who understands what it means to be a "different" kid and helps Dennis 'learn to be human'. The movie could easily have spilled into cliche and schmaltziness, but it stays very genuine and convining all the way through. When Dennis proves he can taste color by identifying M&Ms with his eyes shut, you really start to believe he has some Martian qualities. Also, Amanda Peet and Joan Cusack (as John's sister) are terrific supporting cast. They have funny bits and help John see some of the problems with Dennis that need to be dealt with and argue the "society" line of conformity with the best of intentions.

Dan in Real Life similarly tells the story of a man raising his 3 daughters since his wife passed away. Steve Carell is terrific as the dad of teenage girls who watches in disbelief as they go through teen angst and first love. Dan's huge family is gathered at the family home on the Rhode Island shore for the weekend. Dan is sent out for the paper and meets the woman of his dreams (Juliette Binoche in her best character ever, in my opinion) - they chat for hours. However, when he gets home she's beaten him there because she is Dan's brother's new girlfriend! Dane Cook plays the brother very convincingly - some humor, but obviously the family screw-up. The weekend is full of the awkwardness that Carell is perfect for, and he an Binoche keep falling love while trying to deny it. There are lots of funny bits, including a family talent show, and Carell's continuing run-ins with the same cop for traffic violations. Very good movie, with fun and romance.

The Golden Age

The new Elizabeth: The Golden Age does a good job of continuing where the previous movie left off. England's at war with Spain, and the new world has been discovered and Walter Raleigh, a common pirate, has come to court to gain Elizabeth's favor. The sets and costumes are wonderful, but the overall pacing and set-up of the movie make it less consuming than the first one. Clive Owen as Sir Walter Raleigh is terrific, and whenever he's on the screen, you can't help being stunned - whether seducing one of the Ladies in waiting, or counseling Elizabeth herself. Cate Blanchett doesn't exhibit as much of the strength and power that came through so well in the first one, and in The Aviator. She alternates between nearly in tears and upset about random things and giving wonderful speeches that inspired her people. I don't think it's her acting that doesn't work, but the editing and direction. Scenes that might have made it more clear where her emotional stuggle was coming from (the impending war with Spain, inability to marry) were obviously cut, so she seems weepy for most of the movie. It's a great story overall, and the war with the Spanish Armada is pretty amazing. Overall, if the first movie was a 5, this is about 3.5.

Addendum: I remembered another example of why the directing was bad. There's a great scene where Elizabeth is inspiring her troops - saying how they'll defeat the Spanish Armada. She looks good - long hair, armored suit, and sitting on a horse. However, in the 90 second speech, the horse wouldn't stand still EVER. She circled and circled and circled, not pacing in front of her troops (the scene in Braveheart was brought to mind). All the director should have done was hold that stupid horse still and let Cate Blanchett speak her heart out to rally the troops - she could barely speak and the best scene was destroyed. Argh....

Best Show on TV

I'm a little late in coming to the party on this show, but now I've seen the entire first season and agree with all critics that it's the best show on TV, and one of the best shows ever. Friday Night Lights is based on the movie that is dreadful and overly dramatic with a stupid premise and pretty horrible actors. However, the TV show, which won and deserved its Emmy for casting, is terrific. While it tells the story of a football team in the heart of Texas - which really wouldn't appeal to many people - it's really much more about growing up, and dealing with all kinds of pressure: continuing success, disappointing the people you love, living up to your potential, realizing there is more to life than football, and how to be a good person. Since Everwood was prematurely cancelled, Friday Night Lights has picked up on a lot of their themes, particularly living the life you are born into (trailer trash, spoiled rich girl, child of alcoholics) while understanding that you can rise above it (or not). It's a great story about a pretty amazing set of characters, with each episode focusing on different aspects of the town and the football team from the perspective of different people - the coach, the new quarterback, the old paralyzed QB, the daughter of the coach, the wife of the coach, the head cheerleader, etc. It's a really great ensemble cast that are at the same time believable, passionate, flawed, and hotter than any one town could conceivably be. My favorite pair is the coach and his wife (Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton) - they seem to be able to talk about anything, and fight really hard to be good people while not drowning in other people's problems. The star quarterback is paralyzed in the first game of the season, and the town has to deal with moving on, while he tries to understand what living without football can mean. Even if you hate football, there is a lot about this show that is uplifting and will reach you if you have ever played on a team that worked toward a out-of-reach goal. And I can't decide who is hotter - the shy new QB Matt Saracen, or the bad-boy full back Tim Riggins...the eternal dilemma.

Samantha Who?

I watched the pilot of the new vehicle for Christina Applegate, and so far it's really funny. It's got lots of cute moments, and her friends are so different it works. Basically she's awakened after 8 days in a coma with no memory of who she is or who anyone in her life is. Somehow she woke up with a whole new moral code because she discovers that she didn't like a lot of the things she used to do or say (like her affair with a married man, her alcoholism, and being really mean to her boyfriend). She seems to want to fix most of these, and hopefully that'll be the future of the show, and not her turning back into the evil person she seemed to be. I'm going to go watch the second one. It shows on Mondays at 930 on ABC.

Addendum: I watched the second episode and it was still a good show - she realizes she's not the kind of person she wants to be (or is really worth being) and wants to quit her job, but in a send-up of Carrie Bradshaw, realizes she has purchased too many shoes and must work to pay for her shoes. Looking forward to next week.

More TV

Nothing in the new season is jumping out at me as really necessary to watch. But a few shows have really maintained their strength. Ugly Betty has really picked up the story lines from last year and developed them even further - Henry and Betty still seem to be ill-fated lovers that might have a less tragic future than Romeo and Juliet (or whatever the telenovela names would be). Also the whole Amanda-is-Fay's-daughter story is still funny, with Amanda being convinced by Mark that this can be exploited. The stories are still funny and interesting enough to keep watching. House is another one that has become compelling every week, especially with the contest between new interns. They really tossed this show on its ear, taking a VERY good formula and redefining it with new characters and stories, without removing the previous story lines that were working so well. But, they managed to cast and write really good characters as the new interns, and it only develops House's reputation to have all these other doctors bowing at his feet. It was getting hard to remember what a brilliant doctor he is purported to be.

However, while there are two shows hanging on and making strides, there are a few that just haven't stepped up and are in danger of falling off the radar. Heroes had such a brilliant first season - a totally new concept, well thought-out with a long arc with small achievements, so it was hard to lose interest. However, we're three episodes into this season, and I can't figure out what's going on, and why none of the characters seem to know or recognize each other. There was this huge coming together at the end of last year, and yet most of the characters still seems to think the best way to survive is to go off on their own. Most of last year was about discovering others with their talents, and there was drama in that, who would have powers, what would they be, and how can they all defeat Sylar. This season, the best I can figure is the funny symbol seems to be dangerous. That's a big step down from last year. Another show that took a long time to get going this season is Weeds. I'm hoping Heroes will pick up later, and Weeds really seems to be getting back on its initial zaniness. The first few episodes took forever to get rid of the storyline left over from last season, so those were pretty boring. However, it's starting to look up.

Anything anyone would like to recommend that doesn't seem to be making my radar? I'm still interested in new shows. Or rediscovering old ones.

The Kingdom

I'm a big fan of Jennifer Garner and Jamie Foxx, so seeing The Kingdom was a treat. And, despite reviews to the contrary is a pretty terrific story. One of the reviews I read described it as a bad episode of CSI but it's more like the smarts of CSI with the energy of Mission: Impossible set in Saudi Arabia. I really liked it. It starts out with a fairly crazy chase/killing spree scene through an American compound in SA. The FBI agents who are killed in the horrific attack are enough to spur the FBI to attempt to get their agents into SA to investigate. They partner with a really terrific actor (Ashraf Barhom) playing the Saudi Prince's military presence who is responsible for protecting the FBI agents. The agents, played by Foxx, Garner, Chris Cooper and a hysterically smart-ass Jason Bateman, are stifled by the rules of conduct by Americans in SA, look but don't touch, etc. However, Foxx, plays the tough as nails agent who will threaten, cajole, and charm anyone who gets in their way. The first two-thirds of the movie are quick clues to uncover the criminals behind the attack, and the last third is a wild-ride chase and shoot-em-up sequence that is really nail-bitingly-well done. Oh, and Jeremy Piven has a small role as the American attache in SA and is all slime and charm and attempting inoffense while offending all.

Second week

This is just a mish-mash of what I still like after the second week of shows. Ugly Betty and Grey's were both good in their second week, though Grey's is still less than wonderful, but it's good. I still love The Big Band Theory after How I met your mother - funny as hell. Chuck was the only show that was actually more fun its second week as the two sides try to kill him. Journeyman was good, but I'm still not sure any characters are as interesting as the main guy - maybe Quantum Leap had it right when it was just the time-traveller and no one else. We'll see how it plays out. Bionic Woman wasn't terrific in its second week, but the introduction of Isaiah Washington was kind of creepy because of all his off-screen issues. Private Practice was perfectly saccharine and weepy, which is the way it should stay, but that might get old. The performances of the two mothers losing their babies were awesome though. Oh, and I still love Numb3ers on Fridays - such great nerdy action. So far though, Pushing Daisies is the most fun and creative thing on TV.

This Ones for The Girls

This one's for a friend going through a break-up who realizes the healing powers of country music and cartoons.

Wow - Pushing Daisies is amazing...

Wednesdays at 8, Pushing Daisies is something totally new on TV - let's hope it survives. It felt to me like Roald Dahl rewriting the movie Big Fish. It's the story of a kid who has the gift of life and death - he can bring back the dead with a touch, but only for a minute, or death will take someone else in their place. AND after bringing someone back, our hero, Ned, can never touch them again or they'll die. Jim Dale (the voice of the Harry Potter audiobooks) narrates and makes the story so much more familiar and exciting than the story would be on its own (not a common touch for narration which is usually distracting). Our hero Ned has grown up to be a pie-maker (he can make even rotten fruit perfectly ripe - how cool would that be?) and his childhood crush Charlotte "Chuck", has been mysteriously killed. She totally reminds me of all the characters Zooey Deschanel has ever played, but not quite crazy. Anyway, Ned brings her back to ask who killed her, but can't bring himself to kill her again (so no one else would die), and they embark on the journey, with Ned's PI partner, to find out who killed "chuck". We meet her recluse, synchronized swimming aunts (played brilliantly by Swoosie Kurtz and Ellen "Suddenly Seymour" Greene) because they've been sent Chuck's luggage after her death. The show is just cheerfully colored with pure heart at its heart, but with the dark edge of having power over life and death. It's really funny with Kristin Chenowith playing Ned's neighbor and waitress who is in love with Ned, and can't understand why he never touches her. I think this might have made a better 2-hour movie, but I'm intereseted to see how they keep it going!

3:10 To Yuma

As far as westerns go this is FANTASTIC! In the world of film, this is really good, with some stellar writing and good performances. Russell Crowe is very well coifed, and slick throughout, while maintaining this sneaky grin that makes him seem more friendly than smarmy. And his relationship with a very tortured Christian Bale is terrific. He continues to ask Bale if they're friends now, after Crowe goes on to kill most of the people who get in the way. Their dialogue is always well timed and reveals bits and bits about their childhood. Crowe is contiuously on edge, ready to take out anyone who looks at him funny if necessary. However, Bale acts in almost opposition to his evil, while always trying to maintain a civil and moral position on whatever is going on, he is still always conscious of his position as a father and husband and what his actions will do to his family. Crowe has none of that obligation, including to the gang that shows him lethal loyalty throughout. Ben Foster, as mentioned below in the guest appearance on My Name is Earl, is TERRIFIC as the second in the gang of thieves and incredibly cruel and with a strong evil streak. Definitely rent this if you haven't seen it in theaters.

The Bionic Woman!!!

I loved this intro to Bionic Woman! It looks like it could be a terrific series. It blends some of the best actors with fun storylines. A friend's description of it says everything I want to say, so I'll let her speak for me.

Premiere Week - Returning Thursday Shows

Ugly Betty is still a wonderful show, and there are still mysteries worth following to their end. Betty is back, and still taking on the world, while being totally oblivious to her own appearance. Thankfully, they've stopped making constant jokes about her appearance. It's finally become about her character, which definitely includes, but isn't limited to her appearance. I still don't quite understand Daniel (Eric Mabius) and whether he's going to commit to being a schmuck or finally stand up and run his family's company - he still wavers back and forth in away that doesn't really make much sense. I loved that in the premiere Amanda gained a ton of weight (and wears a fat suit) since she stress eats and just found out she was adopted. She's probably my favorite character on the show. I still want Betty and Henry to get together, but that's definitely my own predilection for nerds cheering.

Grey's Anatomy was just as good as it's been. They resolved all the major things from the season finale pretty well - except the Bailey being rejected for chief resident problem. I understand the not being bogged down in paperwork running things, but she was really good at running things, people listened to her and respected her. That doesn't apply to Torres. Oh well. I don't run the show and they don't ask my opinion about how to run their imaginary hospital. Otherwise, it was terrific. I love that George decided to stay, and that the other new interns look up to him so much because he's already done all of the crap stuff before. It'll be interesting to see where Christina heads for love, and I laughed really hard when McSteamy said that he'd moved to Seattle just to get back McDreamy. When they cracked up, it was perfect. Still very funny and sexy show.

My Name is Earl was just a sad premiere. It shows Earl in prison - and all kinds of people he knew and wronged in prison, but mostly it shows how awful being in prison is. Outside of prision, it mostly shows how pathetic Randy is without Earl. Joy doesn't want to feel guilty about Earl taken the blame for her, so she takes care of Randy, but realizes how incapable he is of taking care of himself. Overall, it's mostly just sad rather than funny. Though Ben Foster (the Angel from X-Men 3 and the sidekick in 3:10 to Yuma) is a terrific criminal!

Premiere Week - Wednesday and a Monday leftover

The premiere of Private Practice, the spin-off of Grey's Anatomy, was significantly better than it's original appearance, but still not really anything special. I do love that they added Audra McDonald (Tony Award winner) to replace Addison's best friend, she brings a more serious tone to the role, which was seriously lacking in all the other characters. I'm not sure all characters on a show have to demonstrate serious personality flaws in order for people to relate to them. Sometimes finding out their neuroses and secrets as the show goes along keeps you watching. Overall, I do find the show appealing and disagree with some reviews that saw Addison lost her IQ when she moved to L.A. - she seemed more like what she is, a woman going through a huge change and kinda freaking out. I'm sure she'll return as the tougher Addison we liked to hate. It'll also be interesting to see who she ends up with on the show - Kate Walsh hinted that she'd have at least a fling with one of them quite soon.

However, a show I forgot to watch on Monday, but really liked after I got a chance to watch it was Journeyman on NBC. It's a very grown-up series. It's on at 10, so they don't have to pander to teens and it actually seems written to a smart adult audience. It's about a guy that seems to get to hop through time (sort of like Quantum Leap, but without a guide so far) to make sure something happens. Since this was the first time he'd changed through time it through him off as well as me (the viewer). However, unlike QL he returns to his originally time as well as to the past (no future so far) which makes his wife and brother think he's gone or drinking or just crazy. In the past he found an old-girlfriend who died, but it turns out she didn't die, she's jumping through time too. That is left unexplained for the rest of the episode, but seems to be the potential "guide" or "teacher" he'll need. It seems interesting so far, and hopefully will get stronger and more detailed over time.