Movies Blog : tv shows

Bad Movie Night on a Summer's Evening

wag.mado@evpl — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 18:20:00 GMT

June Bad Movie Night is right around the corner. This month's feature is MST3K's version of Catalina Caper, a 1967 beach movie about theives who steal a precious scroll and then get found out by their swinging teenage son. The only redeeming element of this movie is an appearance by Little Richard, and the hilarious comments by the Mystery Science crew.

As always, the movie will be shown in Browning Room B at Central Library on Thursday, June 14 at 6:00 PM

Come join us for laughs, refreshments, and prizes!

"Awake" an amazing TV show, cancelled after tonight

professor.knowsitall@evpl — Thu, 24 May 2012 15:48:00 GMT

I'm not a fan of hyperbole...but Awake is, without a doubt, the best show I've seen on TV in a long time.

However, the bean counters at NBC have already cancelled the show. Tonight's season finale will also be the series finale.

Detective Michael Britten survives a horrific car crash with his wife and son as passengers. Following the accident, Michael finds himself living in two realities: one in which his wife survived but his son didn't, and one where his son survived but his wife didn't.

Michael alternates between the two realities every morning when he wakes. Happenings in one reality become clues for the other.

Definitely an interesting concept. But it's the writing, acting, and emotion that make the show so great. The cinematography is excellent as well, always alerting the viewer to which reality they are currently seeing (except for a few scenes that are intentionally vague).

Is one of the realities a dream? Are both? What is going on? We should find out tonight as the 13th and final episode airs.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this series (if you couldn't tell already), but you must watch them in order. They are available for viewing on Hulu.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

My Favorite Sleep/Dream Related Movies

So all this talk about Awake made me think about movies involving sleep & dreaming. Below are 3 of my favs, and as I previously declared my love for all things Christopher Nolan it should be no surprise that two of these are his.

Inception (2010) - Check our catalog

Ambiguous Plot Description: In a world where technology exists to enter the human mind through dream invasion, a highly skilled thief is given a final chance at redemption which involves executing his toughest job to date: Inception. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, & Ellen Page.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) - Check our catalog

Ambiguous Plot Description: A couple undergo a procedure to erase each other from their memories when their relationship turns sour, but it is only through the process of loss that they discover what they had to begin with. Starring Jim Carrey & Kate Winslet.

Insomnia (2002) - Check our catalog

Ambiguous Plot Description: Two Los Angeles homicide detectives are dispatched to an Alaska town where the sun doesn't set to investigate the murder of a local teen. Starring Al Pacino, Robin Williams, & Hilary Swank.

3DTV, or how your brand new HDTV is already obsolete

professor.knowsitall@evpl — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 19:34:00 GMT

In case you were unaware, 3D is once again all the rage. With the record-breaking success of Avatar, movie studios, TV networks, and electronics manufacturers are looking to capitalize on this recent surge in popularity.

There has never been a good way to reproduce the "3D movie theater" experience at home (those red/blue glasses don't count!). That will supposedly change with 3DTVs (3D-capable HDTVs). All the major TV manufacturers had 3DTVs on display earlier this month at the Consumer Electronics Show, with the first models expected to go on sale this summer. Movies will be available in 3D on Blu-ray Disc, and TV networks may broadcast in 3D (ESPN & The Discovery Channel are launching 3D channels). Sony has also demoed PlayStation 3 videogames in 3D.

In non-techie terms, 3D video works by having footage from two perspectives...one for the left eye and one for the right. By using 3D glasses, video intended for the left eye is hidden from the right eye and vice versa.

You've probably seen DVDs that come with the old-school red & blue glasses. While the 3D effect is okay, these glasses decrease brightness, give everything a green hue, and can even cause headaches/eye strain.

Most movie theaters nowadays use polarized 3D (i.e. glasses with grey lenses). This provides for incredible 3D without affecting color or brightness. But this isn't possible at home, as it requires a projector with a special lens and a special screen to project onto.

3DTVs will utilize wirelessly-synchronized shutter glasses, while quickly alternating between the left & right perspectives. The lenses are actually thin LCDs that darken & lighten. So the TV will display a single frame intended for your left eye, the right lens on the shutter glasses will darken completely, and only your left eye will see the frame. The next frame is only for your right eye, so when the TV displays it the left lens will darken & the right lens will lighten, making the frame viewable only to your right eye. As this will be running at 120 frames per second, it should appear silky smooth to the human eye.

Being the nerd that I am, in-home 3D definitely sounds cool. But with prices dropping on HDTVs, will consumers be willing to pay a premium for 3DTVs? Will folks that already own a HDTV go through the hassle of upgrading? Will current-gen Blu-ray players be 3D-compatible, or will they have to be upgraded with newer players? And will movie/TV-watchers and gamers scoff at having to constantly wear dorky 3D glasses?

What do you think? Sound off in the comments below!

More Info

CES 2010 TV Trends @ AnandTech: An article about upcoming TVs shown at the Consumer Electronics Show.
The Illustrated 3D Movie List: A list of past, and upcoming, 3D movies.
Next "Harry Potter" Movies Coming in 3D: Warner Brothers just announced that the upcoming Harry Potter movies will be in 3D.

"Dexter" season 3

MediaPhile@evpl — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 21:42:00 GMT

The lovable serial killer/blood spatter anaylyst with a Code of Ethics (he only kills killers) is back!

This time Dexter makes a friend! It is, unfortunately, Miami Assistant D.A. Miguel Prado, played by Jimmy Smits. Can Dexter keep his secrets but continue his mission? Turns out that A.D.A. Prado has through the years compiled his own hit list, and he enlists Dexter's advice on carrying out his personal vendettas.

Then there is Dexter's domestic situation. Can a secret killer also make a good father and husband? His angelic girlfriend thinks so. But will marriage cramp his style?

Michael C. Hall, who delighted us as the gay undertaker in turmoil in "Six Feet Under" easily slipped into Dexter's shoes. It is sheer pleasure just to watch him act. Another high point of the series is Jennifer Carpenter, who plays Dexter's tomboyish adopted sister Debra, a woman who knows how to speak her mind. In real life Hall married Carpenter in January 2009.

Just a note: don't even THINK of watching Season 3 until you have seen the first two seasons. (And be sure to stick with the first season through at least 4 episodes before passing judgment -- Dexter DOES develop a conscience!)

The day that never comes: The DTV Transition (UPDATE: House says "No!")

professor.knowsitall@evpl — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 20:51:00 GMT

UPDATED 1/28 2:00PM: Earlier today, House Republicans defeated the proposed delay of the DTV transition. It's still set for February 17.

Below is my original blog post, published on January 27.

ANOTHER delay. Yesterday, the US Senate voted unanimously to postpone the DTV transition from February 17 to June 12. The proposal, supported by President Barack Obama, could receive Congressional approval very soon.

On January 1, the Commerce Department announced that they'd run out of funding for government-subsidized vouchers toward the purchase of digital converter boxes. There are currently 2.6 million Americans on a waiting list, in case additional funding comes to fruition. The goal of the four month delay is to find the funds to make this happen.

According to a Nielsen report published last week, more than 6.5 million households are not prepared for the DTV transition. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller, author of the bill to push back the deadline, stated "I firmly believe that our nation is not yet ready to make this transition at this time."

That "6.5 million households" sounds awfully large, but it makes up only 5.7% of American households. Even if the deadline is pushed back, and the voucher program is reinstated, will these households stop procrastinating and actually purchase converter boxes? Or will they simply have another four months to put it off?

Of course, broadcasters don't like the idea as they'll have to continue broadcasts in both analog & digital, which is more costly; in fact, some have already scheduled the dismantling of their analog broadcasting equipment. But Rockefeller managed to ease some of these concerns by allowing broadcast stations to make the switch from analog to digital signals sooner than the June deadline if they choose. Um, what?!? Won't most stations switch to digital-only immediately? If so, what's the point of moving the "transition" to June?

Nothing is final yet, but we should know the fine details if/when Congress approves it.

Good idea? Bad idea? Let us know what you think by posting your (non-political) comments below!

"Dexter" and his dark roots

MediaPhile@evpl — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 15:54:00 GMT

I've been watching the hit Showtime series "Dexter" on DVD and have been tracing the genealogy of this "lovable" serial killer.

The "Dexter" series, based on a 2004 novel entitled "Darkly Dreaming Dexter" by Jeff Lindsay, does, I think, owe a debt of gratitude to the Ripley series of novels by Patricia Highsmith. To quote Wikipedia, "her recurring character Tom Ripley — an amoral, sexually ambiguous con artist and erstwhile murderer — was featured in a total of five novels, known to fans as the Ripliad, written between 1955 and 1991."

I got hooked by the 2000 movie "The Talented Mr. Ripley" (starring the dream cast of Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jude Law, Cate Blanchett and directed by the esteemed Anthony Minghella). I ended up reading all five installments of the Ripliad. "Ripley's Game," a pale but acceptable follow-up by a different director that starred John Malcovich, was released in 2002.

Now we have "Dexter." Both Tom Ripley and Dexter Morgan are sociopaths who operate out of the normal bounds of accepted behavior. Ripley, however, only kills to get ahead and to protect his secrets. One kill inevitably leads to another. Dexter is drawn to killing and enjoys it -- it is the only thing that makes him feel -- but is taught by his cop foster father to channel his urges into killing only serial killers.

So, you are probably telling yourself, why should I watch such a disturbing program as "Dexter"? Well it stars "Six Feet Under's" Michael C. Hall (as a blood spatter analyst), has a strong supporting cast, is set in scenic Miami, and is essentially a mystery suspense series. But I must warn you that a strong stomach is a necessity when Dexter gets down to business. It's not that we see much -- it's just the thought of it. If you prefer a more elegant killer, you might want to check out Ripley in book or video form.

"Chuck" is about a nerd that becomes a spy...essentially my life story

professor.knowsitall@evpl — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 17:50:00 GMT

In the television show Chuck, Charles "Chuck" Bartowski plays your typical 20-something computer-geek, stuck in a dead-end job at Buy More's Nerd Herd (a less-than-subtle parody of Best Buy's Geek Squad). He lives an uneventful life with his sister Ellie, until one day when he receives an email from his long-lost friend Bryce. Turns out Bryce is a rogue CIA agent, and his email contains an entire government database of top secret info, which embeds itself into Chuck's brain upon viewing.

Both the NSA and CIA want the intelligence returned to them and dispatch agents of their own - Major John Casey and Sarah Walker - to "retrieve" that data. When the original database is destroyed, Chuck has the only copy of that data, so he is forced to become a spy. Chuck's decision to keep his new-found occupation a secret from his family and friends, and to live his life as normally as possible, forces Casey and Walker to establish an uneasy alliance and secret identities (Walker poses as Chuck's girlfriend and takes a cover job at the local restaurant next to the Buy More while Casey gets a job at the Buy More), with the shared goal of protecting Chuck at all costs.

Seeing specific people/things causes Chuck to "flash", subliminally retrieving data about the person/object from the government database in his mind. Chuck uses this ability to help John & Sarah thwart evildoers and save the entire world from impending doom.

Sarah is an incredibly attractive female spy, and as they continue their "fake" relationship Chuck's feelings for her become real. There is lots of romantic tension, often mocked by smart-aleck comments by John (portrayed by Adam Baldwin, of Full Metal Jacket & Firefly/Serentity fame).

This show is brilliant, tied with The Office as my favorite current TV show. The cast is excellent, with real chemistry. The plots, while far-fetched, are extremely well-thought out, always resulting in hilarity and the unexpected. And the emotion evoked by the tension between Chuck & Sarah (not helped by Ellie's constant "I'm so happy you finally found a girlfriend" remarks), his belief that Sarah is way out of his nerd-league, the experiences with his ex-girlfriend (who re-appears in season 2), and his quest for more (a normal life and better job, for starters) creates endearing, genuine characters.

Season 1 was released on DVD & Blu-ray a couple months ago, and season 2 (which is even better than season 1) is currently airing on Monday nights at 7pm on NBC. It's a show you really need to watch in order, so check out the season 1 DVDs, catch up on the previous season 2 episodes at NBC.com, and watch the latest episode every Monday night!

More Information

EVPL Catalog: Check on the availability of Chuck: The Complete First Season on DVD at EVPL libraries.
NBC.com: Official website of Chuck. Find out more about the show, and watch full episodes from season 2!
Amazon: Buy Chuck: The Complete First Season on DVD or Blu-ray using these links, and the Public Library Friends will receive a portion of your purchase!

Doomsday, wrathful robots, other cheerfulness in "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles"

professor.knowsitall@evpl — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 15:38:00 GMT

Being a self-proclaimed sci-fi geek, I love the Terminator movies. With three theatrical movies, and a fourth coming in 2009 (Terminator Salvation, starring Christian Bale!), Fox decided to capitalize on the series' success with a spin-off television series. Season 1 of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles began airing in January of 2008, and was recently released on DVD & Blu-ray.

Explaining the TV show requires a bit of backstory from the movies, so here goes...

The Terminator (1984) - In 1997, a computer system called Skynet becomes self-aware, unleashes a nuclear apocalypse on humanity, and builds an army of robots to destroy the few surviving humans that have formed a resistance. The leader of this resistance is John Connor, and under his command they are able to keep humanity alive.

In 2029, Skynet decides to send an indestructible Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger) back in time, to the year 1984, to kill John's mother, Sarah. If they kill Sarah, John will never be born, thus never organizing the resistance. Upon learning of Skynet's plan, the resistance sends one of their own to the year 1984, to protect Sarah from the Terminator. Fortunately, Sarah stays alive and the Terminator is destroyed.

Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) - It's now 1993. Sarah Connor is in a mental institution for "delusions". John Connor is a rebellious youth, living with foster parents. Skynet decides to send a more advanced Terminator to kill John. Future-John (in 2029) has reprogrammed a T-100 (Arnold) and sent him to 1993 to protect young-John. They bust Sarah out of the institution and destroy Cyberdyne, a company creating robotic endoskeletons (used in the future for the robot armies). This successfully delays the nuclear apocalypse.

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003) - Forget about this one. Has no correlation with this TV show.

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles takes place in 1997. Sarah & John have been on the run for four years, pursued by the FBI for charges of terrorism. While at school one day, John discovers that his substitute teacher is a Terminator sent back in time to kill him. And guess what?

The resistance has sent a female Terminator named Cameron, played by Summer Glau (best-known for her role in Firefly & Serenity), to protect him. Cameron transports Sarah & John to the year 2007, as that is now the year that Skynet takes over. Agent Ellison of the FBI picks up the case, after it remained stagnant for the previous 10 years.

Sarah, John, & Cameron are on a mission to discover what Skynet is and to destroy it. Turns out that an advanced chess computer, that has garnered military interest, is the prime suspect. As Agent Ellison investigates Sarah's record, including visiting her former psychiatrist from the mental institution, he slowly begins to realize that she wasn't lying. The final episode features an epic battle, to Johnny Cash's "When the Man Comes Around" (one of his last songs, containing many references to the Book of Revelations), which literally gave me goosebumps.

While a bit cheesy at times, as most TV shows are, I found the acting and plot to be top-notch. It was also fascinating to see concepts, never fully explained in the movies, fleshed out. Fans of the Terminator films, good sci-fi, and thought-provoking storylines should definitely check it out!

More Information

EVPL Catalog: Check availability of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles at EVPL libraries.
Amazon.com: Buy Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles on DVD or Blu-ray using this link, and the Public Library Friends will receive a portion of your purchase.
Internet Movie Database: Find out more about the show at IMDB.
Fox.com: View the official website of the TV show.

"Spaced" a short-lived, hilarious TV comedy

professor.knowsitall@evpl — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 21:02:00 GMT

I'm a fan of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. In the States, this comedic duo is best known for Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz (both of which I highly recommend!). They got their start in a British television comedy called Spaced; it ran for two seasons (14 episodes total) during 1999-2001. It finally made its way to the US this past July in a DVD box set of the entire series.

It's a very difficult show to describe...so, ripped from Wikipedia:

Tim Bisley (Pegg) and Daisy Steiner (Jessica Hynes) are two London twenty-somethings who meet by chance in a cafe while both are flat-hunting. Despite barely knowing each other, they conspire to pose as a young professional couple in order to meet the requisites of an advertisement for a relatively cheap flat, in the distinctive building at 23 Meteor Street, Tufnell Park, which is owned by and also houses the landlady, Marsha Klein. Also in the building is Brian Topp, an eccentric conceptual artist who lives and works on his various pieces in the ground floor flat. Frequent visitors are Tim's best friend, Mike Watt (Frost) and Daisy's best friend, Twist Morgan.

The series largely concerns the colorful and surreal adventures of Tim and Daisy as they navigate through life, decide on what they want to do with their lives, come to terms with affairs of the heart, and try to figure out new and largely unproductive ways of killing time. Tim and Daisy repeatedly stress that they aren't a couple to everyone but Marsha, but despite (or because of) this, romantic tension develops between them, particularly during the second series.

The central comedic conceit of the series is that it portrays the rather ordinary lives of Daisy and Tim using overblown Hollywood blockbuster clichés.

Like their forays into Hollywood, Spaced provides non-stop laughs, constant pop-culture parodies, crazy camerawork, a great cast, and a surprising amount of character development.

With 5 stars on Amazon, a 9.8/10 rating on IMDB, and my rave review, Spaced comes highly recommended.

More Information

EVPL Catalog: Check the availability of and/or place a hold on Spaced.
Amazon.com: Buy it at Amazon and support the Public Library Friends!
Wikipedia: Find out about the history of the show.

"Weeds" : a cure for "Sopranos" and "Six Feet Under" withdrawal

this.is.not.here@evpl — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 17:11:00 GMT

I just finished watching the 2^nd Season of “Weeds” the highly controversial series from Showtime. I had not realized how much I had missed well-written, well-acted, compelling tv shows like The Sopranos or Six Feet Under. “Weeds”, starring Mary Louise Parker, is about a recently widowed soccer mom determined to maintain the lifestyle to which she has become accustomed at any cost. She has discovered there is already a market for the product she has decided to sell. Namely marijuana. Sounds simple enough.... Instead she has created a life that is somewhat schizophrenic. She walks a tightrope strung between two worlds. In one she must contend with a supplier from the other side of the tracks and in the other she is a normal working single mom facing the ordinary challenges of raising two sons. The juxtaposition of these two roles is evident as she secretly deals drugs to the city councilman at her kids soccer game and then yells at her teenage son when she discovers him having sex with the girl next door under her roof. “Weeds” pushes the envelope. I’m anxiously awaiting Season 3.

I love hearing about new tv shows that the library has on DVD. What have you seen lately that really impressed you and became "must see DVD"?

KA-POW!!! "Batman: The Movie" a campy good bat-time!

professor.knowsitall@evpl — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 21:26:00 GMT

I must preface this review with the fact that I'm only 25 years old. I did not get to experience Adam West's Batman during its bat-heydey in the 60s. However, I do have fond memories of going to grandma & grandpa's (they had cable!) as a kid, watching reruns on their HUGE 27-inch console TV.

To commemorate its 42nd bat-anniversary, along with cashing in on the bat-success of The Dark Knight, Fox re-released Batman: The Movie on DVD, and for the first time released it in HD on Blu-ray. I recently viewed the Blu-ray version and, having never seen the film, didn't know what to bat-expect.

The story is about as crazy as they come:
The Joker, the Penguin, the Riddler, and Catwoman team up to highjack Commodore Schmidlapp's yacht containing a superdehydrator. This superdehydrator can extract all moisture from a human, reducing them to a pile of dust. The villians' plan to take over the world by dehydrating the 9 members of the United World Security Council and holding their dusty remains for ransom. It's up to Batman & Robin, with their Batmobile, Batcopter, Batboat, and all their miscellaneous bat-tools (all prefixed with the word "bat-"), to put a stop to this evil bat-menace!!!

Within the first five bat-minutes of the film, you know what you're in for. When an at-sea rescue attempt gets foiled, Batman finds himself dangling on a rope ladder from the Batcopter, being attacked by one of the Penguin's exploding sharks! Thanks to 1960s special effects, the exploding shark is a giant rubber shark attached to West's bat-leg that he beats mercilessly with his bat-fists. Holy sardine, Batman! Robin retrieves the shark repellent bat-spray from the cockpit, gets it to Batman, and with a single spray the shark falls back to the sea, exploding on bat-impact (I'm guessing PETA didn't exist in the 60s).

The movie features lots of campy, laugh-inducing bat-dialog:

Batman: [reading a riddle] What has yellow skin and writes?
Robin: A ball-point banana!
Batman: [reads the second riddle] What people are always in a hurry?
Robin: Rushing people... Russians!
Batman: So this means...
Robin: Someone Russian is going to slip on a banana and break their neck!
Batman: Precisely, Robin!

Robin: [pointing toward the sky] That crazy missile! It wrote two more riddles before it blew up!
Batman: [reading a skywritten message] "What goes up white and comes down yellow and white?"
Robin: An egg!
Batman: [reading another skywritten message] "How do you divide seventeen apples among sixteen people?"
Robin: Make apple sauce!
Batman: [thinking out loud] Apples into applesauce - A unification into one smooth mixture. An egg - nature's perfect container. The container of all our hopes for the future.
Robin: A unification and a container of hope? United World Organization!
Batman: Precisely, Robin! And there's a special meeting of the Security Council today. If what I fear is true...
Robin: Wow! Let's commandeer a taxi!
Batman: No, Robin. Not at this time of day. Luckily, we're in tip-top condition. It'll be faster if we run. Let's go!
Robin: [while running] Holy marathon! I'm getting a stitch, Batman!
Batman: Let's hope that it's a stitch in time, Robin, that saves nine - The nine members of the United World Security Council. Come on.

My only bat-complaints...

It's an hour and forty minutes long, which isn't too terribly long, but the campiness does wear a bit thin towards the bat-end. Also, the bat-ending is pretty uneventful.
WHERE IS MR. FREEZE?!?!?!? He was my favorite bat-villain in the TV series, and he could've easily been worked in, making the fearsome-foursome a fearsome-fivesome.

I still recommend this movie, just for the sheer bat-goofiness of it all. It's a fun look at Batman prior to his 80s gone-goth makeover. So check out this bat-DVD, pop some bat-popcorn, relax in your bat-recliner, and enjoy the crazy antics of Batman: The Movie!

More Information

EVPL Catalog: Find out which EVPL libraries have the movie available for checkout.
YouTube: View one of the most infamous scenes from the movie.
Internet Movie Database: Info about & reviews of the movie.
Wikipedia: Production information & history of the movie.
The Dark Knight: A review by Mediaphile@evpl.

Rome: Seasons 1 & 2

MediaPhile@evpl — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 22:06:00 GMT

I just finished a Rome marathon -- loved it! I don't subscribe to HBO but had heard great stuff about the Rome series and noticed it on the shelf and the rest is history. My son Eric says that it was the most expensive TV production ever, which probably contributed to its demise after two seasons. The plot was intricate, the characters funny and intriguing, the history believable if somewhat sketchy, lots of battles and "love" scenes, etc.

Best nonstop viewing experience since the final season of The Sopranos. Almost makes me want to give up books and watch all the TV series I've never watched (24, Lost, Deadwood, etc.) until I become a TV zombie and get so sick of it that I can no longer stand to touch a remote.