Movie Picks: October

Must See: Where the Wild Things Are (October 16)

The Deal: An adaptation of Maurice Sendak's classic children's story. After an act of disobedience sends Max to his bed without supper, he creates his own world. This world is a forest inhabited by ferocious wild creatures, Wild Things, that crown Max as their ruler. He promises that under his rule, everyone will be happy, and he frequently escapes to his imaginary kingdom. He soon finds that being the ruler is much harder than he initially thought, forcing him to rethink many of his relationships.

Why: Published in 1963, Where the Wild Things Are is a book that every child for generations grew up with and loved. Let's face it, people love to relive parts of their childhood, and who wouldn't want to see such a beloved piece of the past brought to life. After initial concerns with the film, rewrites were made, and thankfully the film moved on. When I first saw the trailer for the film, I was blown away. The visuals were awesome and the song choice was absolutely perfect. My only disappointment was that I had to wait so long to see it. Since then, there have been multiple new trailers, and every one of them has failed to disappoint. When all is said and done, Where the Wild Things Are should make a huge impact in the box office.

Sleepers

Zombieland (October 2): Anyone who has seen Shaun of the Dead knows that zombie comedies can be an absolute blast. Enter Zombieland. The trailer looks amazing, and the film should be a great kick-start for the halloween season, even if it isn't a real horror film. Early reviews are coming out and the film is gaining mostly positive reviews, further solidifying this film as the #2 film to see this month.

Couples Retreat (October 9): From the looks of the trailer, this could be a very funny film. It boasts a slew of familiar names, but lets be honest here, we all know the real reason we want to see this. The film takes place on a tropical island resort, allowing for Kristen Bell, Malin Akerman, and Kristin Davis to spend plenty of time in their bikinis. Guys sure won't be complaining, and women may enjoy the relationship aspect of the film. Plus, it's a comedy, and who doesn't like comedies?

Saw VI (October 23): To say the Saw films are great would be a stretch, but lets face it, it's halloween season and the Saw franchise consistently delivers the best horror option every year. The writers surprisingly tend to come up with new and inventive ways for people to die like it's no big deal, which keeps the films watchable. I haven't seen the last two, but I can say that even though the first few weren't great films, they definitely delivered the scare factors the audience seeks.

Review: Away We Go (2009)

Director: Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Road to Perdition)

Cast: John Krasinski (The Office, Leatherheads), Maya Rudolph (SNL, Idiocracy), Jeff Daniels (Pleasantville, Fly Away Home), Catherine O'Hara (Best in Show), Maggie Gyllenhaal (The Dark Knight, Secretary), Chris Messina (Julie & Julia, Six Feet Under), Melanie Lynskey (Two and a Half Men), Jim Gaffigan (My Boys, 17 Again), Allison Janney (The West Wing)

The Deal: With a baby on the way, Burt (Kransinski) and Verona (Rudolph) travel across the country in search of the perfect place to settle down and start their family. Their journey takes them from Phoenix, to Montreal, to Madison, and to Miami, and each stop teaches them something about what they want and don't want in their future.

Thoughts: Away We Go is very charming as it relies on its greatest strength, honesty. It takes a very realistic and honest look into what makes a functional relationship and how a couple must do what's best for them and not what other people think is best. On top of this, the film adds a constant string of straight up and awkwardly funny moments. During their stops, they visit old friends. Some are dysfunctional, some are literally crazy, and other seem perfect on the outside but must deal with struggles of their own. Each stop teaches Burt and Verona a lot about what they want to do with their life, and you can't help but hope for the two to get the happy, normal life they so desperately want.

Krasinski and Rudolf have pretty good chemistry on screen. They truly feel like an odd couple that many people misunderstand, but deep down, not only are they perfect for each other, but they are more normal than one would guess at first glance. Gyllenhaal was in approximately 15 minutes of the film, but it'd be nearly impossible not to remember her role. Her and her husband were way off the deep end with their beliefs (they are deathly afraid of strollers, for one thing). When Burt and Verona are finally pushed over the edge, the ensuing argument with Gyllenhaal's character is one of the funniest of the whole movie. The shear oddity of the character is unforgettable.

Early in the film, Burt and Verona make it clear that one of their biggest fears it becoming f*&@ ups. In their travels, they essentially view all ends of the spectrum when it comes to parenthood. They view the bad parents (Lily and Lowell) who have little care over what their kids do or hear, the really good and happily involved parents (Tom and Munch), and the absolutely strange parents (LN and Roderick). Now I've already mentioned that Gyllenhaal's character LN has some very far out beliefs that will most certainly isolate her children from others later in life, but I'd like to throw some focus to Tom and Munch. This couple really played to the emotional side of the film. They're adoptive parents due to some unfortunate events, and as we learn more about their situation, you can't help but feel incredibly sorry for them. When they get together with Burt and Verona, the following scenes are some of the most powerful in the film.

Verdict: Away We Go is a funny, honest, heartwarming, and an entertaining look into what goes into a relationship and starting a family. It's well worth watching. ☆☆☆☆

Heroes Review: Ink

Well, well, well, if Heroes continues to churn out episodes like this, I'll be a very happy viewer. It isn't perfect, but it's maybe one of the five best episodes to air since the first season ended. The episode focuses on just a few characters: Peter (Milo Ventimiglia), Claire (Hayden Panettiere), Matt (Greg Grunberg), and the new villain Samuel (Robert Knepper). A few other characters get pulled into these story lines, but we have no appearance from Hiro, Ando, Nikki, Angela, or Nathan. This makes for some well developed scenes. Peter is being sued by a man from a bus crash, but the man is not who or what he claims to be. His story line also introduces us to another new character, Emma (Deanne Bray). She's deaf but is discovering that she can see sound. It's yet to be determined how she will fit in, but she was very interesting in the episode.

Claire must now deal with Gretchen (Madeline Zima) discovering her ability. She's hesitant to tell the truth, and when Noah (Jack Coleman) visits for lunch, she finds herself between her father and new friend. There's some interesting tension in the restaurant, capped by a great moment where Noah realizes Gretchen knows Claire's secret. When asked what he does, he says that he's retired but always finding new reasons to go back to work. Knowing how her father plans to handle the situation, Claire must step in, call him off, and finally trust Gretchen. It's a risk we know will probably backfire on her, but for know it's the right move.

Finally, in the best third of the episode, we have Parkman. As disappointing as it was to see Sylar (Zachary Quinto) back so soon, these thoughts are quickly fading. The dynamic of having Syler in Matt's head is causing massive repercussions in his life. As much as we should know how Sylar operates by now, I still found myself fascinated and mildly surprised by the outcome of the story line. It was a really good moment, one that I won't spoil, but I hope that things continue to happen this way.

Verdict: Two more episodes like this and Heroes can re-cement itself as a true powerhouse show again. The episode keeps things simple, following only three story lines, and the developments are all well done and very promising for future episodes. ☆☆☆☆

House Review: Epic Fail

After my disappointment with House's (Hugh Laurie) quick exit from the mental institution, I was happy to see him still struggling to find his footing and seeking the advice of the institution's head. Trying not to use vicodin at all costs, he seeks a hobby to take his mind off of things. Being the genius he is and using his natural ability for chemistry, he quickly finds himself as a gourmet chef. It was a fun and interesting direction, and Laurie seemed to have a lot of fun with it. But, as expected, the leg pain is coming back, and the cooking just isn't going to continue doing it for him, so naturally, he discovers that solving medical problems can be his fix. It's a little too convenient of a method to get him back at the hospital, but this really had to be expected, though it would have been nice to draw it out a bit more.

While House is off whipping up delicious food, Foreman (Omar Epps) lobbies his way into House's old position, taking control of the team and the new patient. This story line was unfortunately very weak. The patient is impatient with Foreman's diagnostics, and enlists the help of internet forums to help solve his case. Obviously, Foreman can't stand this, and the two butt heads the whole episode. This would seem like a fairly standard format for the show, but there is an added side to the story. The patient is a video game designer, and he starts hallucinating that he's in his own game. What we get are a series of long scenes where we are immersed in a video game world. It didn't feel right for the show, and in no way worked for them like it did for South Park a few seasons ago ("Make Love, Not Warcraft").

Verdict: After a very good season premiere, Epic Fail makes a few bad decisions that don't fit the show. The House story line was fun for a while, but we're two episodes in and the show is already right back where it always is. ☆☆☆

Review: Monsters vs Aliens (2009)

Directors: Rob Letterman (Shark Tale), Conrad Vernon (Shrek 2)

Cast: Reese Witherspoon (Legally Blonde, Walk the Line), Seth Rogan (Knocked Up, Superbad), Hugh Laurie (House, Stuart Little), Will Arnett (Arrested Development, Blades of Glory), Kiefer Sutherland (24, Stand by Me), Rainn Wilson (The Office, The Rocker), Stephen Colbert (The Colbert Report), Pual Rudd (Role Models, Knocked Up), Amy Poehler (SNL, Baby Mama), John Krasinski (The Office, License to Wed), Renee Zellweger (Bridget Jones's Diary, Jerry Maguire), Ed Helms (The Office, The Hangover)

The Deal: When California girl Susan Murphy (Witherspoon) is unwittingly hit by a meteor full of quantonium on her wedding day, she unexpectedly grows to almost 50 feet tall. The military takes over, and Susan is transported to a secret facility for monsters. There, she is renamed Ginormica and meets Dr Cockroach (Laurie), B.O.B. (Rogan), The Missing Link (Arnett), and Insectosaurus. Meanwhile, in the depths of outer space, the alien Gallaxhar (Wilson) desperately seeks to gather the universe's quantonium, so he dispatches a giant robot to Earth. When the mosters unite to bring down the robot, Gallaxhar travels to Earth to personally unleash his army and take over the world, something only monsters can stop.

Thoughts: "Attention all aliens. Destroy all monsters." It's a great line, but it only tells half the story of this film. It's almost disappointing that there isn't more monster versus alien action, but then I remember the humor, and I let it slide. The jokes tend to hit their mark most of the time, which is really the saving grace of the film. The story is predictable at times, but some of that is because the film is somewhat of a homage to classic monster and alien flicks. I thought the animation in the film wasn't anything mind-blowing, but it did look nice and felt right for the film.

The voice cast was pretty good. I liked the collection of well known actors and actresses, and their personalities worked well for the characters. I thought Seth Rogan stood out the most. Though he seems to be doing the same comedy act in every one of his films, it felt fresh and very funny this time around. Some of it was B.O.B.'s lack of intelligence, but much of the credit can go to Rogan's delivery. I've enjoyed Will Arnett since his days on Arrested Development, and I though The Missing Link's tough-guy attitude was perfect for Arnett, who always comes across less tough that he actually is, which can be very funny.

Verdict: It might not prove to be unforgettable, but it is a fun and entertaining film that the whole family can sit down and enjoy. ☆☆☆1/2

Dexter Review: Living the Dream

Dexter: husband, father, serial killer. I really couldn't have hoped for a better episode than what the season premiere delivered. It addressed many of the questions last season left us with, as well as established yet another truly sinister serial killer for Dexter (Michael C. Hall) to hunt this season. We knew Dexter's life would be difficult with the marriage, but the demands of raising a baby are taking their toll on Dexter, forcing him into errors he never would have made before. He's messing up cases and botching his captures, and the episode ends in a thrilling cliff hanger that should make a major impact on the remainder of the season and how Dexter will have to operate.

There is a mysterious murder that is made all the more interesting when Agent Lundy (Keith Carridine) comes out of retirement. The murderer (John Lithgow) is known as the "Trinity Killer", and has eluded Lundy's capture for the better of 30 years. We get a glimpse of the chilling methods the killer uses, and Lithgow's performance could elevate the character into Dexter's most worthy and challenging target yet.

Deb (Jennifer Carpenter) is still dating Anton (David Ramsey), and the sudden return of Lundy, with whom she had romantic dealings with previously, should put some needed tension into her life. We also see relationships budding for Laguerta (Lauren Velez), Batista (David Zayas), and Quinn (Desmond Harrington). Quinn's will make for an interesting subplot, as the new woman could provide some shake-ups every once and a while. As for Laguerta and Batista, they both are now involved with someone not too surprising, but it could provide some problems for the two down the road.

Verdict: Dexter is back and firing on all cylinders. The episode immediately addresses the difficulties Dexter will face this season, and delivers a new and chilling adversary that will push Dexter to his limits. ☆☆☆☆1/2

Dollhouse Review: Vows

After a very shaky first season full of ups and many downs, Dollhouse is back and surprisingly, the season premiere hits home, giving the show some much needed promise. The episode is not perfect by any means, but events in Vows clearly set up a few interesting story lines that will circulate through the season. Paul Pallard (Tahmoh Penikett) is now working in the Dollhouse, continuing to have very close interactions with Echo (Eliza Dushku). Topher (Fran Kranz) seems on edge, running on little sleep, mainly because Dr Saunders (Amy Acker) is aware she's a doll and is harassing him with annoying games. These two sets of character interactions drive this episode through the show's emphasis on action as well as the growing moral dilemmas at stake.

As the show begins, we see Echo on assignment, and she's getting married to Martin Klar (Battlestar Galactica's Jamie Bamber), a British arms dealer. She's working undercover for Ballard to try and bring down Klar. It's an interesting and positive turn for the show, as it seems Echo will no longer have missions that seem like an absolute waste of time and ability. Echo is still self-aware, and with Ballard's ulterior motives still in the dark, it will be very interesting to see how he progresses these missions.

The other half of the episode focuses on Topher and Dr Saunders. Saunders now knows she is a doll programed by Topher, and she hates him for it. She relentlessly pesters and threatens him, and it's clearly starting to break him. When the two finally have a confrontation, they both break down and explain each other's feelings. This scene really addresses all of the questions regarding moral issues that occur in the show, and it shows that Topher does in fact view the dolls as more than just devices. By the end of the episode, both of the characters clearly have a new take on what they are doing, and both seem to be taking the conversation into account with their actions.

Verdict: Though the show still has work to do to undo much of the first seasons missteps, Vows does an excellent job setting up the season to be the entertaining and mysterious show it was always meant to be. ☆☆☆☆

The Office Review: The Meeting

This week's episode ends with a big shake-up for the office, one that may or may not go over smoothly with some (if the above picture isn't enough evidence). The move will add another strong storyline for the season in addition to the pregnancy and affair fallout. It should also open a slew of doors in the comedy department, allowing for a whole new level of jokes and antics.

The other main plot from the episode centers around Darryl (Craig Robinson). After getting injured at work, he's filing for worker's compensation, but Dwight thinks he's lying. Somehow, he convinces Toby (Paul Lieberstein) to help him play detective and get to the truth of Darryl's injury. The pairing seems quite odd at first, but it's fun seeing Toby in unfamiliar territory with Dwight.

I can't really say much more about the episode without spoiling too much. The majority up the episode dealt with setting up the big shake-up, and I don't even want to say who is involved in it for those who haven't seen this yet. What I can say is that this is another good episode for the show, delivering plenty of laughs to go along all of the growing plot developments.

Verdict: The duo of Dwight and Toby is quite odd, but very funny. As for the big shake-up, it should add another great storyline to the season, giving the show a lot of good material to build upon and stay on top of its game. ☆☆☆☆

FlashForward Review: No More Good Days

At 11 AM, for exactly 2 minutes and 17 seconds, the entire world blacks out. In that time span, everyone sees where they will be 6 months in the future. Just as you'd expect, in that short amount of time, absolute devastation occurs. Cars crash, oil tankers explode, and people die. The show follows many characters, all of whom seem destined to directly effect each other's future outcome, but the central character is Mark Benford (Joeseph Fiennes). He's an FBI agent, and after he details his vision to his superior, he is placed at the head of the investigation of the flashforwards. His plan is to create an online database where people can share their visions in hopes of creating connections that can lead to an answer.

The episode does a solid job sparking intrigue and mystery. There are some very interesting futures that may lie ahead, and we get an early glimpse into how some of these interactions are going to come together. Another cool aspect falls on the people who saw nothing in their flashforward, as it's safe to assume that they will be dead in six months time unless they can figure out what happened and how to change their future. I'm not quite sold on the show yet, but for now, I'm interested to learn where this is going and I plan on still tuning in.

One of the weaknesses of the show is it's acting. There are a lot of familiar faces on screen (some kind of surprising, ie Seth MacFarlane), but I'm not overly impressed with their performances. Many characters come across as flat, and some I already don't really care about because of this. That's not a good thing for only the first episode. As of right now, the show has a few more weeks for the performances to improve and the story to get stronger before I would consider giving up on the show.

Verdict: Though the premise is very interesting, the episode fails to blow me away. If FlashForward wants to become the next Lost, it really needs build upon this set-up within the next couple of episodes, or it could be doomed to cancelation. ☆☆☆

Community Review: Pilot & Spanish 101

This show was completely off my radar until last week. I ended up watching it only because it followed The Office and I had nothing better to do, and the pilot was pleasantly hilarious. Not one to be convinced by a first impression, I watched it again this week, and I can now safely assume that Community is in fact very funny. My biggest concern with the show is whether or not it can remain good for more than even half a season. The premise is funny now, but I fear they will quickly run out of good material. That being said, it's time to explore the elements that have made this enjoyable so far.

Jeff Winger (Joel McHale, The Soup) is attending community college after his law degree is deemed void. Not one to try very hard, he assembles a collection of quirky students to form a study group, but his real focus is landing the girl, Britta (Gillian Jacobs). The first episode serves as an interesting introduction to the group made up of almost every type of person you'd find at community college. There's the star high school athlete, the aged older man looking to further his studies and make friends, the somewhat dumb guy, the crazy girl from high school, etc. Jeff is a smart-ass and very full and confident with himself, yet the only one who doesn't immediately far to his will is Britta. His advances are continually shot down, yet his effort never wanes. It's their interactions that make for pretty much all of the humor in the show.

The second episode (Spanish 101) finally finds the group in the spanish class they study together for. Senor Chang (Ken Jeong) assigns the students to come up with a five-line dialogue in spanish, and after a slew of last minute attempts for the students to rig their partner assignments, Jeff finds himself stuck with Pierce (Chevy Chase). Pierce is hell-bent on making friends with Jeff (he idolizes him), and his attempts are borderline insane and definitely creepy. While most groups require only minutes to figure out their conversation, Pierce insists the two "wow" the audience, developing an full blown skit with multiple acts. Jeff tries to ditch out, but ultimately, he gives in and becomes part of one of the funniest two minutes I've ever watched on television.

Verdict: Though I'm skeptical the show can stay fresh for more than half a season, for now, it is an absolutely hysterical half-hour. McHale is funny in the lead, and Chevy Chase has shown he's far from irrelevant in the comedy department. ☆☆☆☆

Glee Review: Preggers

The latest episode of Glee opts to forgo a marquee song performance, and instead focuses on character and plot developments, but it's far from a bad thing. In fact, it's a great thing. The episode delivers more plot pieces that can last through the whole season, and delivers some absolutely hysterical moments. The biggest focus this week is on Kurt (Chris Colfer). After his dad catches him dancing to Beyonce's Single Ladies, he lies about being the kicker on the football team. This act prompts him to ask a favor of Finn (Cory Monteith). Channeling the Beyonce rhythm, Kurt actually makes the team, proving to be the only student who can put the ball between the goalposts, even if he does need to dance before kicking.

Since the football team is so terrible, Finn gets the idea that maybe they all need to loosen up more if they want to win, and suggests they all take dance lessons. What ensues is the team performing a choreographed dance sequence to, yep, you guessed it, Single Ladies before a last second play. It's a good one to two minutes of pure, hysterical entertainment. With the game on the line, it comes down Kurt to win one for the team and make his dad proud.

Now, getting back to the title of the episode (this is a SPOILER), "Preggers" does not directly refer to Will's (Matthew Morrison) wife. Quinn (Dianna Agron), the president of the celibacy club, is pregnant! Finn has no clue what to do, and he seeks Will for counsel.

The other big storyline continues to be Rachel's (Lea Michele) need to be the star. Will wants to spread the solo's around to boost everyone's confidence, something Rachel very much dislikes. She wants the starlight, and she still feels Will is punishing her for her outburst during last weeks episode, prompting her to question her commitment to the club.

Verdict: Though the episode is another plot mover instead of a musical show-stopper, it is probably the funniest episode of Glee so far. ☆☆☆☆

Heroes Review: Orientation & Jump, Push, Fall

The two-hour season premiere is really just the first two episodes sandwiched together, and it shows. The first hour (Orientation) does little to re-kindle the fire that made the first season so good, instead, it continues the shaky path of the last two seasons. The episode is definitely just meant to set up the rest of the season. We catch up with where the characters are at, as well as meet the ones likely destined to serve as the new villains. Claire (Hayden Panettiere) is "done" telling lies and is now enrolled in college, Noah (Jack Coleman) is struggling with being alone, Hiro (Masi Oka) and Ando (James Kyson Lee) start "Dial a Hero", and Matt (Greg Grunberg) is through "using" his power. It's all predictable and boring. On the plus side, Peter (Milo Ventimiglia) is at least interesting. He's back working as a paramedic, and his sole interest in gaining powers is to help him do his job better so he can save more lives. It's what most of us imagine a real life hero would do, and it's a good direction for the character.

The second hour (Jump, Push, Fall) isn't brilliant by any means, but is entertaining and moderately promising for the rest of the season. There are decent plot developments, the episode uses the right amount of action, and it doesn't try to explore every character's entire story arc. This is probably why the two were aired together, because the second hour negates the frustrating first. On Claire's end, her roommate may have committed suicide, but choosing to play detective, she must figure out if it was a suicide or murder that caused her roommate to fall out the window. The new "bad guys" are trying to find a compass for a yet-to-be-revealed reason, and Peter and Noah find themselves in possession of said compass. The mystery of this object's importance is good, and I'm very happy they haven't rush the answer.

A few things remain very frustrating. First, Hiro and Ando are still used for comic relief. I get it, they're the funny duo, but please give them something more to do that look like idiots. Their new hero business has them saving stuck cats. Hiro is still struggling with nose bleeds and blackouts, so I fail to see why the focus hasn't shifted entirely to that story line with them. Secondly, and I' not surprised at all by this, Syler (Zach Quinto) is already starting to show himself. After trapping Syler in Nathan's (Adrian Pasdar) body last season and wiping his memory, you'd hope they could last at least half the season before bringing him back, but that occurrence happens almost instantaneously. Somehow, the writers find a way to spoil every decent idea they come up with. Haven't they heard of patience? Lastly, Danko was offed way too quickly. Niki (Ali Larter) survived and declared vengeance on Danko, and instead of opting for a game of cat and mouse, the writers have him killed quickly by one of the new characters.

Verdict: Though not great, the second hour makes up for the lackluster first hour. There's still a shred of hope for this season, but the writers need to shape up and let things actually develope on screen instead of forcing events to happen too quickly. ☆☆☆

House Review: Broken

Dr House (Hugh Laurie) is back, but he's in unfamiliar territory. After the events of last season led him to check into a mental institution, he now finds himself amidst many truly insane people. Sure, many of the patients initially seem to be a set of pawns for him to toy with, but an underlying fact remains. House himself knows he needs help. This episode acts as a homage to One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and House really is this perfect character to plug into a role of mental ward instigator. He's an elitist asshole (you know it, I know, and he knows it), and he spares no time unleashing himself on the ward. It allows for a great amount of humor, especially from his hilarious roommate Alvie.

As funny as the episode can be, it still is the serious show we love. House knows that he's "broken" and needs help, but it's his futile resistance to let others help him that remains his underlying problem. It's not until he meets Lydia (Franka Potente, The Bourne Identity), a sister-in-law one of the patients, that things start to come together for House. There is immediate chemistry between the two, but she's married and House struggles with knowing how to proceed. His behavior improves, but despite his efforts to help other patients, he's still causing problems. The romantic frustration and growing guilt cause him much turmoil, forcing him to make very uncommon actions that lead him down the path of recovery.

The most frustrating part of this episode has little to to with the episode itself, but more with the season as a whole (mainly because this is only the first episode). One of the most interesting things to this season was House's mental state, and him seeking help was a surprising and very fascinating move for the show. Despite setting these events up for half of last season, House needs only a two-hour episode to be fixed. Yes, his time in the ward was truly great television, but the progression he made should have been spread out over a few more episodes. We're only one episode in and House will be returning to work. Yes, he may be a changed man and things will go differently, but staying in the mental hospital for a bit more would have left a very interesting and welcomed mark on the sixth season.

Verdict: Dr House stirring up the mental hospital would make R.P. McMurphy proud, providing for some very comical moments alongside the deeper struggles of the character, but the quick progression out of the mental hospital is disappointing. ☆☆☆☆

The Office Review: Gossip

Last time we saw our favorite Dunder Mifflin employees, the big news was Pam (Jenna Fischer) getting pregnant. We pick up a few weeks later, no one in the office knows she's pregnant, and Jim (John Krasinski) and Pam only just told their parents the big news. After learning an employee may be having an affair and telling everyone, Michael (Steve Carell) starts spreading false rumors about any and everyone in hopes that they will shrug off the affair rumor. Little does Michael know, he hits a little too close to home with some of his made up rumors. It makes for a slew of hilarious exchanges between characters, especially when Andy (Ed Helms) seems to think he may actually be gay.

What the episode does so well is mix all of the crazy and ridiculous antics the office is known for with more recent developing story lines that this season will most certainly be focusing on (the baby and the affair fallout). Aside from all of the funny false gossip Michael spreads, the episode opens with Michael, Dwight (Rainn Wilson), and Andy recklessly navigating the office in a poor attempt to imitate a Parkour video they saw online. They are all terrible at it, and they have the most useless stunts throughout the office. It's vintage Office at its best.

The episode also had a new but very fitting addition. It was the summer interns' last day in the office, and they are part of the reason Michael became so obsessed with gossip. They are the butt of a handful of jokes, including probably the episode's funniest one. I won't spoil the joke, but I will paint a small picture to get your minds buzzing if you haven't watched this yet. Dwight is wishing the three interns the best of luck, and he offers some of his wise advice about their futures. Two interns are guys, one is a girl, and the joke is something only Dwight would ever say. It's was absolutely hilarious and still has me laughing.

Verdict: The Office picks up where it left off last season. Jim and Pam will be having a kid, one of the characters is having an affair, and all of the crazy and hilarious antics are back in fresh, full force. It's a great season start for one of TV's best shows. ☆☆☆☆1/2

Review: Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Director: Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill)

Cast: Brad Pitt (Ocean's Eleven, Troy), Christoph Waltz, Melanie Laurent, Eli Roth (Death Proof, Hostel), Diane Kruger (National Treasure, Troy), Daniel Bruhl (The Bourne Ultimatum), Martin Wuttke, B.J. Novak (The Office), Michael Fassbender (300, Band of Brothers), Til Schweiger, Mike Myers (Austin Powers, Shrek)

The Deal: In Nazi occupied France, a young Jewish girl Shosanna Dreyfus witnesses the murder of her family by Colonel Hans Landa (Waltz), the famed "Jew hunter". Several years later, German war hero Fredrick Zoller (Bruhl) takes an interest in her, and when he gets her theater to host the premiere of his upcoming film, Shosanna plots her revenge. With the possibility that every major Nazi officer may be in attendance, a ruthless group of Jewish-American soldiers known as the "Basterds" led by Lt. Aldo Raine (Pitt) conspire a plan to crash the premiere and end the war in one fell swoop. As plans are set in motion, paths will cross for a fateful event that will shake history to its core.

Thoughts: Tarantino is back, following up his disappointing Death Proof with a film that oozes everything that has made him such a great director. The film is long, and does tend to drag a bit in the middle, but that does nothing to take away from the brilliant work he has laid down. The film is told in five chapters, with the first three covering three separate story lines, the forth covers the plan, and the fifth intertwines all of the stories into a very thrilling closing act. The cinematography is vintage Tarantino, the dialogue is sharp and witty, and the action is brutally violent.

With so much good dialogue, it's no surprise to find so many good performances, but Christoph Waltz absolutely steals the show. Early rumblings from Cannes had mixed reviews of the film, but all raved about Waltz, and it's clear why. He was chillingly precise while remaining entirely quirky and somewhat unpredictable. His performance could win him many awards and cement him as a household name in the next few years. Brad Pitt has around 30 minutes of screen time, but you don't notice the small amount. His character has a brutally hilarious southern accent, and his take on Italian was quite funny. Melanie Laurent created a very endearing character, and very much felt like the heart of the devious plot.

Boy, wouldn't it just be swell if this film had been based on a true story? Hitler and his Nazi minions meets their demise, and there is absolutely no remorse or restraint in their deaths. The final 30 minutes of the film are excellent, capped by a string of both surprising and predictable moments. The most satisfying of which is Hitler's. I'll try not to spoil too much, but I'll just say that the most violent Basterd gets his crack at the Fuhrer, and he unleashes hell. With such a massacre, some may find it disturbing, but considering the level of anti-Nazi feelings from the WWII era, many will find the outcome well deserved, showing the same lack of remorse the Basterds sport.

Verdict: Tarantino delivers with one of his best efforts. Good acting (great from Waltz), sharp dialogue, brutal violence, and beautiful cinematography make Inglourious Basterds one of the most entertaining and satisfying films of the year. ☆☆☆☆

Glee Review: Acafellas

The big theme for this week's episode was confidence. Will (Matthew Morrison) isn't confident that he still has his moves, Rachel (Lea Michele) isn't confident that the outdated routines will put her in enough spotlight, Mercedes (Amber Riley) doubts her attractiveness, and Kurt (Chris Colfer) is too afraid to admit what he really is. Really, a case could be made for almost every character that they lacked confidence for something. All of them meet their fears head on, and mostly all of them make some form of progress on it.

The episode's biggest focus was on Will's storyline. After the club requests a separate choreographer, he goes through a crisis. His solution is creating an adult boy band with a bunch of the other teachers at the high school, a decision that boosts not only his confidence, but really dials up the passion in his marriage. They are surprisingly good, and after much debate, settle on the name "Acafellas". It's a clever band name, and fits their style. Due to confidence issues, a few of the teachers back out before the big performance, but Finn (Cory Monteith) and Puck (Mark Salling) fill the vacant spots.

The episode seemed to serve more as a plot mover than a dynamite installment, but it still had much of the atmosphere and gleam of the previous episodes. The highlight comes at the end when Josh Groban makes a guest appearance at the Acafellas' show. Most would expect him to have some singing performance, and though some will be disappointed that he doesn't, he does provide the funniest moments of the episode.

Verdict: A solid, plot-moving episode that is less glamorous than previous episodes, yet still delivers enough entertainment. ☆☆☆1/2

Review: Extract (2009)

Director: Mike Judge (Office Space, Idiocracy)

Cast: Jason Bateman (Arrested Development, Juno), Mila Kunis (That 70's Show, Forgetting Sarah Marshall), Kristen Wiig (Saturday Night Live, Adventureland), Ben Affleck (Dogma, Good Will Hunting), J.K. Simmons (Spider-Man, Juno), Clifton Collins Jr. (Crank: High Voltage), Dustin Milligan (The Butterfly Effect 2, 90210), David Koechner (Anchorman, Thank You for Smoking), Beth Grant (Donnie Darko)

The Deal: Joel (Bateman) is the owner of an extract manufacturing plant. He's unhappy with the lack of intimacy with his wife Suzie (Wiig), and his life only becomes more complicated when his soon-to-be-promoted employee, Step (Collins), sustains an on-site injury. Initially willing to take a settlement, Step suddenly changes his mind, deciding to sue the company, a change of heart that seems very strange. The new girl at work, Cindy (Kunis), pushes Joel to test his marriage and the building sexual frustrations, but he soon realizes that Cindy may not be who she appears to be.

Thoughts: Though I found myself laughing throughout the film, as a whole, I was thoroughly disappointed. Mike Judge delivers much of the work-inspired humor that made Office Space such a hit, but the story itself feels dragged out and pointless much of the time. Though anyone in the working-class will find much to relate with (be it co-workers, marriage, neighbors, or on-the-job frustrations), the film fails to piece together these elements into a single, fluid story.

One thing that definitely isn't a problem with the film is its acting. Jason Bateman proves that he not only can lead a film, but that he could be the next big "it" guy. His performances are always top-notch, and he shines in his time on screen at all times. Ben Affleck is believable as a drug-enthusiest and continually spits out the worst possible advice to Joel. Davis Koechner plays the annoying neighbor who never seems to take a hint, and he was the one most consistently funny thing about the film. He nailed the role, and had me in stitches every time he flagged Joel and Suzie down to talk.

There's a scene approximately 10-minutes long half way through the film, and it probably the most bland scene of the entire film. Joel is hanging with Dean (Affleck) and one of Dean's friends, and they are showing him how to take a hit from a bong to help him calm down and forget his stress. Literally, nothing happens on screen for a long while until Cindy walks in the door. It was useless filler and a good example of why the film fails to maintain a fluid storyline.

Verdict: Though it delivers laughs consistently throughout, and the actors deliver good performances, Extract's bland story drags the film into disappointing territory. ☆☆☆

Review: Year One (2009)

Director: Harold Ramis (Groundhog Day, Analyze This)

Cast: Jack Black (School of Rock, Kung Fu Panda), Michael Cera (Arrested Development, Superbad), Davis Cross (Arrested Development, Kung Fu Panda), Olivia Wilde (House, Alpha Dog), Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Superbad, Role Models), Juno Temple, June Diane Raphael, Hank Azaria (The Simpsons, Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian), Vinnie Jones (Gone In Sixty Seconds, X-Men: The Last Stand), Oliver Platt (Frost/Nixon), Paul Rudd (Role Models, Knocked Up)

The Deal: Zed (Black), a hunter, and Oh (Cera), a gatherer, are banished from their tribe, so they set out across an ancient world. They meet a tirade of different people from the Bible, as well as visit a fictional Romanesque city. Believing he is God's chosen one, Zed longs to prove himself worthy of wooing Maya (Raphael), while Oh has his eyes set on Eema (Temple). The two get into a bit of trouble, but must work together to help Princess Inanna (Wilde) overthrow the corrupt king.

Thoughts: I was pleasantly surprised by this, not because it's very good, but because it is better than the thrashing I'd heard about it. Many of the jokes fall flat, and the story most of the time serves no purpose other than to show off the hefty list of well known comedic actors. That being said, the film does have a few funny moments, and despite its lack of a strong plot, it still proves to be fairly entertaining.

The one-two punch of Black and Cera was very hit-and-miss throughout the film. The two work well together, bouncing an endless set of one-liners back and forth, some hitting home, while others missed the mark completely. Black, as his usual self, was a bit over-the-top for my liking. It can be funny, but often proves distracting and annoying. Cera is once again type-cast, only this time it's as an awkward "caveman", yet again searching for love. He's good in those roles, but it's the same role he has in every one of his films. Davis Cross got lots of screen time, which made me happy, but his material was hit-and-miss as well. With all of the talent in the film, it was fun to see them all crop up, but the script failed to utilize their full comedic potential.

Let it be known, the humor in the film is quite stupid and childish, to the point where you're laughing and really don't know why you found it funny. Black eating bear poop was mildly funny, but Cera peeing down his face (yes, I did say that correctly) was absolutely hysterical. It was the one scene that truly was funny and memorable from the film. Cera having to give the fat guy an oil rub was supposed to be funny, but I just was grossed out. It was too much.

Verdict: Though mildly entertaining and funny at times, the film is hit-and-miss. Much of the acting talent is wasted, and the plot seems pointless far too often. ☆☆

Review: The Final Destination (2009)

Director: David R. Ellis (Final Destination 2, Snakes on a Plane)

Cast: Bobby Campo, Shantel VanSanten, Nick Zano (What I Like About You), Haley Webb, Mykelti Williamson (Forrest Gump, Lucky Number Slevin)

The Deal: Nick O'Bannon (Campo) has a horrific vision of him and his friends dying in a freak car crash at the racetrack. Uncomfortable, he convinces his friends to leave only seconds before the crash occurs. Having cheated death, they soon discover that a few of the other survivors are dying in freak accidents, and they slowly realize that death is quickly catching up with them. They must try their hardest to outsmart death and stay alive, but they may be in over their heads.

Thoughts: The fourth Final Destination lacks much of the quality of the early two, but is a clear step up from the brutal third installment. The deaths this time around are absolutely ridiculous, but I found them to be hilariously entertaining. I'd recommend watching this with a group of friends so you all can bounce witty one-liners back and forth. It's poorly acted, which isn't surprising, but the performances fit with the atmosphere of the story.

One of the scenes that I thoughts was actually quite good (spoiler alert) was when George (played by Williamson) had a slew of failed suicides. He wasn't next on death's list, so all of his attempts at suicide failed. He couldn't overdose on pain medication or even hang himself. It was a funny, yet a cool way to look at the workings of death. One of the deaths that was satisfying, yet questionable was in the pool scene (again, spoiler alert). Hunt (Zano), a sex-crazed guy, gets his insides sucked out by a pool drain. It was quite fitting, but the interesting part revolves around the death itself. I've heard from multiple sources that this idea has been tested, and the results showed that there isn't enough suction, but then there is a story about a girl who had part of her intestines sucked out. If this tells us anything, it's that Mythbusters needs to have a FInal Destination special.

A thing a bunch of us noticed is that whenever gasoline was on screen, death was nearby. Yes, many of the deaths did involve giant fiery explosions, but some didn't. Non-the-less, in the non-fiery deaths, the scene directly leading into the death had gasoline was present. It is a great thing to know so that you can prepare yourself for the soon-to-be death, because lets face it, no one watches these films for anything other than insanely unrealistic death scenes. Everything else is just mindless, boring filler.

Verdict: Though it's a bad film, the death scenes are both cool and entertaining. It's just more of the crazy deaths from the previous films, but it's far from the worst of the series. ☆☆

Glee Review: Showmance

Now that the show's season has officially kicked off, fans can be happy to know that the promising pilot from last spring was not a fluke, and Glee really could end up being the best new show on television. This episode had two distinct focuses: sexual tension and the need for more club members. Since glee clubs must have 12 members to qualify for regionals, the group must double their current amount of members, and they have a pep assembly performance to convince others to join. What the members eventually realize is that sex sells, and if they want to meet the 12-person requirement, they need to spice up their act.

Alongside this dilemma, several characters struggle with their feelings for each other. Emma (Jayma Mays) is still trying her hardest to snare Will (Matt Morrison), who is married but seems to be a little too flirty around her, possibly sending mixed signals. Rachel (Lea Michele) continues to pine for Finn (Cory Monteith), who is slowly starting to reciprocate these feelings, something his girlfriend is not happy about. The student's continual struggle to deal with raging hormones is what actually gives them the idea to give a sexier performance.

In the pilot, is was clear that Lea Michele definitely had the voice to play Rachel, as her Broadway talent shined. Monteith can sing, but he was way out of his league compared to her. This episode did a great job accounting for this noticeable difference, as they had Finn getting voice lessons from Rachel. The club's performance came about midway through the episode, and wasn't great, but still entertaining. What was great- check that, phenomenal- was Michele's rendition of Rihanna's "Take a Bow" that closed the episode. It was a wonderful showcase of how good of a singer she actually is, and the song served as a great summary of the episode's events.

Verdict: The episode delivered a handful of comedic moments into all of the sexual tension, and the episode highlight came at the end with an excellent rendition of "Take a Bow" by Lea Michele. Overall, the show is making great progress and is a lot of fun to watch. ☆☆☆☆

It's Fall TV Season!

Things have been slower here lately. I only have so much time and money to get to the theaters to see new movies, and I don't feel like flooding this place with rewind reviews. Thankfully, the fall TV season is almost upon us, which offers a vast amount of new material to include here. There's no way I can watch everything (I have no interest to either), but I will start doing episode reviews of some of my favorite shows, as well as looking into a few brand new shows debuting this fall. First off, lets look at some of the shows I will definitely be covering, and then I'll list a few shows I plan on at least giving a chance this fall.

Returners

The Office (returns Sept 17): As anyone who follows the show knows, Jim and Pam are finally together, and in the season finale, we discovered that Pam was pregnant. It'll be interesting to see how the two balance this extra burden on top of the antics around the office. Will we get to see a wedding and a birth this season? Aside from that, the rest of the gang is back, so expect more of what we've loved in the past seasons.

House (returns Sept 21): Last season saw our favorite Dr. House seeing strange visions that really pushed towards the insanity direction, with the finale having House check into a mental institution. The plan is for him to remain there at the beginning of this next season, and I've read that the premiere will be a homage to One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. It's a great idea for an episode, and this direction as a whole should be new and very interesting.

Heroes (returns Sept 21): To be honest, the last two seasons have been incredibly disappointing, but I'm still riding the high of the first season. Creator Tim Kring has promised that the show will get back to its roots and no longer include every character's story arc in every episode, opting to focus on one or two characters at a time. This should make the show feel less cluttered and forced. I'll be watching the show, but if it has the same time slot as House again, it'll be taking the backseat.

Dollhouse (returns Sept 25): To say the show had a shaky first season is an understatement. Episodes were all over the place, and the quality of the episodes were all over both ends of the spectrum. I thought the show finally got its footing late in the season with some solid episodes, but I was certain the show would be canceled. Somehow, the show stayed alive, and after viewing the unaired thirteenth episode, I think Joss Whedon may be able to really make an interesting and constantly entertaining show out of this.

Dexter (returns Sept 27): On top of being a secretive killer and married man, Dexter now must shoulder his newborn son. Michael C. Hall is fantastic, and it will be thrilling to watch him try to satisfy his dark urge while juggling work and family. The first episode has been floating around online, and I couldn't resist the urge. I like where the episode is taking this season. John Lithgow is playing the new serial killer, and he really was disturbing. His character has gone undetected for 30+ plus years, a you just know that that will fascinate Dexter.

Debuts

Glee (premieres Sept 9): If you didn't see the pilot last spring, it's worth checking out. At first glance, it looks like an adult version of High School Musical. In some ways it is, but for the most part it is much more appealing for a wider audience. It follows a high school teacher who runs the school's glee club, so there will plenty of singing and dancing. The female lead is a Broadway singer, and she can sing quite well. Overall, this could be the show the whole family will sit down to watch.

FlashForward (premieres Sept 24): The entire world blacks out for 2 minutes, and in that time, every person on the planet gets a glimpse of what their future is like 1 year in the future, be it good or bad. This premise alone is widely intriguing, and many entertainment outlets seem to be saying the same thing. With people knowing what their future holds, it will be interesting to see some try at all costs to avoid it, while others may do whatever it takes to make the vision come true.

V (premieres midseason): There is no release date yet, but the premise is that alien spaceships appear over every major city in the world, and the aliens claim they come in peace. Many humans begin to doubt these alien claims, and it is discovered that the aliens spent years infiltrating governments as part of their plan to take over the world. I love sci-fi, and I have high hopes for this show, plus, it stars Elizabeth Mitchell (Lost) and Morena Baccarin (Firefly). I'm not watching it solely for the ladies, but they're are sci-fi vets and aren't too hard on the eyes either.

South Park returns in October, and though I will be watching it, I may not be covering it. There are a few shows that will return this winter, but I won't recap them right now. These include Lost, 24, and the new Scrubs spin-off show.

Review: Bruno (2009)

Director: Larry Charles (Borat, Religulous)

Cast: Sacha Baron Cohen (Borat, Talladega Nights), Gustaf Hammarsten

The Deal: Bruno is a gay Austrian fashion guru with his own television show, the most popular German-language show of its kind outside of Germany. After disgracing himself, he decides to travel to L.A. with hopes of reinventing himself and claiming Hollywood stardom. Traveling around, Bruno interviews random people regarding topics such as fashion, entertainment, celebrities, and homosexuality.

Thoughts: To be honest, I wasn't very high on Cohen's previous effort (yes, that's you Borat) to begin with. I never understood what was so great about it. Yes, it did have a few funny moments, but overall, I found it incredibly forgettable. Bruno brings more of the same style, yet suffers from all of the same problems. It's probably just me, but I find all of his crazy antics mildly funny at best. They are so extreme that the random people's reactions are predictable, and therefor not as funny. It also doesn't help that most of the best moments were also included in the film's trailer.

Sacha Baron Cohen is truly a daring actor, standing on a pedestal all of his own. He has no personal limitations on what he won't do, and his antics are always insanely crazy. He falls into character effortlessly, spending time both on and off the set living his role, and there's no questioning his commitment. Many of his actions are outlandish and jaw-dropping, but many are also disturbing. It makes for great entertainment for some, but also deeply upsets many. I don't find his actions upsetting, but they aren't that funny, just predictable given his actions around the nearby subjects.

If you are homophobic, this film will terrify you. The last half of the film does nothing but explore Borat's gay side, and at times gets fairly graphic. As expected, Borat tests the limits of extreme anti-gays in the deep South, and their reactions are exactly what you'd expect them to be. Some may find it funny, but the predictability is what makes it short on entertainment. The subject matter and corresponding actions could have made for a challenging film that questions the rights and wrongs of homosexuality, but instead, it makes a mockery of the subject. If only that mockery was funny.

Verdict: A giant step back from the grossly overrated Borat, Bruno fails to reach most of its comedic and intellectual potential, resulting in a far too predictable story. ☆

Review: Drag Me to Hell (2009)

Director: Sam Raimi (The Evil Dead, Spider-Man)

Cast: Alison Lohman (Big Fish, Things We Lost in the Fire), Juston Long (Waiting..., He's Just Not That Into You), Lorna Raver, Dileep Rao, David Paymer (Mr. Saturday Night, Alex & Emma), Adriana Barraza, Reggie Lee (Prison Break, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End)

The Deal: Life is good for Christine Brown (Lohman). She works as a loan officer for a L.A. bank and is close to a promotion, and her boyfriend Clay (Long) seems to be "the one." One day a woman comes to the bank requesting another extension on her home loan, but when Christine denies the request, the woman feels shamed and places a curse on Christine. As Christine begins to have violent encounters with an dark demon, she seeks the help of a fortune teller who informs her that unless she lifts the curse in three days time, the demon will drag her soul to Hell.

Thoughts: The problem with most horror films today is that the film usually strays from its story path and also fails to actually be as serious as the film is intended to be, but this is not the case with Drag Me to Hell. The film always stays on track, with every scene serving a relevant purpose towards the main story arc. Instead of trying to be a super serious film, it goes the fun route, straddling horror and comedic aspects. Though there are plenty of gruesome moments, they are intentionally cheesy at times, proving to be startling yet also funny. It's a deadly combination that helps make this an entertaining and suspenseful film from start to finish.

The fact that the film at times tries to be a very B-movie really helps the actors. Alison Lohman is not a bad actress, but she isn't great either. With the film being intentionally cheesy at times, it allows her performance to more than carry the film. She actually does quite a good job, and though you do ultimately just want to see her get dragged to Hell, there's still that bit of emotional connection that almost makes you want to see her survive. Justin Long is suitable as well as her boyfriend. The two have solid chemistry on screen, and the relationship works well with the stress and certain doom that has presented itself.

One of my favorite scenes in the film is when Christine goes to meet the woman who may be able to lift the curse. Four people and a goat are sitting around the table, and the goal is to summon the demon and trap it inside the goat so it can be killed. This scene was a perfect example of the film's balance between suspense and humor. I really can't thin of a more suspenseful moment than when the spirit starts moving from body to body, but when they finally get it into the goat, the ensuing sequence is both unexpected and humorous while still maintaining the terrifying feel.

Verdict: B-movie elements are blended wonderfully with the more serious horror aspects to make up an entirely entertaining film. Though you may laugh at some scenes, you'll still find yourself on the edge of your seat at the same time, leaving you thoroughly satisfied. ☆☆☆☆