The Blog Now In Blu-Ray: Random Thoughts In Hi-Def

A ton of random thoughts on this Thursday afternoon:

- Holy lord, it's gettin' hot in here. It's been in the high 80's and 90's all week here in So-Cal, but today it has finally topped 100 here in Burbank. And it is hot. Not humid / sweaty hot like in Connecticut or New York, but just HOT.

- Like everyone else, I have been singing along to the frequently-played-on-the-radio "I Kissed a Girl" by Katy Perry. However, I still say that Jill Sobule's 90's hit of the same name is the overall superior song. Who's with me?

- I'm happy to see that the HULK did fairly well at the box office, though I would have liked to have seen it do even better. I was surprised by some of the lukewarm reviews though - Owen Glieberman, usually pretty reliable when it comes to action films, gave it a mere B - ? That seems a bit low for a film that in my mind accomplished pretty much exactly what it was supposed to.

- I am encouraged though to see some positive reviews flowing in for WANTED. I have to admit, I was skeptical. The director is the guy who did NIGHT WATCH, which I realize has a cult following, but which I found to be almost totally unwatchable, and which stands as one of the few movies so atrociosu that I gave it the grade of "F" here on the blog. But hey, I guess there were some hints of visual flair there, so if the game has been stepped up, then I will join in with the fanboys who are psyched for this one. I mean, I have to admit, in the redband trailer, it was pretty freaking awesome to hear the usually family-friendly Morgan Freeman bellow "Shoot that mutha#$%'er!"

- And ohhhhh man, this weekend will be interesting at the box office, as two much-hyped comedies go head to head in GET SMART and THE LOVE GURU. I actually have a running bet going on with my friend Seth about this face-off. I say Get Smart will outgross Love Guru, he says the oppossite. It may very well be close, but my reasoning is that decent reviews for Get Smart, coupled with two rising stars in Steve Carell and Dwayne "Don't Call Me The Rock" Johnson will help it to do pretty good box office. Because let's face it, and I say this sadly, because I am a HUGE Mike Myers fan. The Love Guru looks like complete crap. I mean, to me Myers is THE funniest SNL cast member ever. To me, Wayne's World is one of the funniest and most quotable comedies ever made. I love Wayne's World 2 almost as much. The first Austin Powers - well, I counted down to its release, saw it on Day 1 in the theater, and friggin' loved it. That is, until Part 2 came out. To me, even being only in high school at the time, it was overkill. It was when Myers began to jump the shark. I actually liked Goldmember more than The Spy Who Shagged Me, I'm clearly in the minority on that one too, but the Goldmember character cracked me up. But anyways ... Cat In the Hat. Shrek 2 and 3. Dieter movie axed. And then ... nothing. Myers goes into seclusion after some bad and/or unnnecessary movies, and then ... this? I am curious to see Love Guru just because I generally am such a fan of Myers. I love how smart even his dumbest comedy is. I love the word play, the characters, the universes he creates. But there gets to be a point when it can feel too desperate, trying too hard and just simply falling flat. It looks like Love Guru may be that tipping point, when Myers falls over the precipice and into the abyss of NotFunnyville. I've seen mixed reviews, but the negative ones are just off-the-charts brutal. Again, should be an interesting weekend at the movies.

- I'm looking forward to FEAR ITSELF tonight on NBC. Yes, the first two eps have been a bit disappointing, but that's the great thing about an anthology, there's always the chance for a diamond in the rough, and supposedly tonight's ep is where things really start to pick up. Sweet.

- I FINALLY watched the SMALLVILLE season finale. I thought it was pretty decent although I was a little taken aback with the abrupt ending. So Lex now knows that Clark is Kal-El? For the show at this point it was a natural step to take, but it really makes no sense for the established Superman mythology. Anyways, that is less important I guess than the actual quality of the show, which after a pretty decent upswing this season, really took a nosedive during the final stretch. Instead of building to a climax, the momentum just seemed to drop with each episode, as the Kara, Veritas, and Traveler plotlines never really went anywhere in particular. The epitomy of this was the episode with Kara on Krypton, where we see Clark help to ensure his own infant self's survival by travelling back to the moment when his rocketship is about to blast off to earth. Clark's confrontation with Braniac on Krypton was a complete letdown, and really was a sign that the show was just not giving us 100%. I mean look at Braniac as a villain - this was a character who was built up for years and was then reduced to a B-list nemesis. It's embelmatic of the show's tendency to take great comic book concepts and water them down for TV. Apparently, next year, comic book villain Doomsday will appear ... as a young bartender. WHAT? Are you serious? The entire draw of the character is that he's an unstoppable alien monster. We've already seen Braniac the college professor, Martian Manhunter as a random dude with red eyes ... what's next, Darkseid as a teen model who steals Clark's girlfriend? The Smallville producers are now at a crucial juncture - they need to show us that they know what they're doing, and give us a sign that we should have some confidence that the show isn't going to completely suck now that Michael Rosenbaum and John Glover have left the list of regulars. Otherwise, us loyalists may be watching next season with thoughts that echo the opening credits' theme song: "somebody save me!"

- I have officially entered the world of hi-def gaming and Blu-Ray, and yes my friends, it is glorious. Yep, my PS3 finally arrived this week. I've been so busy that I haven't had time to play with it as much as I'd like, but what little I have seen has been pretty mind-blowing. I purchased the Metal Gear 80 GB bundle, but I have been saving some quality time with Solid Snake for when I really have a good chunk of time to sit down and play. But, I played through the opening level of Ratchet and Clank ... and, oh my god, I was floored by the graphics and sheer amount of activity and detail on the screen. It took me back to all of the other "system unveilings" I have experienced, when you've heard about all the promises of better graphics and seen the screenshots and read the reviews ... but until you've actually opened the box yourself and sat down in your own home with that shiny new toy, well, it's hard to get the full experience. I remember sitting in awe of Super Mario World upon the release of the SNES back in the day. Although with that system, it wasn't even as much about the graphics as it was the gameplay. Man, that was really when Nintendo was firing on all cylinders, from SMW to Final Fantasy to Street Fighter II to Donkey Kong Country ... the barrage of A+ games back then that were exclusive to Nintendo was simply amazing. But as far as first impressions go, I don't know if any system has ever matched that initial rush I felt playing the original Playstation back in 1995. I had been anticipating its release for months, drooling over pictures of Toshinden, Final Fantasy 7, and Jumping Flash. When I first popped in Battle Arena Toshinden, my jaw hit the floor - 3D gaming had arrived and it was glorious. I still maintain that Jumping Flash is one of the all-time most underrated games. Before Mario went 3D, Robbit the robo-rabbit was hopping up giant polygonal structures like a futuristic pogo stick on crack. With the Playstation 2, I was a bit of a late adopter as I was just starting college when it came out, and had plenty of other things to keep me occupied. As with the SNES, it was more of a incremental upgrade and it was more about being able to mplay the next iterations of my favorite game series from the original Playstation - Metal Gear, Final Fantasy (again), etc. Of course, some amazing new franchises debuted on the system, from Ratchet and Clank to God of War to Guitar Hero. And even though I never quite had the time to devote to the PS2 as I did the the consoles of my youth, there were still many memorable sessions of playing my roommates or my brother in ultra-intense bouts of Tekken or Smackdown. And of course, the PS2 was also my gateway into the world of DVD's, and has been my trusty DVD player for years now. So now, it's been a little while since the next-next gen consoles debuted, and living the life of a young and perpetually cash-strapped professional has delayed my entry a bit into this brave new world of Cell processesors and WiFi connectivity. And it wasn't easy, either! I patiently waited for the Metal Gear Bundle to be released, ordered it online, but then missed the FedEx guy two days in a row. Determined to get my hands on my black box of glory, I drove down to the capitol of Sketchville, also known as Sun Valley, CA, to the Fedex HQ to pick up my Sony wonder-machine. But the drive into the ghetto was worth it, as hours later I was hooked up and staring at the eye candy that is Ratchet and Clank: Future in shock and awe. Sidenote: I got a pair of HDMI cables on Amazon for a mere $2 each. Keep in mind that at Best Buy these will run you up to $75!!! But the ones I got work absolutely fine - it goes to show that you should not be paying top dollar for an HDMI cable, because if you do you are getting majorly screwed. To complete the package, I picked up CARS on blu-ray disc, and proceeded to experience ocular bleeding due to its crystal clear picture. So here I am, baby. Three ziplock bags of coins exchanged for Circuit City credit and one stimulus check later, I am now locked, loaded, and playing with power. Top of the world, Ma.

- And with that I am outta here. Word.

THE BOSTON CELTICS GO ALL. THE. WAY! And The Victory. Is. Sweet.

Oh baby, is this sweet.

I'm talkin' about the CELTICS baby!

Now THAT was a win. It's only fitting that the Celtics finally and decisively came together and played to their maximum potential when everything was on the line. With a championship dangling in front of them, the Celtics became not just a winning team, but an unstoppable force. In the end, there was nothing that was going to get between them and their goal of championship glory. They didn't just defeat the Lakers tonight, they steamrolled over them, en route to the bright light at the end of the tunnel.

I said before that Kevin Garnett needed to have a monster game tonight, and he did. He played like a beast and showed an unstoppable will to win. His one shot in which he hung in the air, took the hard foul, and then willed the ball into the basket with a one-handed push, was emblematic of just how bad The Big Ticket clearly wanted this one. His defense was tenacious, his post play epic, and his demeanor a nonstop ball of intensity. The sheer emotion of the big man KG when all was said and done pretty much said it all. 

I've long thought that Ray Allen was flat-out one of the most effortlessly talented players in the NBA, but this series and this game in particular only confirmed it on the national stage. For me as a fan and as a wannabe three-point specialist, there's nothing more fun than watching a great shooter shoot the lights out. With his flawless stroke and stone-cold marksmanship, Ray Allen's performance tonight cemented him for me in the cannon of great shooters, the guys like Reggie Miller and Larry Bird, the guys whose shot really is a thing of beauty and a deadly weapon all at once. And it was particularly sweet to see him come out of his supposed slump and prove the critics wrong. OVer the hill? Not by a long shot. UCONN's favorite son carried the Celtics at times and deserves so much credit for being one of the league's most skilled scorers. Talk about a deserving champion, Ray Allen is it.

You know, I remember going to a number of Celtics games while I was a student at BU, during the relative dark ages when the season was considered successful if they got by with just a first-round playoff berth. I remember seeing Paul Pierce play and seeing, over time, a look of weariness on him, a burden that weighed him down, after years of carrying the load on one poorly-assembled team after another. In these playoffs, and in this series, Paul Pierce was reborn. He found his heart again. The talent was always there, but this is no longer simply Paul Pierce the perennial All-Star, this was Paul Pierce: the superstar. Hearing Paul Pierce show the kind of emotion he did in his interviews in this series, and then bringing that same kind of never-say-die attitude to the court, that is what championships are made of.

And you can't say enough about the supporting cast. From James Posey to Leon Powe, from Eddie House to PJ Brown. From Sam Cassell to Kendrick Perkins. Rajon Rondo played the game of his life tonight - this kid has a bright future ahead of him, he stepped up bigtime tonight. Give that man a Tommy Point!

Doc Rivers, well, I've had my doubts. I've always liked the guy, but I was never quite sure that he knew exactly what he was doing. Well Doc was another guy who stepped it up. He coached one hell of a Finals. His style may be scrappy and unpolished, but hey, I think I speak for most Celtics fans when I say that I'll be happy to see him back in Beantown next season.

And finally, to the Boston fans. Having lived in Boston mere footsteps from Fenway park throughout my college years, I feel like Boston more so than any city in the world bleeds character from every street corner and sidewalk. Once you've lived there and lived and breathed Beantown, you can't help but root for it. I've lived in New York, London, and LA, and nowhere else is there the kind of character that you find in Boston. There's no pretensions, no fakeness - it's a place that honors authenticity, honors scrappers, honors underdogs. It's why I can't help but love it when The Celtics go out there and do right by Beantown. I only wish I was there now to fully appreciate the feelings of joy and pride that are surely enveloping the city as I write this.

So congrats to the CELTICS. An amazing season, and an amazing series. It re-ignited the classic Celtics-Lakers rivalry, but in the end I feel safe in saying that the good guys won. 

And by the way ... today at work it was only fitting that I stood only feet away from Sir Charles Barkley, my all-time favorite athlete, and the man who made me love basketball in the first place many years ago. For awhile there, I watched the same old teams play in the Finals, slowly losing interest and emotional investment. Well, in this series that old fire was back. Not to sound like a corporate pitchman, but thank you Celtics for making me remember why I love this game.

CELTICS, baby! 

CELTICS, baby!

CELTICS, baby!

It Ain't Easy Being Green: THE INCREDIBLE HULK - Reviewed, Plus the CELTICS, Stan Winston RIP, and MORE!

- Wow, tough game for the Celtics last night. I think a lot of people expected that last night's game would be a tough one for the Celtics to win, but still, the nice cushion that Boston has gets that much smaller with each loss. At this point, tomorrow's game now becomes a true "must-win" for Boston. If the Lakers can somehow get to a Game 7, then Boston will find itself in a place it most assuredly does NOT want to be. Still, there is cause for hope on the part of Boston that Game 6 will see a championship win for the C's. The team has been near-unbeatable at home, and being in Boston has been a consistent jump-starter for the bench. Still, I feel like KG has got to step up in Game 6. We've yet to see him have a truly monster game in this series, and its time that he fully exploited his advantages over the Lakers' D and terrorized them in the paint. Tuesday is now absolutely huge, and for The Celtics, it's time to close this out.



- I will say, for about a minute there it was great to see Bill Walton back on ABC during halftime of Game 5. He became his usual slightly-annoying self pretty quickly, but he is the type of annoying that you can't help but love to hate. At least he shows some actual personality, in contrast to ABC's usual gallery of drab talking heads. Still, I wouldn't mind seeing him call some games again next season, so that we can once again hear his over-the-top hyperbole and cries of "throw it down!", "terrible pass," and of course, "get a rebound!".



- Man, it was a rough Friday following the news of Tim Russert's passing. Take a look at my previous entry for more on him, but I would like to take a moment and praise NBC News for their great coverage of the untimely death. I can't imagine going on the air and reporting on the death of your own friend and colleague, but somehow Tom Brokaw, Brian Williams, Keith Olbermann and the rest did it and helped to create a number of fitting tributes to Russert.



- There was also another really sad piece of news today, another untimely death that is truly a devastating loss for anyone who loves great movies. STAN WINSTON died today, and that is just a true tragedy for the entertainment industry. Winston was, of course, one of the great pioneers in the world of special f/x - in fact he was THE man behind the magic of many of the most memorable film visuals of the last few decades. His resume speaks for itself: Aliens, Terminator 2, Jurassic Park, Edward Scissorhands, Batman Returns, Iron Man, and many, many more. Before the days of CGI, Stan Winston made the fantastic possible on-screen with hard work and ingenuity, and without his work the fantasy and sci-fi genre would never have gotten to where it is today. So le't take a moment and pay tribute to one of the great wizards of movie magic, a guy who made special f/x truly special.



- Overall, a good weekend was had. I have to give a shout-out to Carlos M., former NBC Page and current Ellen staffer, for throwing another one of his signature parties on Saturday. Much Rock Band was played and crazy good times had down in Pasadena. I also partook in some marathon X-Files viewing with the G-Man in preparation for the upcoming movie, with a handful of monster-of-the-week episodes that still ruled it after all these years. Yep, I'm happy to report that even in 2008, Eugene Victor Tooms is still one creepy bastard. I'm also working hard to try to do some upkeep on my apartment. It's tough because I'm in a studio and the more stuff I accumulate, the more overcrowded it becomes, and there's not a lot of storage space to move things in order to keep things feeling open and spacious. So I'm trying to do some shifting of items, reorganization, etc. It's tough because at some point, it just becomes inescapable that my relatively small apartment will become a bit cluttered, but I'm trying to delay the inevitable a bit.



- Speaking of acquiring stuff, I finally caved in, cashed in a boatload of loose change, and ordered myself a Playstation 3. With the release of Metal Gear Solid 4 and the new 80 gb bundle which includes it as a pack-in, I figured now was finally the time to make the upgrade. I realize that the PS3 is far from being the dominant console so far in this generation, as the PS1 and PS2 were back in the day. But to me it's always been about the games, and while there are a few killer apps each on XBOX 360 and Wii, the PS3 remains home to the franchises that I simply can't go without. My preference has always been towards the platform, adventure, fighting, and Japanese RPG genres, and I've never really warmed up to the first person shooter phenom. So I'm not too broken up if I miss out on the latest Halo or Gears of War. Sure, if I remain XBOX-less, I'll be a little envious that I don't get to play bigtime games like Mass Effect, Ninja Gaiden, and others. And of course, I would love to delve into Mario Galaxy, but then I look at what's on the horizon for Wii and see practically nothing much of note, with Nintendo having seemingly abandoned real gamers for the Wii Fit / Wii Sports crowd. But with the PS3, there are just too many of my favorite franchises of the last several years that are exclusive to the console. Ratchet and Clank and Metal Gear, for example. New God of War and Final Fantasy are on the horizon, as is the potentially groundbreaking Little Big Planet. There are some recent games like Uncharted that really intrigue me, and multi-platform favorites like Guitar Hero and Rock Band, GTA, Star Wars, and a few upcoming titles that I personally am psyched for, like the Bionic Commando reboot, and Brutal Legend, from Tim Schaefer's Doublefine studios. And of course there is the added benefit that the PS3 doubles as a Blu-Ray player, and one of the few that is upgradable thanks to online software updates to boot. So yep, in a few short days, if I seem to be MIA, it may just be that I'm immersed in the world of Solid Snake. Snake? Snake! Snaaaaaaaaaaaaake!



- Anyways, onto a review for this past weekend's biggest "smash" hit ...



THE INCREDIBLE HULK Review:



- Well, I was actually a fan of Ang Lee's HULK ... I thought it was a solid film that featured a great cast, thought outside the box of what a typical comic movie could be, and was suitably intense from start to finish. Was it a flawed film? Sure - it lacked a riveting climax and took itself a bit too seriously for a movie about a giant green superhero. But I enjoyed it nonetheless, and was surprised it received such a backlash following its release. That being said, Marvel and Universal's lastest Hulk reboot is an entirely different beast. It fits squarely in the new Marvel movie cannon, right alongside Iron Man. Not only does the new Hulk literally exist in the same universe as Tony Stark, SHIELD, the super-soldier serum, etc., but tonally, this Hulk feels like a Marvel comic book. I believe Marvel's Kevin Feige likened Ang Lee's version to a prestige-format one-shot, whereas this version was the in-cannon, mainstream Hulk, and I think it's an apt analogy. Because, while perhaps not as psychologically deep as the previous film, this one plain and simply delivers on what any real fanboy wants to see in a Hulk movie: a great cast, tons of high-octane action, and overall, two hours of over-the-top escapist adventure. Like I said, this is the Marvel universe on screen. The same Marvel universe invented by Lee and Kirby in the swinging 60's, that read like the acid-laced, adolescent wish-fulfilment fantasies of two Jewish kids from New York. Let's face it, that Marvel Universe is a place of crazy heroes and villains, rampant alliteration, and colorful history. And man, has it been fun seeing it in all of its goofy glory in Iron Man and now The Hulk.

That's not to say that The Hulk is all comic book cheese. The cast is excellent from top to bottom, and compares favorably to Ang Lee's similarly high-profile lineup. Really though, I can't think of a better person to play Bruce Banner than Ed Norton. In movies like FIGHT CLUB, he's shown that he can do the whole Jekyll / Hyde, super ego / id thing. As always, Norton was great in this movie, bringing an everyman quality to Banner yet making him a believable conduit for the Hulk's rage. While not as singular a performance as Robert Downey Jr. in Iron Man, Norton here was totally seamless and extremely engaging as the iconic Marvel hero.

The rest of the cast really got the job done. While Jennifer Connelly was good but perhaps a bit too dour as Betty Ross in The Hulk, Liv Tyler is far spunkier here - a much more prototypical comic book girlfriend, to be sure, but she makes the most of the part. As I see it, she's there to ground the story a bit and set up some conflict between Banner and her father, General Ross. Speaking of whom, he's played by William freakin' Hurt, what do you expect? The man is a walking badass, and I liked how the character was played up in all of his comic book-ish glory, outdated mustache and all. I mean, it wouldn't be a Marvel comic if it didn't feature a grizzled supporting character with gray hair and a cigar - am I right? Tim Roth also did a really nice job as Emil Blonsky, who eventually becomes the monstrous Abomination. Roth didn't have a ton of time to flesh out his character, but with his eyes alone we pretty much knew all we needed to know about Blonsky - he was a past-his-prime soldier who, once he got a taste of super-human power, couldn't help but hunger for more.

I also have to mention how many fun cameos were in the movie. Lou Ferrigno, looking as jacked as ever, had a really fun role. Stan Lee had a really funny cameo. Robert Downey Jr. picked up right where he left off in Iron Man, and completely stole the show during his brief appearance as Tony Stark. All that was missing was Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury - on the DVD, perhaps? Overall though, there was just that real sense of fun and joy here. This isn't Batman where you want it to be dark and brooding - this is THE INCREDIBLE HULK - a concept that is at its best when its played for high drama and comic book thrills.

It was also pretty refreshing to finally see a comic book film that was NOT an origin story. I know there was some controversy over the script, with Ed Norton's pseudonym eventually denied a screenwriting credit. But I really had no problems with the finished script. To me, there was plenty of character drama mixed in with - finally - some really fun comic book dialogue. I'm not sure the movie would have benefitted from being any longer - it felt just about right, and did a great job of presenting not the Hulk's origin per se, but the story of how Bruce Banner went from simply fighting the monster inside of him to accepting it and learning to use it for good. I thought that overall character arc was really handled well, and really laid the stage for some cool Hulk stories in the future, whether they come via a sequel or in an Avengers film that has now been heavily foreshadowed.

Okay, so the plot and cast are both way above average, but what really made this movie pop was the action, which quite simply kicked some Hulk-sized ass. Look, a big part of the appeal of The Hulk is that he is the embodiment of all the anger and rage that most people have to internalize and subdue. When the Hulk hulks up, it should be catharctic, brutal, and savage - and here, it was. Louis Letterier does a fine job directing the mayhem. He ratchets up the tension that precedes the action, and then unleashes chaos in numerous, gloriously-choreographed pieces. From the Hulk's stealth attack early on, to his battle against Blonsky and General Ross' army, to his final, brutally epic battle in the streets of NYC against the Abomination, Letterier has to be commended for creating the most badass Hulk-smashing scenes of carnage ever brought to the screen. At times, the CGI was a bit cartoonish, but in the end I didn't mind. You're never going to get a Hulk that looks 100% plausible in a real-world setting, so why not create a more stylized Hulk with muscles that look like they were drawn by Dale Keown? I did think Letterier did a nice job of framing some really nice, more serene scenes as well, with a few that brought to mind the likes of King Kong, with the Hulk as misunderstood monster. Between the jungles of South America to Mexican villages to hi-tech labs, there were some really cool locations on display.

Not eveything 100% worked. The movie did have a bit of a jumpy quality to it at times, and it did tend to slow down a bit when it focused on the romance between Norton and Tyler. As I mentioned, Blonsky as a villain felt like his character arc was slightly rushed, though he did feel developed compared to Jeff Bridges in Iron Man, so overall I thought they did a nice job with him. There were also some slightly goofy scenes with Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns (there's that alliteration again - Stan Lee you're crazay!). I definitely heard a few groans during the over-the-top sequences with him, but I actually didn't mind them all that much - like I said, the movie definitely had some lighter moments to contrast the relatively dark subject matter, and to me it was in keeping with the spirit of the comics.

In the end, I came out of this movie feeling pretty pumped, and that to me is a sign of a Hulk movie done right. From its hardcore action to its stirring score, from Ed Norton's great turn as Banner to the Hulk finally getting to say "Hulk Smash!" with pitch-perfect dramatic timing, this was just a fun movie that got me more excited about the character than I've ever been. So bring on a sequel, bring on Captain America, bring on The Avengers. Marvel is officially on a roll.

My Grade: A -

- Alright, time to Hulk smash outta here, True Believers. Until next time.

On Tim Russert - One of the Guys, One of the Greats

- You know, working in media was something I aspired to do for a long time, and I will always be someone to defend and advocate for the power and potential of film and television and the media in general. But there's no doubt - I love working in television, but at the same I can at times look out there at the media landscape and become jaded, cynical, depressed about what we as an industry are pushing out there to the country.

But working here at NBC-Universal, one constant has been that whenever I look at the work being done by NBC News, I always am filled with a sense of real pride. I look at NBC News and MSNBC and think to myself that these guys are the best in the business, these guys are fighting the good fight, and these guys are emblematic of everything that television can do to educate the public, to act as the gatekeepers of the news of the day, to engage us in politics and current events. From Brian Williams to Tom Brokaw to Chris Matthew to Keith Olbermann, regardless of whether I always agree with them or not, I have always looked up to this remarkable team and really admired them as people and as professionals.

But of all of them, was there anyone more likable, more the consummate pro, more the face of politics in America than Tim Russert?

Tim Russert was simply the embodiment of everything that was great about the media in America. His passion was palpable, and yet, he NEVER let his passion override his objectivity. In a world of pundits and talking heads, Tim was the voice of reason and yet the guy who got you invested, who made you care. It really is remarkable - in today's cult of personality, Tim had to have been the unlikeliest of television icons - and yet, there he was - an everyman in a sea of overblown personalities, who for that very reason was the most authentic and most memorable personality of them all.

Few others had the ability to wade through the noise like Russert, to put things in perspective, to hit on the big picture as well as the key points. No flash necessary - a simple whiteboard would do. Tim was one of the few guys who was simply an expert, a fan, a guru - he was legit in all senses of the word and I think that always shone through. You couldn't help but like him, you couldn't help but share in his passion and joy. He was the kind of guy who seemed like the perfect person to sit down and have a great conversation with - the kind of guy who would never berate or condescend to someone because of a difference of opinion, but someone who's opinion and views were themselves invaluable, because it was clear that nobody else knew their stuff like he did.

And you know what? There's few media figures out there who truly radiate "nice-ness." Tim Russert was one of those guys who, just by watching him, you knew without question that he was a great guy. And now, listening to Tom Brokaw and Brian Williams talk about him in such reverant, somber tones, all the while smiling as they recall their favorite Russert memories, all of the suspicions are only confirmed: we didn't just lose one of the best newsman of the modern era today, but we lost one of the genuinely great people in politics, news, media, and just in general. The absolute last person who you'd want to hear as being associated with tragedy, the absolute last.

I am sitting here at NBC just completely saddened by the sudden passing of Tim Russert. Just thinking of how excited he was for the upcoming presidential race, of how he spoke of the upcoming election as a true event, a game-changer, just realizing that he went right as he was there on the front lines, broadcasting the state of America to millions. I can only imagine that he will be up there somewhere counting electoral votes and telling everyone in earshot that it's "Ohio, Ohio, Ohio" or whatever the x-factor state turns out to be. He was in fact a person who any of us here at NBC could look at and feel good about being associated with. He was proof that you could be just one of the guys and yet also one of the greats. He was a constant symbol of the best that we in the media could aspire to be. He was quite simply a comforting presence, a constant reassurance in many a tumultous news cycle and campaign season. I'll miss his humor, his passion, and his professionalism. This is a real, tangible, unbelievable loss.

CELTICS - Hells Yeah!

- Well, just wanted to get in a quick post while I'm still ridin' the wave of leftover euphoria from tonight's ridiculously amazing Celtics game. Basically, the title of the post says it all - What. A. Game.

Ray Allen plain and simply played like THE MAN. His stamina, skill, and poise were on full display. Posey was HUGE. Eddie brought down the HOUSE. Pierce showed the HEART OF A CHAMPION, and KG was in fact the BIG TICKET.

One of the greatest comebacks in NBA history, baby, this one showed what CELTIC PRIDE is all about. I mean, at halftime I could barely even watch the game, the Celts were playing like crap, pardon my french. But holy lord, in the third and fourth quarters, it was a whole different story. The shots began falling, the HEART was once again there, and in the end The Celtics overcame seemingly insurmountable odds, and now find themselves ONE GAME AWAY from championship glory. Kudos to Doc Rivers and the rest - this was a display of will, determination, and heart for the ages.

Sorry Lakers fans, but tonight you've got to love that dirty water, because Boston took it home!

Is the kung-fu strong with KUNG-FU PANDA? The review is here.

- I know, I know - where are the updates? Well, it's been a crazy-busy week, and I've barely had any time to do anything other than slog through in anticipation of the weekend. But anyways, I'll try to keep things concise so I can actually get a new post out of the gates.

- Celtics - huge game tonight! Man, Tuesday's game was a heart-breaker, and I think tonight is going to be another uphill battle for Boston. I feel like some wind had to have been taken out of their sails after Game 3, as with the Lakers playing only so-so, the game was one that could easily have been stolen by the C's, if only Paul Pierce or KG had come out of the gates with a little more fire. With the inconsistency that the Celtics have had on the road, and the fact that Kobe seems due for at least one or two more monster games before all is said and done, The Celtics will really have to kick it up a notch tonight if they want to win. They have to play mean and angry, play to win, and play the full 48 minutes. Pierce needs to have a big game and lead by example, and the C's will also need some strong and consistent play from the likes of Rondo and the other role players. They need a Leon Powe, Eddie House, Sam Cassell, or Kendrick Perkins to play big. But if Boston can somehow pull off a victory tonight, then, wow, they will be in great position going back to Beantown. If the Lakers win tonight, however, then things could get a little scary. So what I'm trying to say is: Go Celtics, Beat LA!

- So much to talk about, but since like I said I'm trying to keep things short, I'll skip straight to my long-awaited (by about 3 of you) review of Kung ... Fu ... Panda.

KUNG-FU PANDA Review:

- Until now, I think I've yet to be truly impressed with a non-Pixar CGI movie. From the always-impeccable animation to the tremendous scripts, Pixar to me is simply the king of the modern animated film. It doesn't help things that studios like Dreamworks have seemed intent on releasing a flood of wannabe movies. Movies that sell themselves based more on the strength of the A-list talent doing voice work than anything else. Movies that never quite have the polish of Pixar. So many of these animated films have taken a heavy cue from SHREK, and played up the pop-culture references, the "cool" humor, and sacrificed that timeless sense of wonder for the cheap laugh. For kids, I'm sure a lot of these Dreamworks CGI movies prove pretty entertaining and fun, but for me, when I hear about a new non-Pixar CGI family film, I usually am pretty indifferent. I'm happy to say that Kung-Fu Panda karate-chops through all of that. While not quite Pixar quality, it is nonetheless an incredibly fun movie that feels like a top-notch produciton through and through. It's a movie that uses its big-name voice talent to its full advantage rather than as a crutch. It's a movie that has a real sense of artistic design about its direction, choreography, and overall look. And man, it's got some of the overall coolest and most kickass action sequences I've seen thus far in '08, and that goes for live action, animation, you name it.

Plot-wise, Kung-Fu Panda is about as simple as you can get. A young panda, Po, voiced by Jack Black, dreams of a life beyond his father's noodle restaurant - a life of adventure, intrigue, and hardcore kung-fu. So for Po, it is a fantasy come to life when he is inexplicably deemed to be the chosen one - the Dragon Warrior - who is destined to join with an elite group of kung-fu champions in order to thwart the evil machinations of the sinister Tai Lung. Of course, Po is an unlikely candidate to be the Dragon Warrior - he's a roly-poly panda, afterall, and his talents lie more in eating than kung-fu fighting. It is here that Kung Fu Panda becomes a classic lovable-loser-spreads-his-wings-and-realizes-his-potential movie. But what could have been a pretty bland affair instead becomes a lot of fun thanks to inventive action, solid humor, and a great overall aesthetic.

As mentioned, the voice cast is of the type that at first glance seems gimmicky, loaded with big names. But the voice talent really adds to the precedings, with some real spot-on casting. Jack Black, for one, is pretty perfect as Po. Black works so well because he's not really shoehorning his personality onto Poe - the truth is that Po in many ways IS Jack Black - an overexuberant, goofy fanboy of a Panda -- so really, the melding between Jack Black and Po the Panda is pretty darn seamless. You've also got to love Dustin Hoffman as Shifu, Po's gruff mentor who's kind of like Yoda by way of Master Splinter. The other real standout is Ian McShane as the evil Tai Lung - despite not having much of a backstory or real motives, McShane nonetheless makes sure that Tai Lung comes off as one evil bastard.

On the other hand, some of the peripheral characters never really pop. The Furious Five - the band of elite kung fu warriors who join with Po, are voiced by a veritable all-star cast of talent ... but despite some fun visual designs, each based on a different real-life kung fu style, none of these potentially-cool characters are given much to do. I mean, we've got Angelina Jolie, David Cross, Jackie Chan, Lucy Liu, and Seth Rogan doing their voices, but only Jolie is given any real backstory, the others are just kind of barely-there.

But again, the movie is really about Po's journey, and then, it's about giving us some insane kung fu action. The action scenes here are just awesomely-choreographed and staged. When we first meet McShane's Tai Lung, he's holed up and chained deep in an underground prison uilt especially to contain him - in fact, he's its only prisoner. The setup is classic - we KNOW it's only a matter of time until Tai Lung escapes, but the question is how. What ensues is a crazy-awesome escape / action sequence that definitely rocked and rocked hard. We get a similarly kinetic scene later on, when Lung confronts the Furious Five atop a hanging bridge that crosses a cavernous ravine. Again, the action is fast and furious, and the drama heightened by some really innovative staging. 

There's a lot of fun humor here as well. The kids at the theater were all laughing hystrically throughout the movie, and a lot of that is thanks to a combination of Black's great delivery and some really well-done animation that bursts with life and character. I really appreciate the comedy is all organic to the script - there's no random pop culture references or anything like that. There's a lot of Simpsons-esque physical and verbal humor (Po often reminded me of Homer Simpson, actually), but it mostly works. 

In the end, I really enjoyed Kung Fu Panda - I thought it had a wholesome central message that was great for kids, but in the context of a funny and smart movie that really did feel like a loving tribute to all things kung-fu. And not only was it a fun homage, but it really did deliver on the action, with some stunning CGI set pieces. The story is ultimately pretty flimsy - the Furious 5 are never really fleshed out, and the main villain, while cool, is kind of just there, without any real plan or plot-based reason for being a threat. But really, this is just a fun movie with its heart in the right place, and an indicator that Pixar may finally have a bit of competition.

My Grade: B+

- Alright - I actually started this blog entry earlier in the afternoon, but am wrapping it up as I'm sitting here watching the Celtics-Lakers game. Dayum, the Celtics have cut it to 2 at the end of the third quarter ... this has been a mostly dismal game for The C's thus far, but ... could there be hope? The next half hour or so is going to be interesting. 

Now With Extra Hummus: ZOHAN review, Celtics!, and MORE

Celtics, baby! Man, what a couple of games we've had thus far in the NBA Finals. Game 1 got things off to a great start - if anything, it was simply refreshing to see two teams other than the Pistons or the Spurs go at it. Game 1 had that old-school intensity, that big-time feel. And once Paul Pierce went down with a knee injury, and then made his seemingly miraculous return to ignite the Celtics and lead them to victory - well, that was the stuff that NBA legend is made of.

Now, last night's Game 2. Wow - never have I seen a game where one team looked so good for so long, but then ultimately barely squeeked by with a victory. It was a game that may ultimately have left a bad taste in the mouths of many Celtics fans, despite the win. I mean, for most of last night's game, I was totally caught up in Celtic Pride. Leon Powe, for one, was having the game of his life, timed to perfection to coincide with ABC's inspirational halftime piece on him. On the court, Powe was running and gunning and "throwing it down" (as Bill Walton would say) like a man possessed, to the point where the notoriously skeptical Boston fans replaced their usual chants of "Beat LA" with uncharacteristically supportive cries of "Le-on Powe! Le-on Powe!". I mean dayum, give that man a Tommy Point! Otherwise, things were just really clicking on all levels for the C's. Ray Allen was looking great, hitting his shots and in the flow of the offense. Pierce was leading the team with energy and a fiery offense, and KG was rebounding and making plays. Even Rondo, whose play has been marked by occasional lapses in judgement, seemed in the zone - cutting to the basket, racking up the assists, and setting the tempo. The Celtics' defense was unstoppable, all but shutting down Kobe, and slowing down Gasol. With the Lakers' perimeter guys not having great shooting nights, Boston kept building and building on the lead until, by the early fourth quarter, we had what looked to be a blowout. All indications were that the Celtics were firing on all cylinders, eyes on the prize.

But then, you could start to see the signs ... The C's began looking all-too casual and content, even as Kobe was getting fired up and raising his game to superhuman levels. When James Posey was visibly joking around on the court, even as the Lakers were seriously cutting into the Celtics' lead, I knew that there might be trouble. But then, a sudden barrage of Lakers points did the unthinkable - closed the entire gap and nearly tied the game, with minutes to go.

The Celtics managed to hold on, but holy lord, they nearly managed to give their entire fanbase a collective heart attack. The combination of their lax play in the final minutes combined with the Lakers' sudden burst of offense almost caused one of the greatest comebacks / most surprising defeats in sports history, and had that happened it would have been an utter embarassment for the Celtics.

So the end result is something us Celtics fans can be pretty happy with - a 2-0 lead against a tough opponent. But I think we're all holding our breath for Game 3, because the Lakers surely have some momentum going into that one. I mean, man, the Celtics need to quit having this Jekyll and Hyde personality disorder. For some reason, they can't seem to find that killer instinct that allows them to get up and STAY up, to put the final nail in their opponents' coffin. But whatever that missing x-factor is, they are going to need it on Tuesday in La, because the Lakers will be gunning for that key home victory, and I expect them to come out with guns blazing.

- Meanwhile, a quick note on the world of politics, as this weekend finally saw Hillary concede and to some extent endorse Barack Obama. I really had mixed feelings about her speech on Saturday. There were times while watching it where I really did feel somewhat moved, and proud of what Hillary accomplished in her historic campaign. But when all was said and done, I was left with something of a bitter taste in my mouth. In the end, so much of Hillary's speech came off as self-congratulatory, and I'm not sure that she sent a strong enough message to her supporters with regards to supporting the Democracratic nominee in Barack Obama. This was a point she really should have hammered home, but mostly seemed to gloss over. I can only hope that in the coming weeks we'll see the Clintons coalesce around Obama. Not that they should try to overshadow him, but they should work to show a united front, and at the same time turn their attention to go on the attack against McCain. This is where Hillary can be so valuable - she can be the hatchet-woman against McCain and take the hardline where Obama might prefer to keep things more civil. In any case, I still feel a bit uneasy about how the whole concession was handled, but I'm curious to see how all of this plays out in the next several weeks, and can't wait to see Obama and McCain finally go head to head. Ultimately though, I am feeling pretty positive about Obama and feel like his momentum may only grow throughout the summer.

TV STUFF:

- Just so I can have one of those "I'm cooler than you" moments, I'd like to mention that I am currently watching JJ Abrams' new FOX series, FRINGE. This coming fall season is going to be interesting, as many of the networks are scrambling to get their new shows ready in the aftermath of the writer's strike ... so there may be fewer-than-usual high-profile, franchise shows. But if any show on the horizon has that bigtime, can't-miss feel, it's this one. More later.

- Okay, finally watched FEAR ITSELF. I love sci-fi/horror anthologies, so I was really pscyhed about this show. The other thing I like is that it's on network television. Yep, you heard me. The reason is that I am not a fan of the recent trend in horror towards all the gore / torture-porn style stuff. I would love to see a horror anthology that is more atmospheric and creepy than simply Rob Zombie-style mayhem. Now, the first episode of Fear Itself came off as a bit of a mixture - it started out creepy enough, but eventually devolved into a bit of a mess. And a lot of that had to do with a script that was positively filled with holes. It was a script that worked FAR more effectively when we had no real idea what was going on. All we knew was that four small-time crooks are on the run, and stumble into a remote village that seems populated only by three creepy sisters. Not bad. But as soon as the backstory began getting filled-out, things took a turn for the absurd, with a whole vampire mythology tossed in that made little sense. The look of the episode was pretty solid, but some spotty acting and a bland / nonsensical plot didn't do the show any favors. I love the premise of FEAR ITSELF, and the anthology format means that, for all we know, there could be some real gems mixed-in with the inevitable clunkers. But you'd think and expect that the show would try to start off with more of a bang than this decent, but ultimately pretty disposable episode, which was way more of a whimper.

My Grade: C

- If you look deep in the archives of this here blog you'll see that I've already talked a bit about CBS' SWINGTOWN. I feel like the long delay between having seen the pilot and the show actually debuting on-air may have dampened my enthusiasm a bit, but overall it is still a pretty impressivly high-quality show considering how little else there is in the way of scripted summer TV fare. I'm curious to see a second or third episode and watch whether the show builds momentum or else crashes and burns. But geez, how are this and Fear Itself, the networks' only new scripted shows, on at the same time on Thursday nights?

- Wow, I still need to watch the SMALLVILLE finale. Somehow my desire to check it out has just gotten smaller and smaller as the days go by, but sometime this week I should get around to it.

- Anyways, onto some movie stuff ... I saw a few flicks this weekend, but for now will focus on Adam Sandler's latest, with the other review coming at ya' soon. For now though, here you go ...

DON'T MESS WITH THE ZOHAN Review:

- You know, I admit that I can be as negative as anyone about Adam Sandler, but the truth is that the guy has more often than not made me laugh. Sure, he's had a string of subpar movies dating back, oh, about five or six years, give or take, but the guy can be funny when he's on his game. There was a time when his comedy albums were the bee's knees, when nobody elicited bigger laughs on SNL than the likes of Canteen Boy and Opera Man, when Billy Madison was the movie that middle school kids everywhere quoted like it was the comedy bible. I'm not trying to paint Adam Sandler as some comedic genius - we all know he's had his share of clunkers, and that he's coasted on the same man-boy act for years now - but at the same time, if a Sandler movie comes along that promises to have the same energy, random humor, and freshness that marked his early career, then as a comedy fan I can't help but be interested.

So when I heard some early reviews of ZOHAN that were surprisingly positive, I started to get a little bit excited. Might this actually be Sandler's best comedy in years? And then there was the whole Jew / Israeli factor. As a Jew, it's always semi-exciting to see a Jewish or Israeli hero in a big Hollywood production, so I was especially curious to see how Sandler would lampoon Israeli culture and also how he would shape the rare kickass Jew character to hit the big screen (once again: thank you Steven Spielberg for Munich - we owe you one!). It turns out that this may actually be the best part of Zohan. The character of Zohan is a pretty funny spoof of various Israeli stereotypes - from the macho exterior to the ridiculous love of Hummus and ultra-sweet soda drinks to the affinity for "disco" clubs. I wonder if some of this humor comes off as pretty strange to people not in the know, but I think that Sandler paints a broad enough picture that Zohan is funny regardless of one's knowledge of Israeli culture. I know for me, I spent many years being taught by Israeli teachers and working with Israeli camp counsellors, and there was definitely a lot of humor to be found in our cultural differences. I remember one teacher we had circa fifth grade, Mrs. Schmidt, who talked in broken English with a particularly strong Israeli accent. "Who is TALKING right nooow?!?" she would bellow whenever someone disrupted class, much to our amusement. So anyways, it may be that I'm part of a pretty narrow audience who sees the humor in Israeli culture, but I thought the movie really clicked when it kind of presented this strange other culture in similar fashion to, say, Borat. At the same time, it's always cool to see someone paint Israel as such a cool and fun-loving place, and you can see the affection that Sandler and co. have for everything that they happen to be poking fun at.

A lot of what works here is thanks to a script that was actually co-written with Sandler by Judd Apatow and Robert Smigel - two of the funniest guys around when it comes to broad humor. With those guys behind the scenes, you can be assured that you get plenty of totally off-the-wall humor and random craziness, and again, it's there that the movie really excels. In fact, the movie's opening, which kind of plays like a Naked Gun-esque riff on what an Israeli James Bond might be like, is really and truly hilarious. As Sandler as Zohan runs through the streets of Jerusalem, chasing down The Phantom (played to perfection by John Turturro), his Palestinan nemesis, there is a real energy and zing to the humor that had the entire audience doubling over in laughter.

Where things falter is later on, when the movie goes from being a zany spoof to being more along the lines of a typical Sandler comedy. That is to say that when the movie begins to infuse itself with typical Hollywood romantic subplots, and tries to put in all these important life lessons about being yourself and following your dreams, not to mention "why can't we all just get along?"-style commentary on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict ... well, that's when the movie can really get groan-inducing.

Really, the premise of an Israeli version of Austin Powers is a lot funnier than the worn-out idea of the super-tough guy who really just wants to be a ___ (insert goofy profession here) __. So things definitely slow down a bit once the former unstoppable Mossad agent Zohan becomes a hairdresser in New York, predictably falls in love with his Palestinian boss, and has to take on a greedy landlord who is trying to oust the local ethnic tennants from his property so he can build some new super-mall on the premises. It's as if the idea of a satirical movie about an Israeli super-agent was too out-there, so to balance the scales, every weak-ass Hollywood comedy cliche was thrown into the mix for good measure.

That being said, there is some well-done humor that comes out of all of this. For one thing, there's the running joke about Zohan's tendency to follow his haircuts with some sexy-time. Since most of his clients are old bubbies, to use the Jewish vernacular, this is pretty darn funny, at least for a while. Similarly, there are some very funny scenes that come from the supporting cast of local transplanted Israelis and Palestinians. On one side of the NYC street, a bunch of Israelis work in an electronics store, mercillesly confusing their customers into thinking they are getting great deals as part of a never-ending going-out-of-business sale. Meanwhile, Rob Schneider draws some laughs as part of a group of inept, wannabe terrorists who discover that the local hairdresser is actually the presumed-dead Zohan, and look to cash in (by, among other things, calling the "Hizbollah Hotline" - hahaha ...).

On the other hand, sports announcer Michael Buffer, of all people, was somehow cast as the lead villain of the film, and he is predictably pretty weak. Sure, it's briefly amusing to hear him, in his well-known voice, talk about his hot wife's perfect proportions, but geez guys, Michael Buffer? Couldn't they have gotten a slightly better actor? (Rob Lowe was busy?) Kevin Nealon has a pretty useless role here as a neighborhood friend of Zohan's, and Nick Swardson (sp?) gets in a few funny moments as a loser who Zohan takes under his wing, but he is never quite used to his full potential.

Overall though, I give ZOHAN credit for being Sandler's funniest flick in a while. I really enjoyed it when it dared to just go nuts and try some really random and zany humor - including some very funny physical comedy. The movie has some pretty crazy action scenes, and again, this is often where it works best - with Sandler as a kind of even more out-there version of Austin Powers with a mediterranean twist. Speaking of whom, Zohan features a pretty memorable performance from Sandler, where, like him or not, you have to give him credit for creating a fun character who is consistently pretty amusing to watch. Definitely worth a look for comedy fans who dare to mess with the Zohan.

My Grade: B

Alright - check back soon for a review of KUNG-FU PANDA. For now, Shalom!

"No, Jujitsu sucks." THE FOOT FIST WAY - Reviewed, MTV, and MORE!

Live, from a musty copy room somewhere in Burbank, comes the latest edition of my all-new and semi-awesome adventures.

- So on the political front, it looks like tonight might finally mark the end of the long, seemingly neverending road for Hillary Clinton and her prolonged race for the Democratic nomination. It remains to be seen exactly how this will all play out, and the next few days should be interesting. Let's hope for a graceful exit. That being said, after this election, the primary system really needs to be reexamined. I mean it really is amazing how large a percentage of the Democratic delegate count is determined by the Super Delegates, and how iffy some of these delegate counts are to begin with. Personally, I don't see why all elections can't simply be determined by popular vote. If millions of votes can instantly be tabulated for the likes of American Idol, why is it so hard for this to be done for a presidential election?

- So turning to the world of entertainment ...

The MTV MOVIE AWARDS aired on Sunday. Man, I have fond memories of this show from year's past. Of course, it's rare to find anything worth watching on MTV these days, but I was at least somewhat excited to see that the talented Mike Myers was hosting this year's festivities, rather than like Tila Tequila or something. The awards themselves were the usual ridiculousness - Transformers as movie of the year? Seriously? Even by MTV standards that doesn't make much sense. Suffice it to say I'd be curious to do a quick check and see how many of the night's winners fall under the same corporate umbrella as MTV.

However ... I thought overall this was a pretty entertaining show, probably the best since Jack Black hosted several years back and did a hilarious Lord of the rings parody. Myers and co did a great job with the preproduced sketches. Myers got to try out some funny new characters, each parodies of various backstage Hollywood types. Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr., and Jack Black starred in a pretty hilarious short parodying the viral video craze. And, best of all ... Mike Myers and Dana Carvey reunited to do an all-new Wayne's World sketch! Schwing! This alone was worth the price of admission, and it was insanely cool to see Wayne and Garth back with a vintage sketch. It made me realize something too ... it made me realize that now, more than ever, the world is ready for WAYNE'S WORLD 3 to be made. Come on, Myers, make it happen!

- Alright, speaking of out-there comedy, time for a movie review of the latest comedic film that has all the cool kids talkin'. Yep, I'm talkin' 'bout ...

THE FOOT FIST WAY Review:

- There's no better feeling as a comedy fan than that of having your mind blown by something new and never-before seen. That feeling of sitting down and watching, for the first time, something like The UK Office, or Da Ali G Show, or Flight of the Conchords, or Arrested Development. The feeling of seeing a movie like Wet Hot American Summer, or Napoleon Dynamite, or Office Space, and realizing that the definition of funny has just been turned on its head.

So is The Foot Fist Way up there in the comdy pantheon? Is it, as the hype would have you believe, the funniest thing since sliced bread, a movie deserving of enthusiastic endorsement from the likes of Will Ferrel, Patton Oswalt, and Seth Rogan? Is this the next big thing in comedy?

The answer is: almost, but not quite. The amazing thing about The Foot Fist Way is just how much raw potential everyone involved exhibits. There is genuine hilarity at the core of this movie. But in execution, the end result is a bit of a mixed bag. The movie is simply not quite as funny as it wants to be. In fact, at times it morphs into a strange, excessively dark sort of drama, going so far with its characters that it becomes genuinely disturbing rather than just awkwardly funny. But like I said, the raw talent is unquestionably there. There's no doubt: martial arts instructor Fred Simmons, as brought to life by Danny McBride, is a near-classic creation. McBride creates a memorable character here, fleshed-out and wholly authentic. The same can be said for a number of the supporting players, as well as, in general, the world of the film. Everything feels real, accurate, and therefore rife for merciless mocking. It helps that the movie was shot outside of Hollywood and with a number of non-actors. If Napoleon Dynamite leaned more towards the surreal, this one is much more grounded. Still, Fred Simmons, the "king of the demo," is a larger than life character in the vein of a David Brent or any number of Will Ferrell creations - a guy who is the king of his own small, sad world yet, when the curtain is pulled back, he's kind of sad and pathetic.

Fred Simmons, despite being a pudgy, redneck-ish guy, paints himself as a master martial artist, the ultimate mentor to his loyal class of students young and old. And yet, as we see Fred's home life, we realize he isn't quite as indestructable as he'd have his students believe. Fred's biggest problem: his wife seems to be a chronic flirt and sometime cheater. Fred's great white hope is Chuck "The Truck" Wallace, a Chuck Norris-esque martial artist / movie star who Fred idolizes. When the two meet at a karate expo, Fred convinces Chuck to visit his class, thinking it will be a watershed moment for him personally and professionally. Instead, Chuck isn't all he's cracked up to be, and soon becomes not just a nuiscance to Fred, but his mortal enemy.

As mentioned, the movie descends into some very dark comedy as it progresses. It somewhat tries to be an uplifting story, but ends up being an almost depressingly sad portrait of a pathetic guy with delusions of grandeur. Still, there are a lot of laughs to be had. Fred's passive-aggressive relationship with his wife, for example, produes some of the movie's most downright hilarious moments. Same can be said for Fred's interactions with his "apprentice," a rolly-polly kid named Julio, who seems mostly just confused as to what Fred sees in him. The kid playing Julio is great, and really steals a number of scenes. I also really got a kick out of Fred's friend Mike, played by the movie's director, Jody Hill. Mike was a dead-on parody of a certain kind of wannabe nerd, who worships all things martial arts. Mike speaks in a deadpan deep voice, sounding like he's mimicking a bad Hong Kong movie dub. He has bleach bonde, slicked back hair, constantly reminds people of his black belt, and is in a death-metal band. Hilarious. Mike definitely has some of the movie's best lines as well.

So again, this is a movie that I would recommend that any comedy fan check out. I wouldn't put it in the absolute top tier of comedy flicks, and I can't say it quite lives up the enormous wave of hype that preceeded its theatrical release ... but I give it points simply for being a unique, original vision and for being consistently entertaining. Even if at some points the humor stops clicking and the plot overwhelms the comedy, the characters alone were fun and interesting enough that it's just entertaining to see them in their natural environment. Part of the problem may be that the movie kind of sets itself up to be a Will Ferell-esque laugh-a-minute comedy, but ultimately plays it a little straighter, a little more Office than Anchorman. If anything though, this is a pretty impressive debut for Danny McBride, Jody Hill, and the rest of the Foot Fist Way team. I for one would be very interested in seeing what they come up with next.

My Grade: B+

- Okay, the fumes from the copier are about to knock me out. I'm outta here, dude.

LOST Season Finale Blow-Out - Plus: NBA, Ellen, and MORE

Okay, so before I get to LOST ...

- So they have officially dismantled my cube at work. So sad ...

- Also sad:

- Well, the Lakers are once again in the NBA Finals. At the least, this should make for an interesting finals, as the Lakers right now are certainly one of the more exciting teams in the NBA. As much as I can't stand him, Kobe Bryant is playing at the absolute top of his game right now, and may be so unstoppable that no one on either the Celtics or Pistons can stop him. Meanwhile, Pau Gasol is playing at an unbelievably high level. He's not as flashy as Kobe, but he always manages to be in the right place at the right time. The combination of the two is lethal, and it makes the Lakers the favorite to win it all. That being said, tonight is going to be HUGE for the Celtics. So far, I've been disappointed that their killer instinct only seems to surface every so often. The Celts need to take a look at how the Lakers brutally took apart the Spurs and do the same to Detroit tonight. None of these 20 minute long lapses where the ball gets walked up the court and players stand around and let Pierce or KG go one on one. Boston does NOT want to be in a Game 7 situation, so as far as I'm concerned tonight it's time to put it all on the line.

- A special mention has to go out to the whole crew at TNT for their always-awesome coverage of the NBA. Seriously, I always get a little sad each year when TNT's coverage ends, because for the last few years they've been hands-down the best in the biz. They have, by far, the two best play by play men in Marv Albert and Kevin Harlan. Meanwhile, Inside the NBA is endlessly entertaining. I could watch Ernie, Kenny, and Charles riff about basketball and whatever other randomness is on their minds all day. What I love about TNT's coverage is that the atmosphere is always jovial, celebratory, and full of good humor (not to mention oftentimes genuinely hilarious). On ESPN, in contrast, it feels like you're hanging out with a bunch of uptight, mean-spirited dudes who rarely crack a smile and talk about every game like they're describing a political scandal. So of course, I made it a point to watch the final edition of Inside the NBA last night following the Lakers game, and as always stuck around for the closing montage that always serves as great retrospective of the NBA season to date. So thank you to the crew at TNT and Inside the NBA for producing, week in and week out, not just the best basketball coverage on TV, but one of the most entertaining shows on television in general.

- By the way, today is a sad day at NBC as it's Ellen's last day here on the Burbank lot. To think that NBC Pages starting in the next few weeks and months will never have the experience of working at one of the craziest shows around. I mean, where else can you see elderly women dancing in the aisles to Technotronic? I almost always had a great time working at Ellen, and through working there as a Page I had all kinds of great celeb sightings and close encounters. I met everyone from Lauren Graham to Gene Simmons to John Travolta, saw Gwen Stefani, Alanis Morisette, and many others perform, and had a lot of strange, silly, and memorable experiences. I'm sad to see it go, even if it's just moving up the street to Warner Brothers. Hopefully I can still walk up the street and meet up with Carlos or Diahna J. for the occasional high-powered business lunch!

- Okay, onto last night's HUGE season-ender of ...

LOST:

- Last season, LOST ended its season with one of the most stunning episodes not only in the show's history, but maybe in the history of television. The cliffhanger, flash-forward ending was a narrative twist that truly defined the term "game-changer." After a period where the show struggled to get back on track, last season's finale was a clear signal that Lost was back.

Now, things are a bit different. The fourth season of Lost has been superb from start to finish, the best overall season since S1, filled with classic episodes and moments, and with a renewed sense of purpose following the decision to determine a definitive end-point for the show and work backwards from there. So Lost didn't need to have a mind-blowing, M. Night-style twist to cap it's landmark fourth season, but I think a lot of people maybe expected one. Instead, what we got was a slam-bang action movie of a finale, a rip-roaring adventure that for two hours had all kinds fights, narrow escapes, and things that went boom.

Overall, I thought this was yet another pretty spectacular episode of Lost. There were so many BIG moments here. Some that directly tied into the show's ever-more complex mythology, others that were simply great action set pieces or defining character moments. From the get-go, things started out on a rollicking note with a much-anticipated Sayid vs. Keamy mano e mano showdown. Great fight scene, and it was capped by the appearance of Kate with Richard and The Others in tow. From there, it was a total roller coaster ride. Kate's pact with The Others pursuaded Ben to let her and her crew leave the island, so Frank's helicopter was theirs for the taking. But meanwhile, Desmond, Jin, and Michael have made apretty horrific revelation - on the freighter that's supposed to save them all, there's a mountain of C-4 that, with one press of a remote-controlled button, will blow them all to kingdom come. And man, that Keamy proved to be one persistant bastard. Even after seemingly being killed by un-aging Richar Alpert's three bullets to the back, Keamy shows up to greet Locke and Ben looking relatively unscathed. While those two descend into the Orchid Dharma station so that Ben can carry out his plan to "move" the island, Keamy descends on them. And guess what - he's wearing a "dead man's switch." If his heart stops beating, the C-4 on the freighter, as Jin so elequently stated earlier, goes "boom." This doesn't stop a crazed Ben Linus from pouncing on Keamy like a rabid animal, however, and brutally stabbing him, presumably as revenge for Keamy's murder of Ben's daughter Alex. In one of the episode's most memorable moments, a beleagured Locke asks Ben how he could have so thoughtlessly killed Keamy, knowing that doing so would doom everyone on that boat. When Locke reminds Ben that, now, everyone on that freighter is as good as dead, Ben callously asks: "so?". Wow - I think anyone who says Ben is the true "good guy" in Lost needs to reexamine their position. The guy is, clearly, stone-cold evil with a capitol "E."

I loved the whole scene of Ben "moving" the Island. Whether this was accomplished through some advanced form of science or some mystical means I couldn't say, but the scene of Ben using all his willpower to turn that giant, subterranean wheel, had a real magic to it. I also loved pretty much everything with Locke and Ben in the Orchid. Locke watching the instructional Hanzo (?) video, as Ben proceeded to do everything the video said NOT to, was funny and a great little scene. Time-travelling bunnies, indeed.

There were also all kinds of epic heroics here. Sawyer jumping from the helicopter as it lost fuel and swimming back to the island was a nice bit - it showed just how far Sawyer had come as a character to actually do something selfless. It's amazing to think that this was the same guy who once stole all of the survivor's guns so he could proclaim himself self-appointed ruler of the island.

We all knew Jin's end was coming, but it was still a heart-wrenching scene. Sun's shock and grief was palpable and raw as she witnessed her husband go up in flames. Michael had his little moment too, as he stayed with the C4, trying to dismantle it up to the last possible second, until an appearance from the Ghost of Christian Shephard appreared and told him that, finally, it was Michael's time to go. As others have said, it seems strange to bring back Michael only for him to die in such abrupt fashion, but narratively, the death made sense. Plus, it looks like Lost is bringing back practically all of its dead characters in Jedi fashion, so who knows if and when Michael, or even Jin, could reappear. You have to wonder if Christian and/or Jacob has some kind of power to pick and choose people to inaugurate into their little not-quite-dead club. I mean, for example - what's the deal with Claire? We saw her make a surprise appearance in future-Kate's home, visiting Aaron. But was this just a vision, a bad dream? Or is Claire in the same boat as Charlie and Christian? Supposed to be dead, but somehow not quite? Whatever the case may be, the recurring theme of "I see dead people" is going to have to be one of if not THE major questions to be answered next season. Is there a connection with time-travel / pseudo-science, or is this some kind of mystical / paranormal phenomenonon?

Another intriguing question was the mystery surrounding Charlotte. She's been on the island before? So ... is she a Dharma kid? An Other? A time-lost walking paradox? Hmmm ...

Now, I guess the biggest complaint I have with the episode was simply that, well, the show has never done a great job of addressing the fact that there are supposed to be dozens of 815 crash survivors on the island other than the several main characters. Attempts to address these forgotton castaways have often come across as hamfisted - Nikki and Paulo anyone? And the same could be said for tonight's ep. The lens was never really successfully pulled back to show how all of these epic events were affecting Joe Crash Survivor. Not that I want the focus to be on them, but we never quite got the sense of how many people were still on the island when the freighter blew up, how many were killed in the freighter explosion, etc. Where were Rose and Bernard? Still on the island? Were Juliette and Sawyer literally the only ones left on the island other than The Others? It was almost comical when the helicopter quickly landed on the freighter before it blew. I mean, it was like "sorry pal, you're not a main character, we're leaving you to die." I just wished the full scope of this had been addressed or at least mentioned by a Jack or Kate. Sure, our six biggest characters survived, but we can assume dozens were lost in the explosion - to Jack, who by default became the Moses of sorts for the group - you would have thought he would have more of a sense of failure in not leading "his people" so to speak, to the promsied land. Again, I get that of course we are going to focus on our pricipals, I just would have liked to see the full scope and reach of the exodus from the island a little better conveyed.

But in the end, this was a riveting piece of TV. Many times throughout the episode, I thought to myself just how well-done this was compared to anything else on TV. The look, the scope, the acting, is just without peer in the world of TV drama. From Jack to Sawyer to Locke to Ben - each of the main characters is played with so much nuance and skill that all of the actors involved on the show deserve recognition and applause. And most importantly - this episode got the ball rolling for yet another season of awesomeness. Sure, there is still a pile of unsolved mysteries, from old riddles like the four-toed statue to new ones like Richard's agelessness, there is still an enclyclopedia's worth of unsolved plot points that at some point need addressing. But again, the stage has been set. The puzzle pieces are in place. We are working both backwards and forwards to put it all together. And the show, in doing so, is reaching an important turning point - instead of simply feeding us myteries, its beginning to fill in the hows and whys. We know now that it's Locke in that coffin. It wasn't a mind-blowing revelation or jaw-dropping twist, but it's fuel for great stories, it's a solid endpoint to work up to as we fill in the blanks.

I can't wait for next season of Lost, after this - a great season finale to a show that has ruled 2008 as bar-none the best thing on TV - does it at times frustrate? Sure, and it wil lcontinue to do so. But in the end, there's no denying that we're witnessing an epic, action-packed saga for the ages.

My Grade: A-

- Alright - happy weekend. Check back soon for more!

I am the SON OF RAMBOW! Movie Review, plus: multiple RANTS OF DOOM

Okay, I shall start off this entry with some random rants, er, thoughts:

- Hillary: get out of the race already. Unless you can show a scenario in which you can mathematically win the delegate count, it's time to call it quits. And now we have Bill talking about a conspiracy to prematurely annoint Obama as the Democratic nominee? What is this, vast right-wing conspiracy redux? There is a time to fight and a time to show grace and poise and teamsmanship. If Hillary wants to be a class act, she should step up to the plate and endorse Obama and urge her supporters to back him. And you know what? I've been an Obama supporter from the start, but I'd say the exact same thing to Obama if the situation were reversed. The most important thing is getting a Democrat in the White House, and at some point there has to be thought given to how best make that happen. Now it looks like Clinton seems intent on proving just how close to Obama she can get, as Michigan and Florida delegates are now looking like they'll be counted in some form. Again - why the insistence on reversing the original decision? I mean, does the delegate system need some reexamination? Sure. Is not the time to do it? Most definitely not. All I know is, dragging out the primary to its bitter end is not the way to weaken McCain and build momentum for the Democrats come November.

- Now, it sickens me when these polls come in and there's still a block of voters who say race is a factor in their vote. I mean, you know what? Many, including myself, throw a lot of criticisms towards Gen Y (and I'll do just that in a moment ...). But one thing you have to give us some credit for - we have essentially moved past the ridiculous idea that because someone's skin is a different shade that makes them in any way different. Obviously, we can and should appreciate cultural differences. But really - who ARE these people who wouldn't vote for someone based on their race, and WHAT exactly is their reasoning? I'd love to hear it, honestly.

- Like 90% of all men, I can't stand the popularity of Sex and the City. I realize that us guys are often into all kinds of stupid crap that women cringe at the thought of. But the worst part of Sex and the City is that girls actually want to be like and try to be like the show's vapid, self-absorbed characters. It's no wonder that so many women of my generation know more about shoes than they do about politics. I know, this is a crass generalization. Apologies. But, why can't women aspire to be more like, say, Veronica Mars - you know, smart, helps people, witty, selfless, and less like the materialistic women of SATC?

- But here's one more thing about SATC that pisses me off, and in this case I'll actually be slamming the show's detractors. I personally find it really obnoxious and disgusting when guys in magazines, on the radio, etc extend their dislike of the show to the realm of personal attacks. No, I don't like the show, but I have absolutely nothing against Sarah Jessica Parker. And I think it's ridiculous when loudmouth idiots go off about how she is supposedly ugly or whatever. This is funny since most of the time the people saying this are themselves fat ugly slobs. It's also just absurd - even if she isn't one's ideal woman, whatever, obviously a quick walk down the street will show that such criticisms of her looks are a bit overstated. But finally, I hate to say it but all the talk of her looks to me smacks of latent antisemitism. Anyone who knows a lot of Jews knows that SJP's look is a pretty typical look, and I say that as a card-carrying member of the Jew Crew. I just cringe every time I hear people rudely talke about her features because to me it really does sound like they're by extension calling typically Jewish features ugly. And worst of all, all of these loudmouth chauvanists quick to spew so much venom on a woman just because of their snap judgement on her looks, well, they basically serve to undermine all of us regular guys who simply wish to make well-reasoned arguments critiquing SATC's merits as a show. Meanwhile, anyone who takes such joy in labeling someone else as ugly needs to take a long look in the mirror.

- Okay, tonight is a big one for the CELTICS. This is it, baby, no more fooling around. But I have to say, I'm a bit worried about Boston's chances. Thus far, it seems like they've won in the playoffs with a combination of sheer talent and a bit of luck. Rarely has a Celtics playoff win this year made anyone stand up and say "wow, they really played a great overall game." It's part of the reason that the team has been so up and down - they've been winning, more often than not, thanks to one or two standout individual performances that have carried the load. But where the Celtics have been lacking is in gameplan, and it's something that Doc Rivers needs to think about. Where is the running game, the great offensive sets, the team game? Detroit's defense is too solid to depend on a 45 point game from Paul Pierce to save the day, and it doesn't allow Ray Allen to camp out on the three point line. Sure, the Celtics do have a few matchups they can exploit, but I think they are going to have to not only hope for big games from the big three, but also really gel as a team in a way that we haven't seen from them in a while. That being said: go Celtics!

- And by the way, normally with the teams I root for, I have the NBA conspiracy-theory thing going against me. But not this time. If the Lakers make the finals, then a matchup with Detroit or Boston would be an 80's nostalgia-fest and likely a ratings boon, but really, a Celtics-Lakers finals, unthinkable only a year ago, would be THE big money matchup, and you can be sure that David Stern is chomping at the bit to see it happen. It's amazing how two possible outcomes of the conference finals are: a.) Celtics vs. Lakers - aka one of the most intriguing and epic matchups the NBA will have seen in a while, or b.) Pistons vs. Spurs - aka a matchup that feels like it's been done to death, between two of the most skilled, albeit boring teams in the NBA.

- Luckily, it's a short week this week thanks to the recent good ol' fashioned three-day weekend. I had a fun, mostly relaxing weekend, necessary in order to recover from the craziness of last week's east coast adventures. Some highlights included: Indiana Jones (see my previous post for the authoratative review), Dan K's Rock Band party in NoHo, an excellent dinner at the Cheesecake Factory with Abby W, and then, as I'm about to write a lot more about, a trup to the Arclight on Monday to see ...

SON OF RAMBOW Review:

- Amidst this summer's many blockbusters, here is a small movie that nonetheless captures the imagination. Son of Rambow is the type of film you don't see a lot of anymore. It's a movie about kids, and it's a movie that I think would actually be not only appropriate for kids but a real favorite for any kids lucky enough to see it. But this is a kid's movie with bite. It doesn't pull punches. It has real sadness and despair in its plot, coupled with real friendships and relationships. It's a movie that will make even the toughest of us a bit misty-eyed, because it's a movie that really earns its sentimentality. But most of all, this is the kind of movie that takes you back to the days of childhood - it shows the roughness, the harshness of childhood, sure - but it also makes you remember the simple joys of letting one's imagination run wild, of creating.

I mean, who doesn't fondly remember being a kid and seeing some then-monumental TV show or movie, and just being totally possessed by it? That feeling of seeing an action movie and wanting to jump around and go pretend to be a spy or a commando. The feeling of then going on to create your OWN stories, your own fictionalized adventures. As a kid I would sit and create my own stories, my own comic books, my own films, and that excitement over the feeling of creative creation has never left. But when you're a kid, that feeling is even more heightened, the rush of inspiration and creation even more instense. And that feeling is what's captured so brilliantly in Son of Rambow.

The film is set in 1980's England, and centers around two young boy, probably around 10 years old or so, who form an uneasy friendship at first but soon bond over their shared project. First, there's Will Proudfoot. He's a shy, quiet, and slightly weird kid, but we gradually come to understand why that is. His father died from an aneurism while mowing the lawn. His mother then devoted herself to a group a religious sect known as The Bretheren, a very strict group whose beliefs prohibit Will from watching any TV or movies. This means that whenever Will's teacher shows the class a video, Will has to dutifully pack up his things and leave the classroom. But that doesn't stop Will's imagination from working - his books are filled with drawings and doodles, and that at least helps him to deal with his somewhat lonely ten year old existence. Then, there's Lee Carter. Basically, Lee is THAT kid. You know the one - that kid in elementary school who never did his homework, was always getting in trouble with the teachers, and who was generally looked down upon by pretty much everyone, even if the fact is that no one ever really gave him a chance. Kind of a real life Bart Simpson, of sorts. Except Lee has more going on than meets the eye. Like Will, he's a lonely kid. His father left him, and his mother took up with a wealthy Spaniard, leaving Lee with just his fast-living teen brother to look after him in their big empty house. But one thing Lee has is his love of film. Okay, so maybe he doesn't LOVE film, yet, but he spends his weekends at the local theater, making bootleg tapes of new movies that he then sells off to the local kids.

So Will and Lee come together in a bit of brilliant happenstance - Will is sitting outside his class while the other kids watch a documentary. Lee is sent outside after being scolded by his teacher. At first, Lee bullies Will into hanging out with him, and their forced friendship consists mostly of Lee ordering Will around. But then, something happens. Lee leaves Will alone as his pirated copy of First Blood is playing on the TV. For Will, this is, I think, literally the first movie he's ever actually seen. And as you can imagine, he is freaking BLOWN AWAY. As Colonel Trautman gruffly warns Rambo's pursuers that they are dealing with a man who could fight off 200 men, who was born and bred to be a one-man army, you can see the wheels in Will's head turning, the synapses firing. It's that moment, when he virtually had no other choice but to take that formative experience of RAMBO and make it his own.

Enter Lee Carter - an amateur ten year old filmmaker of the highest order, he's already been planning on making a movie to enter into a local young filmmaker's contest. But now Will is struck with the bug too. And so the two go off and begin their epic creation, a work that could only be known as Son of Rambow.

The scenes of Will and Lee beginning to film their epic are just totally joyful and hilarious. Seeing the repressed Will show up at Lee's door ready to film, donned in tank top and red bandanna, is simply priceless. And what we bgin to see is that Will as the Son of Rambow and Lee as his faithful mentor Trautman - well, they begin to take on the characteristics of their characters, and they begin to form a real friendship that for each of them is the first time they've found a real friend, a real companion, a real brother.

Like I said, it's sweet and sentimental, but handled with so much humor and imagination that it really works. The two leads are both really excellent, two of the best and most natural kid actors I've seen on screen in a while. And the best part is, and maybe this is some of the British sensibility coming into play, they feel like real kids, not robot-like Hollywood pod people.

Director Garth Jennings has a a great sensibility here as well. He keeps things mostly grounded, down to earth. He really captures the time and place, with all kinds of little details keeping things firmly entrenched in the 1980's setting. But he also has little scenes that go inside of Will's imagination, showing the power and force of his daydreams of the stories beginning to formulate inside his head.

At times, the movie can get a little distracted. There's a kind of subplot about a French exchange student that is fun but at times a little meandering. But in the end, it does a nice job of tying into the movie's larger them of defying other's expectations and finding one's true self through creative expression. But mostly, despite some slow sections here and there, the film really works. It's a feel-good, celebratory film, but at the same time its surprisingly harsh, gritty, and uncompromising. It doesn't feel watered down - some of the aspects of these characters' lives are genuinely rough around the edges, and some of the things that happen to them throughout the course of the movie are raw and painful. But in the end this is one that will bring a smile to your face. Just like Rambo did to Will and Lee Carter, Son of Rambow may do to you - it may give you the sudden urge to grab some buddies, don a bandana, and go out and make a pseudo-action-movie-sequel of your own.

I give Son of Rambow a hearty recommendation, and I'd urge anyone to check it out. It may be a small film, but don't let size fool you. The movie packs a Stallone-sized wallop, and it's up there with the best of 2008 thus far.

My Grade: A -

- Alright, that's it for now. Really skill, as the kids in Son of Rambow say.

INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL - Reviewed!

INDIANA JONES and the KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL Review:



Warning: minor SPOILERS ahead ...




- Here's the thing about Indiana Jones: I, and I suspect many of you, love the IDEA of Indiana Jones. I love the iconography - the hat, the bullwhip. I love the mood, the atmosphere, the pulpy fun of the original films. I love the classic John Williams score. I love seeing Harrison Ford in almost any action movie - few other actors have ever been more closely associated with the notion of the consummate action hero. But let's face it folks ... in the decades since RAIDERS first hit the big screen, Indiana Jones the icon has outgrown Indiana Jones the film series. Indy is and has long been everywhere. We see the films parodied. We see the toys, the videogames, the themepark rides. The iconography of Indiana Jones is now a part of American pop-culture history. So now, here in 2008, we're in the unique position of actually having a new Indy film in theaters, after an almost twenty year gap since The Last Crusade. And this comes in a time when we've seen a new Die Hard, a new Rocky, a new Rambo, and three Star Wars prequels. A time when all the old favorites are being milked for every penny, and when the old actors and directors decide to go back to their bread and butter one last time.

But with Indy in particular, like I said ... to me, it's a franchise where the iconography has always trumped the actual films. And that's why I pick TEMPLE OF DOOM as my personal favorite installment - it plays up the pulpiness to the upteenth degree. It's a literal rollercoaster ride of a movie, drenched in atmosphere, rife with all manner of vile villains and exotic locales. It has the mine cart ride, bloodthirsty crocodiles, weird voodoo dolls, and a badguy who rips his victims hearts out of their chests. Sure, the movie's campy as hell, but it's not trying to be anything other than the best campy bit of pulpy goodness it can be.

With THE LAST CRUSADE, the purity of Raiders and the pulpiness of Doom gave way to somethign a bit more crowd-pleasing: Spielbergian sentiment. Sure, everyone loves a good father-son parable, but ... is that really what Indiana Jones is all about?

Well, if the Last Crusade was a fun but somewhat watered-down version of Indy, then KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL is a crazy mashup of all three of the previous movies, with a hefty does of "WTF" weirdness thrown in for good measure.

First, the good news: okay, well, the best news ... Harrison Ford is back. Yes, he's looking a bit old and frail here, but with that being said, any film fan will smile when they see Ford as Indy on the big screen. I mean, finally! This is one of the ALL-TIME great action heroes we're talking about here in Mr. Ford, and it's about damn time that he showed up to a movie with his working boots on. There are moments here ... some moments where Ford looks a bit shaky, a bit too soft-spoken, a bit fragile. But then, there are moments, when Ford IS Indiana Jones, is the legend, is the guy who may be a bit older, may be a bit rough around the edges, but damned if he can't kick some ass when the time is right. If nothing else, Indy 4 is worth seeing just to see the return of an icon, and I'm not necessarily referring to the character Indiana Jones, but to Harisson Ford.

Now, the flipside to this is that as much as we want to see Ford, and in turn Indy, kick some ass like old times, Spielberg and Lucas seem intent on doing everything possible to distract us from the movie's real hero. In the past, we always got a goofy sidekick or a damsel in distress, but here, the movie is completely overloaded with extraneous characters and overstuffed plot. And it's not just that. It's that as the movie goes on, we are teased with one or two vintage Indy moments, but there's never that big, climactic moment where Indiana Jones steps up, is the hero, and saves the day. In fact, for much of the movie's climax, Ford stands around, gapes, and does pretty much jack squat.

That's not to say that there aren't great action sequences here. If anything, Spielberg once again proves why he's the all-time king when it comes to directing set-piece action scenes. He just has that total knack for timing his cuts, so that the action moves at just the right clip. While there's nothing here quite as inventive or imaginative as the best scenes in Raiders or TOD, there are at least one or two sequences that are 100% thrilling and exceedingly well put together. A bike scene involving Ford, Shia LeBeuff, and a bunch of KGB agents is a highlight. It's a sequence that feels Indiana Jones through and through. So does the memorable chase through the jungle in which Indy and co engage in vehicular combat with a swarm of bloodthirsty villains - it's as exciting and well-staged as practically any action scene you're likely to see this summer or this year.

The aforementioned scenes are classic Spielberg. But man, there are a couple of bits here that are just laughably goofy, even for the typically-campy Indiana Jones series. I mean, at one point there is a cringe-worthy sequence where Shia suddenly becomes a greaser version of Tarzan, swinging though the jungle alongside a pack of friendly monkeys, who form some kind of instantaneous bond with him and then help him out by ATTACKING the badguys. Are you kidding me? As much tolerance and appreciation as I have for over-the-top action, bits like this really pushed it. Too many scenes felt like tangents meant simply to get a cheap laugh or get in a little bit of nostalgia or simply indulge some idle idea of Lucas or Spielberg. The obligatory "Indy hates Snakes" scene was hamfisted. The opening shots of CGI'd gophers or whatever felt too jokey and out of place. And how about Indy surviving a NUCLEAR BOMB detonation ... by hiding in a lead-lined refrigerator? Okay, I'll admit that I'm not an expert on how plausible this is, but the whole nuke scene felt totally extraneous, and felt thrown in just so we could get the obligatory shot of Indy walking away from a giant mushroom cloud, as if to shout "HEY KIDS, this movie takes place in THE FIFTIES, see!". And again, I know we've seen campy, out-there stuff in this series before, but at least in, say, Temple of Doom, there was a kind of loopy internal logic. What makes Crystal Skulls feel so uneven is that, well, the tone is just that - uneven.

I think a lot of that blame can be placed on the script, which purportedly took bits and pieces of numerous drafts written over the years to create one big mashup of ideas and plotlines and dialogue bits. As far as the plot goes, like I said, it's overstuffed. I actually really dug the opening in Area 51. It had a great vibe - mysterious, action-packed, and a great reintroduction to the character of Indiana Jones. It established that he's older, slower, but can still pack a punch. If the whole movie had stuck with the tone established in the opening, we might have had a real classic on our hands. But while the first act had a great mix of cold war-era paranoia and intrigue, it seems like Lucas and Spielberg just had to blow things wide open as the movie went on. By the last act, it felt like we were in another film, hell, another franchise entirely.

Look, I actually think that, in theory, the idea of Indy uncovering the secrets of Area 51, Roswell, etc is a damn cool idea, and makes sense, fits the franchise, and gives a fun sense of historical context. But for the love of god, keep the alien stuff subtle, mysterious, and keep the real focus on Indy. But holy lord, the finale of this movie gets into some crazy new-age psychobabble sci-fi, heavy on CGI and light on coherance. It's a finale in which the goofy, out-there tone of the film gets ratcheted up to eleven. When John Hurt begins to mumble something about the aliens being not from outer space, but from "the space between spaces," the movie has officially gone off the tracks. Part of the problem is that so much of the movie is lacking in real atmosphere ... it's like Spielberg and Lucas go overboard in the finale trying to blow our minds with kewl CGI craziness. Rather than just let us go with Dr. Jones on his journey, let us follow him deeper and deeper into the rabbit hole, the complicated MacGuffin of the crystal skulls is explained and expositionally talked about ad nauseum, and it's one of those premises that only gets sillier-seeming the more its talked about. It would have been one thing to have Indy discover extraterrestrial life. But here we're talking mind control, other dimensions, and all kinds of other randomness. It's like a videogame where you have to read a book-sized instruction manual before you can jump in and play. Ideally, the experience should organically draw you in and explain its premise.

The premise alone is enough to make your head spin, but then there's at least a few characters who probably could have been completely cut out of the film. John Hurt is simply annoying as an old archaeologist who has been possessed by the crystal skulls. Hurt is a great actor, so it's especially painful to watch him stumble through the movie babbling, shouting random stuff, and not really contributing anything worthwhile. Same goes for Ray Winstone. He's Indy's friend - no wait, a spy! - no wait, a friend! - oh sorry, just kidding, he was evil all along! Another character that could have been eliminated from the script with no real harm done.

And it's too bad that there's all this clutter, because it takes away from the real fun of the film, which is the dynamic between Indiana, his old flame Marion, and her son (and his?!?), a greaser named Mutt. It's great to see Karen Allen back as Marion Ravenwood, I only wish she had more to do and had more memorable moments. Her character in Raiders was a true classic, and some of that old spark returns here. She has a few great back-and-forths with Ford, and I give the movie credit in general for giving Ford some vintage one-liners and dialogue exchanges. Snappy dialogue is as much a part of Indy as the hat and whip, so it was nice to see that Indiana had retained his penchant for witty banter. That being said, I wish that the relationship between Indy and Marion was given more time to play out and develop. It had its moments, but had no real arc - it just kind of went from Point A to Point C. Same goes for the father-son relationship. Some great moments in there to be sure. Shia did a decent job - I didn't really buy him as a tough-guy greaser per se, but he had a good chemistry with Ford and handled the action scenes pretty well. Again, I wish more of the film revolved around Indy and his central relationships - however, too many other characters, random asides, and muddled plot points took away from what should have been a more central focus on the man himself.

Meanwhile, Cate Blanchette gave a solid effort as the film's main villain, a heavily-accented KGB operative after the mind-controlling powers inherent in the Skulls. However, I guess I was expecting a bit more from her here? I was hoping for a truly original villain, a great pulp femme fatale ... but in the end, Blanchette was servicable but not particularly memorable. I guess I expected more from the guy who brought us Darth Vader and Jabba the Hutt. There was no great rivalry between her and Jones, and she never really did anything truly vile to make us root against her. When she met her ultimate fate, it was a pretty "meh" moment to me, which is a comment both on her character's relative blandness, and on the muddled circumstances in which she found herself at the film's end.

So let's take a look here - as you can see, the film has its problems. The plot drags and becomes too out-there tonally to fit comfortably in the established Indiana Jones mold. There are bits of goofiness that detract from the overall quality of the action scenes and dialogue. And there are too many ancillary characters and plot points that distract from our main hero, in what should be his triumphant return. But look, in spite of all that, I really did enjoy the film. There were moments when that unique brand of movie magic that Lucas, Spielberg, and Ford bring to the table was on full display. And that is a powerful alchemy. These three know how to combine action and emotion, awe and wonder, character and iconography, like few others do or ever have. This latest Indy flick has those big iconic moments, those scenes where Spielberg, more so than any other director, knows just how long to let the camera linger to soak in the action and the ambiance. It has, of course, the trademark John Williams score - a score that is pretty familiar after all these years but still gets the job done, accentuating each moment of the film with epic aplomb. It's like I said in my opening, with Indiana Jones, the iconography has always overshadowed everything else. And here, for a fourth time, that iconography is on full display, with the added twist that sure, Harrison Ford is older, Indiana Jones is older, but dammit, he's still the man. It's a reassuring and pleasant trope, one that plays on all those warm and fuzzy feelings of nostalgia and longing for a simpler time. As has been said - the original Raiders was Lucas and Spielberg bringing to life their own nostalgia for the movie serials and pulp adventures of old. Now, this is that same duo acting out their nostalgia for their own earlier films. And so, it's something of a testament to the power of that nostalgia, to the power of that iconography, that the movie can entertain, make you smile, and work on a certain level, even if, upon closer inspection, the movie itself in many ways misses the mark.

My Grade: B