Gilmore Girls - Love Letter

To Whom It May Concern

So this is the episode where Christopher will start flaking out huh? I guess for you Christopher-haters, this is the time you've been waiting for. I don't buy that he would get THAT irritated like that when he finds Lorelai's character reference letter for Luke. A letter that helps save Luke's ravaged case and gets him to keep meeting with his daughter April.

Sookie finds out that Jackson did NOT get his vasectomy which explains her pregnancy (and also Melissa McCarthy's real life pregnancy). Paris is back with charts galore in preparation for their future beyond Yale and helps Rory get back together with Lucy.

Richard starts teaching at Yale in a class Rory is taking, but has a heart attack that ends the show. EEKS! Plus, apparently their will be a big difference in the reaction between Christopher and Luke, which of course will be the start for get-back-Luke plot to come. Anyways, Christopher already ran off after realizing he was always going to come second to Lorelai after Luke, a storyline we've all seen coming since last season (whether we like Christopher or not).

More After the Jump...

Veronica Mars - Hooked on Veronica

Poughkeepsie, Tramps & Thieves

I always love me some Veronica Mars but this is the first stand-alone mystery that I really found twisty and turny in a while now. Veronica helps out a lovelorned slightly nerdy (but still oh-so adorable) Max to find his girl, who turns out to be Wendy a hooker. She wants out of the biz to be with him, pimp says no, then we aren't sure who is scamming and who is actually being scammed? Plus was it real love? Veronica is doubtful, of course, but alas is proven wrong.

Keith interviews Nish, Fern and Claire and finds out that Nish egged Dean O'Dell's Volvo, only, he drove the minivan that day. Is Nish lying or was Mrs. O'Dell in the parking lot when Cyrus got murdered?

Veronica and Logan have another intimate revealing conversation in bed, but Veronica finds out later that he was with the one girl Veronica hates during the break.

More After the Jump...

Dirty Harry

So only 163 more days until Harry Potter and the Order Of the Pheonix comes out, and only 157 more days until the final book Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows comes out. Update: The Book was pushed back to July 21st 2007 now so looks like you need to add 22 more days to that tally to 177 more days as of Tuesday)

In the meantime, Equus runs in the West End with some provocative promotional shots (may NSFW) featuring Daniel Radcliffe trying to excise any notion of Harry Potter.

Update: So Much for NSFW since Canada's The National Post newspaper threw the photos on their cover page today (Wed. 31 Jan 2007).

More After the Jump...

Heroes - Best Subtitle EVER

Chapter 13: The Fix


Ando and Hiro are being chased in a parking lot and finally captured together (after Hiro sticks it out with Ando who is first caught). I mean, we all knew about the build up since we knew George "Sulu" Takei was guesting as Hiro's father but thanks to Jason Kyson Lee and Masi Oka, they were still the best scenes this episode. The final reveal was hilarious but only topped off by the great subtitle of Hiro's "GULP"!

Meanwhile, Niki is still in the padded room but Micah needs her since daddy D.L. can't handle things. Micah steals cash out of an ATM and reveals his own power to his father.

Matt Parkman is taken off the force for 6 months while his wife reveals she's pregnant in her thoughts.

Invisible Man (Christopher Eccleston, so great with Ewan McGregor and Kerry Fox in Shallow Grave) reluctantly helps out Peter, while Nathan and Mohinder try to save him their own way.

Claire asks for help from The Haitian and finally tracks down her birth mother who was thought to be dead (and played by Jessalyn Gilsig yey! (Prison Break, Boston Public, Nip/Tuck)) but is torn about lying to her horned-rimmed glasses father. Meanwhile, Horned-Rimmed Glasses Man notes Claire's subtle callsign to the Haitian, and also is caught in Sylar's cell after Sylar kills the watching attendant.

Was that it? I really would like for Ali Larter's storyline to pan out as something interesting but so far, I really just prefer to get back to Hiro and Ando, and Claire's stories at this point. Plus why didn't Matt Parkman just make some comments to the board showing he isn't a complete kook? It was another one of those moments where I would have thrown a donut at his head for being an idiot.

More After the Jump...

Road to the Oscars - The SAG Awards

SAG Awards. hehehe... anyways, I have my issues with SAG right now anyways for getting the Canadian equivalent ACTRA to fight their fight while ACTRA stays on strike (and thus why I can be up at 2 am posting this). Oh look, so the productions will just have to go back to LA where SAG works. How CONVENIENT for them...

Things quickly I noted:

Yey Chandra Wilson for winning Best ACTRESS in a Drama TV for Grey's Anatomy! Finally some recognition. Everyone else was almost the same as the Golden Globes but that's totally fine with me (Alec Baldwin, America Ferrera etc)

The big winner though was Little Miss Sunshine, which I was just telling my friend earlier this weekend (after seeing Babel, completing my Best Picture viewing) that I think it will win Best Picture now because it's the only feelgood pick of the 5 Best Picture Oscar nominees. Personally I thought Little Miss Sunshine is the worst of the 5 movies (it's not a BAD movie but the other 4 are better) but Babel is too dividing and some people just don't get it. The Departed is too violent for some voters and plus it's a remake of an already good film (Infernal Affairs). Letters From Iwo Jima has Clint Eastwood on its side (I was not a fan of his acting but damn has he kept surprising me with good movies as a director), but the movie being in Japanese and slower paced, might turn off some voters. That leaves Little Miss Sunshine which people seem to love, or The Queen, and The Queen is too British and docusoap to win Best Picture. So I think Little Miss Sunshine will sneak through and beat Babel, Letters From Iwo Jima and The Departed and now with it winning the SAG award, you know the actors (the largest contingent in the Academy) has its backing. (Granted, my other theory which is probably wrong, is that Little Miss Sunshine is an okay movie made MUCH better by it's excellent cast, so it actually DOES deserve the SAG award for Best Ensemble (SAG's equivalent of Best Picture) but not the actual Best Picture).

I will say that looking back at last years Best Picture list, this years is MUCH better with 3 of the 5 nominated movies making my top 10 list (and in fact, are all ranked from 6 or higher). So really, if any of them win (except Little Miss Sunshine though now that I said this, it will win, just like Crash did last year, the only one I didn't want to win), I'll will not be angry (again, see Crash)(No, I'm not over it still, Not especially when my boss at the time was one of the people who voted for it too. I knew I should have ripped open that envelope and changed it to Brokeback Mountain)(Yes, I actually had to mail in his friggin Crash-voting Oscar ballot for him).

More After the Jump...

Men In Trees - Cute and Dirty

Bed, Bat & Beyond

Plow Guy is back! Jane visits Elmo again, cashing in her vacation days to spend two weeks with Plow Guy Sam (Ty Olsson). Meanwhile, Marin starts furnishing her new cabin in the woods, while Jack helps with the landscaping. Since Sarah and Marin both move out of the inn, Patrick is worried about money, money to pay for Annie's dream wedding he hopes to give her. Celia admits to dating Richard (ABC's favorite guest star Currie Graham) and I like how he's softening her up since her character, while supposed to be grating, is a bit too grating sometimes. Sara continues to help out at the bar while Ben recuperates, and Mai helps out both Patrick (giving him money because she didn't come from China to see her bastard son deliver papers) and Ben (giving him Korean soap opera's to watch). I have to say she is definitely growing on me despite the glaring (but still hilarious) stereotypes.

Marin finds out that her cute little log cabin still needs a lot of work, and has some extra inhabitants (a bat in the outhouse), while Lynn realises Jack still may have feelings for Marin, despite Lynn moving into Jack's place. I must say, the whole thing is very complicated which might actually be interesting since it's not as clearcut as a romcom show would usually have it. Real life is messy, so it's nice to see a cute and glossy show like this show some of that dirt (including the buzzing noise from Sara's box as she moves out... hilarious).

Anyways, Jane comes to rescue Marin leaving poor Plow Guy behind, but then another intruder lands in Marin's new house. A big ole' black bear. Are we employing all the animal handlers in Vancouver these days?

More After the Jump...

Supernatural - Hand Movements

Night Shifter

I don't know why I keep watching this show. It's well done. There are crack-up funny lines spit out by the always handsome and authoritative Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki. The big problem?

The show is consistently scary. Which is a good thing for a scary show. Except I usually don't like scary. So I watch this show with my hands half covering my eyes the whole time. Which is idiotic cause I stress myself out everytime.

Still, the brothers track down a shapeshifter at a bank thanks to an oddball, but the oddball takes the bank hostage (trying to kill the shapeshifter) but inadvertently makes it look like bank heist giving the cops a reason to surround the place. The brothers finally kill the shapeshifter but from the cops point of view, it looks like they just murdered an innocent girl and was in on the bank robbery, while one cop seems to have a full history on their father and themselves and now they are screwed because it looks like THEY are the ones travelling around the country killing people each way and out. Gasp, I'm out of breath now (partly my heart beating so fast from the stress).

More After the Jump...

Grey's Anatomy - Move those Muffins

Great Expectations

Um, is there wedding fever or something in the water right now? First Friday Night Lights pops a surprising marriage proposal last night. Then The OC has Bullet pop back in to propose to Julie Cooper, now TWO proposals from George to Callie and Burke to Christina? (Again, is it me or was it somehow funny that the camera cut back and forth between T.R. Knight as George and Isaiah Washington as Burke as they proposed to their respective girlfriends? Is the real life drama over yet and should/can we move on?).

So at times I find the writers are getting lazy (Heather's spine needing surgery but gets no insurance money, Bailey all of a sudden wanting to open up a free clinic? Where did that come from? Oh, how convenient. Things Izzie can spend her $8million on.) because I find the show has fallen into a nice coasting state resting on its laurels yet nothing is really actually happening. Little things are happening but nothing hugely memorable and reminds me more and more of ER in its mid/later states.

Christina and Burke are still not speaking to each other, the Chief is still mulling retirement letting people scramble to replace him (only this time, in addition to Burke and Sheppard, we get Sloan and Addison as well). Addison moves on to the next hottie around Karev (who wisely for now is avoiding dealing with the awkward kiss and trying to keep it professional).

George has become a sex machine as a denial method to dealing with his fathers death while Callie runs far far away after too much sex, leaving Izzie to stay on George-watch. Adele has moved on from Richard. Sheppard is pissed that Sloan was about to leave and Meredith inadvertently got him to stay based on the position of Chief of Surgery opening.

Still, TWO Marriage proposals? So thats the big storyline that was about to happen to Burke during February sweeps, since it sounded from Shonda Rhimes that Isaiah was not going to be fired after all.

More After the Jump...

The OC - The Casting Couch

The Groundhog Day

A week early isn't it? All thanks to Fox I'm guessing who is just burning the episodes away to make way for the American Idol channel (they bumped last nights new Bones to next week as well, and sadly, America totally bought the lame auditions up).

So, calling all casting agents, get thee Autumn Reeser (as Taylor Townsend) a new pilot show since it is that season again and now that The OC is done and not moving on at Fox or CW. Girl has got SOMETHING that just pops off the screen. While you're at it, bring Ben McKenzie on, who hasn't shined this brightly since he starred opposite Oscar nominee Amy Adams in Junebug. I'm pretty sure Rachel Bilson and Adam Brody will be totally fine now that they've gotten some pretty good film roles, but hopefully Willa Holland will get recognized from this ratings-deprived but hilarious season.

Anyways, Kaitlin has been emailing Bullet pretending to be Julie in a somewhat sweet story that will wrap up Julie in a nice ending.


Che's love of otter (aka Seth) ends up being a lame mistake. Che makes Seth help him free a groundhog but ends up meeting his real soul mate, a girl in a groundhog costume.

Taylor stalks Ryan and tries to avoid him all the same setting her up for many pratfalls. Though they finally re-unite and all is well (at least until the next episode)!

Sandy and Ryan try to seek out something for her birthday the entire episode but the main important thing is that Kirsten is pregnant and now our second favorite parents (Eric and Tami Taylor on Friday Night Lights just won out this year) will be busy again after the show finishes (at least in imaginary The OC world)!

Meanwhile, Julie breaks it off with her other man, who we discover is, gasp, Frank Atwood, who was ready to propose. Which would have made Julie Cooper related to everybody on the show at some point or another.

More After the Jump...

Friday Night Lights - Little Show I Wanna Marry You

Little Girl I Wanna Marry You


Saracen's father goes back to Iraq leaving Matt and his grandmother alone again. Smash's mom finds his steroids and goes postal on Coach Taylor until she realises that he really had nothing to do with it. Now that Coach Taylor knows about Smash, he must report it, but sticks his neck out for Smash by keeping it quiet but forcing Smash to do some major damage control of his own life.

Tyra tries to get her mother a job at Buddy Garrity's car dealership but they miss the interview when their tires blows out. Luckily, Tyra's mom's cleavage manages to get her the job later on a the football party held at the dealership.

Buddy sets up Lyla on a date and Jason is jealous. Jason asks Buddy about his opinion and is basically told that he is no longer good enough for her, forcing Jason to back down until Herc's enthusiasm for life pushes Jason to propose to Lyla. (WHAT?)

Meanwhile, the Mayor, who is hinted at being a lesbian, asks Tami to be her campaign manager, much to the chagrin of Eric, but Tami accepts the offer. I know this is getting repetitive but how good is the chemistry between Tami and Eric and the actors Connie Britton and Kyle Chandler? They are the most loving couple but play it real with bickering, retorts, eye rolls and all, but you still feel the love! Emmy better be watching... (or anybody for that matter).

More After the Jump...

The Catch Up and TV Just Got Started

Boy, a week goes by fast. Most of the new eps are finally just starting and I'm already falling behind and it's not even February yet. Eeks. Anyways, here's some quick recaps about the past week.

The OC - The Dreamlover
What was with this episode? I felt like I missed half an episode since The French Connection. When did Che come to Newport and become friends with Seth? And Otter dream? what? Was Ryan not saving Taylor from Henri-Michel enough to piss her off THAT much? How did Julie's manservant service become tedious all of a sudden and why does Kiki have to be such a downer about it? Still, it was actually all kinda worth it for the final scene when they explain the Otter as Che in love with Seth. Fantastic! Some gay man love finally on The OC. It's about time.


Ugly Betty - In or Out
Wilhelmina is planning her list of those with her and those with Daniel and Amanda doesn't make the cut. Marc sneaks her a hint to screw over Daniel but instead helps Betty make herself look even better as Betty is brought back to Mode upon Daniel's return. Hilda tries to start a cupcake business to little success, revealing her doubts about being a mother to Justin, while Daniel and Betty share more moments bonding in their weird and wonderful relationship, with Daniel revealing to Betty that Henry totally digs her (and with news that Christopher Gorham being back for the rest of the season and joining the cast for next year, this is GREAT!). Finally, we find out who Wilhelmina SLA-TAH is talking to, and as I suspected, it's GASP! Alex Meade, now Alexis Meade, who looks awfully a lot like Mystique (and if you noticed, Rebecca Romijn is on the main cast list, before Michael Urie as Marc even gets on. That's just WRONG). Meanwhile, Marc and Amanda are simply HILARIOUS as the new Jack and Karen.


The Office - The Return
Oscar is back from his gaycation and Dwight comes back from working at Staples. Plus I just finally found out from reading People magazine (it was free, don't hate me) that Rashida Jones (Karen) is Quincy and Peggy Lipton's daughter. No wonder she's so beautiful.

Scrubs - My Musical
Not as good as Buffy's Once More With Feeling but pretty good still!

Grey's Anatomy - Six Days Part 1 & 2
George's Dad undergoes a surgery that he never really understood and is in a coma and George is pissed off. Izzie anonymously pays for George-Michael's Anne surgery and Bailey pulls her off the case again for being too close. Karev and Addison have a moment, Meredith snores, and Christina goes bonkers while caring for Burke while being ignored at the same time. Still, all I can remember is the REAL Drama behind this show which is too bad...

Men in Trees - History Lessons
Patrick tries to ask Annie to marry him and Lynn decides to stay and takes up Jack's time from Marin (though apparently not in real life as word is James Tupper and Anne Heche are doing it for real, both leaving their spouses... can actors NOT shack up with their co-stars? It's called ACTING). Sarah comes back (Yey) and is getting out of the "hospitality" business.

Desperate Housewives - No fits, No Fights, No Feuds, Not while I'm Around, No Come Play Wiz Me
Alma is back and pyschotically attached to Orson (as well as someone's teeth) causing grief for Bree. Lynette saves the pizzeria before it even opens and then leaves her job to work for Tom. Paul Young befriends Mike in prison for the purpose of reconnecting with Zach. Meanwhile, Zach's rich inheritance lets him spend tons to woo Gabrielle. The whole Orson stuff is getting darker and creepier which is getting good, though I hope they somehow wrap in the Mike and Paul Young stuff back into it.

Brothers and Sisters - Something Ida This Way Comes
Our favorite Happy Days mom Marion Ross plays yet another disliked grandmother (Gilmore Girls, Out of Practice) and comes to wreak havoc at Nora's 60th birthday. Sarah makes the plans but gets sick, leaving Kevin to pick up the pieces as he has his affair with the closeted soap actor. Jack McCalister lends his chef to the party and is instantly loved by Nora despite the opposing politics. Jack and Kitty continue to flirt as they hide in the closet where the booze is hidden so that Justin doesn't get a hold of it while Tommy babysits. Meanwhile, Sarah and Joe's sextape makes it onto the video tribute for Nora. Worst plot point for a laugh. Would NEVER happen. They would never have handed it to the editor. The editor would have never put it in. Still, it was like a bad soap opera episode acted with a great cast. Love it! Can't wait for Emily Van Camp to join! Woohoo!


How I Met Your Mother - Columns
hmm... I just noticed the episode name. Funny since I just found out one of my architect friend had chipped his tooth once when he was little for chasing a girl and smashing into a column. Meanwhile, Ted who is now boss must fire his ex-boss (Bryan Cranston) and not look like the mean boss everyone else assumes he must be. Meanwhile, the gang finds a naked painting of Marshall, but after the taunting, Barney wants one too and pays Lily to paint him in all his buff awesomeness. Awesome!

Heroes - Godsend
Ando and Hiro get the sword they need to fight the museum dinosaur but alas, it's a fake from the Linderman group. This convinces Nate Petrelli that something MAY be connected. Claire tries to convince Zack of their former friendship before his mind was erased, while Matt Parkman's powers are still being subdued by the Haitian and ends up looking like an idiot in front of the feds. Niki is in jail and crazy, and crazy for geting dreadlocks.


The New Adventures of Old Christine - Let Him Eat Cake
It's Richard's birthday, Old Christine gives New Christine an idea for an awesome gift but then gets jealous when she gets all the credit. I love the dynamics between Richard and Old Christine.

Veronica Mars - Show Me the Monkey
She's back and so is Mac as they try to solve the case of the missing monkey from the lab. A PETA-like organization is blamed but Veronica Mars is on the case. Meanwhile, Logan and Veronica are broken up but alas, their passion brings the back together by the end of the ep! Dean O'Dell's death cannot be a suicide thanks to Papa Mars but it'll be another month before we find out who did it. I liked that Parker, Mac and Veronica united to help solve the case. Meanwhile, Piz is pissed that Logan and Veronica are back together after his impassioned hint to Veronica about his own love for her.

Gilmore Girls - Santa's Secret Stuff
Christmas comes to the Gilmore house late so that Rory back from London can enjoy it. Luke pursues his paternal rights case while Lane goes crazy while she's pregnant as Mrs. Kim rules the roost, and the band get's back together!

Meanwhile on reality TV, why all the hubbub about American Idol judges being mean? They always are during the auditions process. Every year the press says the same thing, you know, because American Idol needs the publicity...

Meanwhile, does anybody find Austin (who seems to be one of the 6 rumoured professional ringers snuck in to ensure some backup plan) from Grease: You're The One That I Want extremely creepy?

More After the Jump...

Can the Brothers & Sisters Cast Get Any Better?

Emily Van Camp (Amy Abbott on Everwood) is REBECCA on Brothers & Sisters! She starts work Friday! WOOHOO!!!

More After the Jump...

The 79th Annual Oscar Nominations

I'll expand on this later when I have some more time away from work but where's United 93? Should have been in the Best Picture category and considering Paul Greengrass was nominated for Best Director, isn't that a sign? Still, I sort of resigned to the fact that they weren't going to nominate the most critically acclaimed film of the year.

Other than that though, I have to say the nominations were generally pretty good with no huge complaints, and some nice surprises (Abigail Breslin for Little Miss Sunshine, Ryan Gosling for Half Nelson, Jackie Earle Haley for Little Children).

Update: Oh shoot, I just realised (thanks to Modern Fabulosity) that Volver wasn't nominated in the Best Foreign-Language Film. I mean, Yey that Canada's Water got in but where's Volver?

Anyways, seems like people seem a bit bummed about the nominations but again, I think generally they are fine and actually for deserving (mostly) people/movies and not the usual gamut of popular but mediocre movies that land in the top categories. (Again, I'm actually kinda glad Dreamgirls didn't make it, though the backlash for Babel is on (apparently this years Crash) and I'm glad people are finally voicing their ambivalence about Little Miss Sunshine. It was cute but not great. Still, not as horrifying nominations as some other years.)

More After the Jump...

Best of Movies 2006 (and everything else)

Okay. I'm a little late since all the other lists are out but I had to play catch up with the movies. So now that we are less than a week away from the Oscar nominations (due out Tuesday, Jan 23rd) and I'm away for work until then, here are my picks for the Best Movies of 2006, as well as the listings of every other 2006 movie I saw and the grade I gave it (in alphabetical order within a grade scale). This is a working list though and subject to change and be added upon.

1. United 93 - (A) Director Paul Greengrass and the cast of mostly unknowns or real life people playing themselves make a relatively unbiased documentary-like gripping film that plainly follows the shock and failure to understand the events that happened on the airplane of flight UA093, on the ground, and in people's minds, all as we hurtle to a devastating conclusion we all (as viewers) know is coming.



2. Casino Royale - (A-) Dark, dirty, Daniel Craig, its the new Double O- Seven and it's downright gritty and action packed with depth and style to spare. Daniel Craig grabs hold of the iconic role and makes the role his own, sexy, slightly psychopathic, and smart in a movie that goes from bounding leaps (literally), to some sexy heartbreak where scars, both on the skin and in the heart, hurt our James Bond as never have before.



3. Letters From Iwo Jima - (A-) A haunting look at the Japanese soldiers that were forced to fight on Iwo Jima while their country slowly deserted them through retreat, rations and supplies. At the heart of this war story, we follow two particular soldiers, one lowly former baker Saigo (Japanese boyband member Kazunari Ninomiya in a terrific performance) and the General Kuribayashio (the always reliable Ken Watanabe) as the war chips away at them little by little just as the movie chips away at us, the viewers, until some horrifying moments of battle that would be disturbing to anybody on any side of the war.



UPDATE: I've shifted my original list here with a late entry on March 17 2007. Everything else has been bumped accordingly but I've left the former #10 (now #11) on the list.

4. The Lives of Others - (A-) 1980's East Germany. A famous writer, his actress girlfriend, and the spy who watched them, in a slow burning subdued thriller that explores each of the three lives that are shattered under Stasi rule. I'll leave it at that before I say anything more, but watch for a quiet but mesmerizing performance by Ulrich Mühe as the watchman peering into The Lives of Others.



5. The Queen - (A-) Queen Elizabeth II tries to understand the public reaction to the death of Diana as we try to understand what kind of person The Queen actually is. Like a high gloss, elitist gossip rag only without feeling intrusive and tabloidy. Helen Mirren's performance is every bit as amazing as they all say it is, and the movie is far more emotionally resonating than one would think a biographical movie about The Queen would ever be.



6. The History Boys - (A-) A deliciously fun look at the educating of a bunch of boys, and the battles of educating our youth. It's serious fun watching Richard Griffiths and Stephen Campbell Moore (as well as a fantastic Frances De La Tour) trying to impend their differing wisdom's towards their boys, and themselves, while Samuel Beckett provides a devastating portrayal as a gay student in love with the dashing Dakin (Dominic Cooper).



7. The Departed - (A-) Stressful to watch and satisfying as hell. Martin Scorcese leads a terrific cast in the remake of Hong Kong's Infernal Affairs.



8. Marie Antoinette - (A-) My pretentious choice of the year. Yes, controversial but I loved it and loved that we saw the bubble that Marie Antoinette lived in Versailles while oblivious to the French Revolution rolling on around her (and just before they roll her head).



9. Cars - (A-) Pixar again creates a full world with talking cars and somehow we really care and feel for them. While the story is a bit more simplistic and clichéd then previous outings, Cars still made for wonderful entertainment telling a classic message story.



10. Dave Chappelle's Block Party - (A-) Not usually my type of music or entertainment and I'm probably the only person that thinks The Chappelle Show isn't the funniest thing in the world, but watching Dave Chappelle be himself as he puts on a block party is both joyous and invigorating to the human spirit.



11. The Devil Wears Prada - (A-) A surprise for becoming a fully rounded story with 3 dimensional villains in a typical fashion story. Meryl Streep, Stanley Tucci and Emily Blunt are fantastic as they scurry around the neutral Anne Hathaway in a career vs. life story that made an enjoyable movie into something slightly more.



Here's everything else in Alphabetical Order within each grade:
An Inconvenient Truth = Ungradeable because it is A Must See

Babel = A-
Dixie Chicks: Shut Up & Sing = A-

Blood Diamond = B+
Bon Cop, Bad Cop = B+
The Holiday = B+
Infamous = B+
Notes On A Scandal = B+
The Painted Veil = B+
Pan's Labyrinth = B+
She's The Man = B+
Volver = B+

Brick = B
Dreamgirls = B
Children of Men = B
Flags of Our Fathers = B
Flushed Away = B
Inside Man = B
Invincible = B
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest = B
The Prestige = B
Step Up = B
Stick It = B
Stranger Than Fiction = B
Take The Lead = B (*biased review)
Thank You for Smoking = B
V for Vendetta = B

Akeelah and the Bee = B-
Driving Lessons = B-
Little Miss Sunshine = B-
Monster House = B-
The Science of Sleep = B-
Shortbus = B-
Superman Returns = B-

A Good Year = C+
A Prairie Home Companion = C+
Borat = C+
The Da Vinci Code = C+
The Guardian = C+
Over The Hedge = C+

Failure to Launch = C
Happy Feet = C
The Illusionist = C
Rocky Balboa = C
X Men 3: The Last Stand = C

Last Updated Dec. 3rd, 2007

Other Best of Lists for 2006:
Best of 2006
Best of TV 2006
Best of Music 2006
Best New People Fall 2006

Previous Lists:
Best of Movies 2005

More After the Jump...

It's Not A Grey('s) Area, It's Black and White

I was going to leave this alone but since everyone is piping up about it, and Isaiah Washington had to bring it up again at the Golden Globes, I now officially want Isaiah off Grey's Anatomy.

First he calls co-star T.R. Knight the f#gg%t word forcing T.R. out of the closet, then after the dust had sort of settled (and he was lucky to get away with it at this point), Isaiah brings it up again at the Golden Globes and denies he ever said it.

Then Katherine Heigl (thank her bootylicious blondness! I knew there was a reason why I loved you since Roswell) confirmed that Isaiah DID in fact use the F word and was not sure why he was lying. She also put her cards in to defend T.R. (And now I'm wondering if her, T.R. and Kate Walsh's absence from the Entertainment Weekly Year End cover story as the Entertainers of the year (they were quoted as saying that they "...declined to participate in this story" even though it was a top honours story that most actors would not pass up) had anything to do with the friction that must be happening on the set of Grey's Anatomy these days? Boy will these coming weeks of filming be interesting...)

Now T.R. Knight was just on Ellen today to confirm it all (and can I love him and Ellen even more now for trying to clean up the whole incident?) It was a bit weird to watch since T.R. was obviously unconfortable about talking about it still, but it was necessary to clear things up fully and finally.

Seriously, Shonda Rhimes and ABC needs to write away Burke's shaky hand out of Seattle Grace. If you made a mistake Isaiah, own up and apologize because that F word is uncalled for in ANY setting, let alone a workplace setting. I know it's acting but I can no longer view Isaiah/Burke's face without thinking of the uncalled words he used in real life and actions need to be taken. If this was a racial slur, someone would have been axed, but since it's a gay slur, somehow our society still tends to let those things slide. That's just wrong.

More After the Jump...

The Amazing Race: All Stars Cast Official

Oh yey! I was correct with my spoilers for the cast of The Amazing Race: All Stars which will premiere on Feb. 18th on CBS at 8pm and has officially announced the cast (okay, except for Tian and Jaree who are NOT on the race)! Woohoo! The rumour about Kris and Jon was also wrong which is too bad since they were supercute together. Anyways, Thanks to GlowyBox for the tip in the first place to the message board where I compiled the info!

Though interesting note, John Vito and Jill are now "formerly dating" where before they ran as "dating". Guess a chance at a million can force you to deal with anybody (though with those two, I can believe that the split was amicable somehow).

So again, here are the teams (quoted mostly from Popwatch):
Joe and Bill "Team Guido" (Season 1; third place) — partners
Kevin and Drew (Season 1; fourth place) — buddies
Ozwald and Danny "The Cha Cha Cha's" (Season 2; fourth place) — gay best friends
Teri and Ian (Season 3; second place) — married
John Vito and Jill (Season 3; fifth place) — now ex-lovers
Charla and Mirna (Season 5; sixth place) — cousins
Uchenna and Joyce (Season 7; winners) — husband and wife
Eric Sanchez and Danielle Turner (Season 9; separate teams) — met as Amazing Race opponents
Dustin and Kandice (Season 10; fourth place) — beauty queens
David and Mary (Season 10; sixth place) — cuddly marrieds
Rob and Amber (Season 7; second place) - TV reality cochroaches, they never seem to die

More After the Jump...

The Golden Globes Tonight

The Golden Globes are on tonight on NBC at 8pm! One more step for Jennifer Hudson to Oscar Gold? Another notch for Forest Whitaker and Helen Mirren as they just buy their time before Oscar night? Or will there be some big shockers tonight?

We can count on the Hollywood Foreign Press to throw a few curveballs and to honour some newbies.

Update: So, apparently you win something tonight at the Golden Globes if you're British (Helen Mirren, Emily Blunt, Bill Nighy, Jeremy Irons, Sacha Baron Cohen, Hugh Laurie, Helen Mirren again) or on the ABC Thursday night lineup (Ugly Betty, America Ferrera, Grey's Anatomy) or could have been in movies 20 years ago (Martin Scorcese, Eddie Murphy, Forest Whitaker, Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin (for 30 Rock) , Clint Eastwood via Letters from Iwo Jima). Only Jennifer Hudson doesn't fit into any of those categories. And Babel. Where did THAT come from? Really? Haven't seen it yet but heard its okay but not great.

Still, nothing too shocking (though Babel and Eddie Murphy suprised me a little) but nothing offensive at least (Tony Shalhoub and Patricia Arquette did not win. Thank goodness). Some good speeches (Meryl Streep is ALWAYS funny, Sacha Baron Cohen (good performance, overated movie) was HILARIOUS), and some heartwarming and cute moments (America Ferrera winning! The entire CAST of Ugly Betty winning!)

Still, nothing offensive at least. Though still a little annoyed at the supporting acting categories for TV being huge lumps from TV movies, Series and mini-series.

Also, I only just noticed that Beyonce and Meryl Streep were in the same category. That's just weird isn't it?

More After the Jump...

Scrubs - They're Depressed, We Laugh

My Friend With Money

Carla's Post-Partum Depression is not exactly usual subjects of sitcom gold but leave it to the Scrubs folks to fit it in realistically and still make things funny around it (though still heartbreaking). Of course, does JD's slight depression over missing his girlfriend seem to mirror his real life?

This coming week on Thursday, Jan. 18th at 9pm on NBC, the big Scrubs Musical episode, "My Musical"! Finally! If it's even half as good as Buffy the Vampire Slayers' "Once More With Feeling" I'll be ecstatic!

More After the Jump...

Brothers and Sisters - Man Fasting

Sexual Politics
Family Day

What's better than watching the Walker family implode in argument over a family dinner as they seem to do anytime plates are laid on a table or at Justin's therapy sessions in "Family Day"? Watching the Walker family actually laughing and happy as they tease one of their own, like over breakfast after Kevin gets a "workout" from the "straight"-acting soap actor Jason Lewis (Sex and the City) and Tommy gets booted from the bed for not providing a "workout" to the wife. Meanwhile, Sarah has troubles with Joe at home and the stepson, Nora and Kitty go on blind dates (set up by a professional matchmaker). Nora with a big gay man, and Kitty with Jack McCalister, her new boss whom she was trying to distance herself for gossips sake.

The ending of "Sexual Politics" seemed a little anti-climatic with that camera pullback as if it was some John Grisham movie, but loved Kevin's confusion over the bi-soap actor, and love the mother daughter moments between Kitty and Nora, and though Nora's blind date started cringeworthy, it was cute in the end, plus still leaves us open for Treat Williams to come back as the carpenter!

I'm not a Rob Lowe hater but I'm not exactly a fan either but I'm liking him spewing dialect on a Greg Berlanti show. Though I wish they kept on Josh Hopkins as a viable triangle (plus it would also allow us to keep Keri Lynn Pratt as Amber). Then again, I also want them to keep Luke MacFarlane but seems like the show is moving up the actors chain as the series garners more and more viewers.

More After the Jump...

The Casting Couch

According to imdb, Meryl Streep has signed on to the just announced Mamma Mia movie! Meryl singing Abba. How great is that!??? Just saw The Devil Wears Prada and between that and her performance in A Prairie Home Companion, she just continuously proves why she's the best actress in Hollywood.

Despite the fact that recent movie musicals still do not make that much money (Moulin Rouge did not actually make that much money in its original release), and are not always transfered well (Rent), or are at best decent if not spectacular (Dreamgirls, The Producers), I'm still glad this trend is continuing, especially with Hairspray opening up this summer,and Sweeney Todd being filmed with Johnny Depp, Sacha Baron Cohen, Alan Rickman and Helena Bonham Carter with director Tim Burton. Guess they are all trying to chase Chicago's Oscar Gold.

More After the Jump...

Premieres Over the Next Week - Fox Gamut

Okay. 24 Premieres This Sunday and Monday on Fox and Global at 8pm for the first 4 hours of the 6th day of Jack Bauer's life. I'm still not sure if I'm going to watch it or wait till the DVD since I stopped around the 3rd season when it got sucky and never really got back into it. I watched the 4th on DVD but found it was great at first but then loses steam midway through and I totally agree with Avi about the overpraise, yet I get caught up like Dan's sentiments (though I haven't had time to catch up with Season 5). So will I watch? Ugh... what to do what to do... (I know. My life isn't that bad is it if that's my biggest dilemma? I must keep reminding that to myself).

Meanwhile, the American Idol assault begins on Tuesday and Wednesday at 8pm on Fox and CTV but I'm so over the auditions part so will probably skip it until the Top 24 or 12 though I may watch next week since auditions take place in Minneapolis and I have some sort of love affair with that city because it surprised me at how wonderful it was there (and how beautiful the people were... hehe). Granted, I really need to cut this show out after having been disappointed with the past 3 winners out of the last 5 seasons. Seriously, only the 1st season with Dunkleman was GREAT (though not because of Dunkleman, but because of Kelly Clarkson)!

More After the Jump...

My TV Must Hate Me or Steve Carrell

For the second week in a row, something messes up my recording of The Office and unfortunately I couldn't heed my own advice to stay home on Thursday night to watch The Office live just in case something happens to the recording since I had to work late. Damn work and the need for money to survive.

On a side note of why my TV must hate me, the contestants for Survivor: Fiji have been announced... hehe... I know... I must really stop...

More After the Jump...

Men in Trees - Follow Through

The Darkest Day

Okay, Jane really needs to continue the relationship with Plow Guy. LOVE that storyline. Not sure if I like Ben and Theresa (even though I like them individually) together since I'm rooting for Ben and Sarah. Meanwhile, Annie wants Patrick to act like a man and not a mama's boy, while Celia is evaluated by her visiting boss (the busy Currie Graham, what ABC show is he NOT on?) and he has an attraction for her even though he's kind of a crass jerk (which is what Currie plays best).

Meanwhile, Justine Bateman sticks around as Lynn which curtails the romance between Jack and Marin.

So this is the first new episode that follows a new Grey's Anatomy so I wonder how the ratings will do? It seems a nice light fit and a good breather after the dramatic soapy intensity on Grey's Anatomy.

More After the Jump...

Grey's Anatomy - Cheque Mates

Six Days (Part 1)

Okay, I know any drama is all just really made up convoluted series of incidents invented to create dramatic moments but did anybody find the timing of Izzie finally cashing in Denny's $8Million cheque just as her patients' (Arrested Development's Ann who was George Michael's girlfriend no one noticed) insurance refusing to pay for the expensive life changing procedure a little too convenient? Could it not be less obvious?

Loved everything else about the episode, including Meredith's snoring, Christina trying to find out Burke's condition, George's fathers operation and his emotional response (including kissing Callie), and Alex pissing off Sloan and joining Addison (though the kiss was too soon, I know they were going to build up to that but ALREADY?).

More After the Jump...

Ugly Betty - Too Good To Be True

Sofia's Choice

So I was a little scared that after last week's little re-mix episode (using the original 4th episode and plugging it post-Christmas to fill in the gaps) was a sign that Ugly Betty's success was just temporary (see Prison Break, The OC (at least until this season again)), my optimism is renewed again after seeing "Sofia's Choice" where it completely spins Sofia's involvement since we first saw her.

Last we saw Betty, she was leaving Mode for Sofia's magazine. Sofia (Salma Hayek) is all worried about Daniel not proposing to her. Sofia sends Betty back to Mode to write an article about her experience at Mode as a non-fashionable person, and in doing so, we get honest answers from Marc and Amanda, as well as Betty having some blackmailing info on Marc's "profile" on the web! Betty slips to Daniel about Sofia's worry sending Daniel to the next step. Getting Sofia to meet the parents (where we get another wonderful return of Judith Light as drunken Mrs. Meade.

Wilhelmina is still seeing Ted (Brett Cullen) and waltzes into Mode un-Wilhelmina-like. Essentially, in jeans and being nice. Throwing off Marc and everybody else at Mode.

Betty plays detective when she sees Hunter enter a male strip club, and Christina comes along for the fun, finding out that Sofia paid stripper Hunter to play boyfriend. Before Betty can warn Daniel, Daniel has already proposed to Sofia, only to find out that she had been playing him the whole time to earn the debut cover story of how to get proposed in 60 days. Sofia dumbs Daniel live on air and Daniel falls apart. Betty quits MYW. Wilhelmina gets dumped by Ted when he decides to return to his wife and family, and Wilhelmina returns in full force.

Nothing however tops the ending when Amanda attacks Sofia in the elevator. You Go Amanda! And you go Becki Newton who plays Amanda and who also played Ruthie, the "ugly geek" version of Betty at MYW! Yes, apparently that was her. I didn't even realise until EW's Popwatch pointed it out!

Oh yeah, and theres a bit more about Ignacio's immigration as a case worker investigates the case... yawn.

More After the Jump...

The OC - French Toast

The French Connection

"Monsieur, I am not askeeeng for a beateeeng, please keep yur paws away"

Seth goes up to Seattle Grace to ask Mr. Roberts for permission to marry Summer, knowingly that he will answer no, but in the process, realizes that he actually definitely wants to stay with Summer for the rest of his life. There's also a funny bit about a unicorn stabbing that pokes fun of Grey's Anatomy. Seriously.

Summer tries to find herself by finding her past through the newpsies bimbos friends, only to be haunted by Che's words of wisdom to find herself once and for all. Summer turns down Seth's renewed engagement proposal. Thank god. I was fearing that they would turn it back down the path of no return, and yet again, they take another twist from the clichéd.

Kirsten finds out about Julie's little male prostitution operation and cuts her out of the business. Kaitlin fights her attraction to geek Will (singer Chris Brown who seems to be actually trying to act instead of the usual musician traipsing in as veiled versions of themselves) and I stop fighting my love for Kaitlin, for ever being related to that annoying sisters of hers.

Finally, Henri-Michel, Taylor's French ex-husband, shows up in Newport promoting his new novel which is a thinly disguised account of their torrid love affair. Ryan is threatened, but not by the sexual past but of his poor and uneducated upbringing against their intellectual bantering and things fall apart when Ryan realizes that while Taylor says shes okay with it, it actually isn't.

Ah, it all reminds me of my semester in Europe... c'est la vie!

More After the Jump...

Friday Night Lights - We Have A New Winner

What to Do While You're Waiting

Friday Night Lights might just have surpassed The Office as the best show currently on TV, though either way, the winner is NBC. Seriously, when did NBC (home to Fear Factor, The Apprentice, Deal Or No Deal and 1 vs 100) become the place to go for intelligent TV?

This week, we get a scene that goes from the hilarious sweetness between Matt Saracen and Julie and the continuing fumbles of the newborn love, to the shattering scariness of Tyra's homelife where she must fight off her mothers abusive boyfriend. Coach Taylor is served with papers from Jason Streets family looking to sue since they financially cannot support themselves with all the new expenses of Jason's disability. Smash asks Julie and Matt to pretend to be friends with him to woo Waverly, but Waverly doesn't bite, and Tim Riggins apologizes to Tyra for being an ass and asks her back, but Tyra doesn't bite either, especially after playing parent to her mother's horrible relationship decisions. Matt Saracen's father decides to stay, but is less helpful then Matt would like, meanwhile, Matt gets him a job at Buddy Garrity's used car lot and remains the adult in the family.

More kudoes to Connie Britton and Kyle Chandler as Tami and Eric Taylor as they respond to Julie's out-of-the-blue statement of love to them and only Tami realizing she just experienced something very wrong. Love that Julie slowly reacts and sees all that Matt must deal with and remains an understanding girlfriend bonding them to be one of the strongest young couples that I hope lasts a while.

Plus finally a big kudo for Adrianne Palicki for finally showing the acting chops we knew she had as Tyra, or at least kudos to the show for giving her the moment to shine.

Man, so much happening in one hour and all so heartbreaking and still somehow with some very funny bits. WHY IS NO ONE WATCHING??? This is just a BEAUTIFUL show, and I don't mean that in a superficial way (though yes, all the actors are BEAUTIFUL and the cinematography is GORGEOUS). Friday Night Lights is just soul and heartwrenchingly beautiful! Okay. Enough waxing poetic. Especially on a show about FOOTBALL (which, it really is not so get over it my elitist friends (and you know who you are: David, Andrea, Michelle, Julie etc. etc. etc.)).

More After the Jump...

Boston Legal - Long Lists Guest

Angel of Death

Okay, now that the whole Lincoln ordeal is over, and an episode where the originally original but now overused Jerry Espenson (Christian Clemenson) is not in it, and the whole Denny Crane-is-my-midget-girlfriend, Bethany Horowitz (played excellently by Meredith Eaton-Gilden), my-daughter-from-Delta-Burke-is-over, we can move on to the fantastic cast.

Where are they? Since it seems like this episode was taken over again by guest stars. Though this time, I could cheer since it was Nia Long (Third Watch) and Matt Letscher (The New Adventures of Old Christine, which now with Blair Underwood as a viable option for Christine, his character really needs to return to form a perfect triangle) about a doctor euthanizing five people during the New Orleans floods. Meanwhile, Clarence/Clarice (Gary Anthony Williams) and Claire Simms (new full cast member Constance Zimmer) argue against Merrin Dungey (Francie from Alias). Luckily, I like the way Gary Anthon Williams plays Clarence/Clarice so I haven't gotten tired of this story, though it walks a very thin line.

William Shatner's Denny Crane is literally asleep at the wheel (tagging along the New Orleans case with James Spader's Alan Shore and staying asleep on the case). Brad wants more from Denise but makes a deal to be friends with benefits as Jeffrey Coho continues his pursuit for Denise. Isn't there any other women in the place? At least they ARE chasing the worthy Ms. Vessey Denise (Julie Bowen) as opposed to some of the previous female ex-cast members who are already forgotten (except Kerry Washington who is just fantastic in whatever she is in, though I was still shocked she took the Boston Legal re-occuring guest role to being with). Now Nia Long joins for a bit which is great for the female power at Crane, Poole & Schmidt.

More After the Jump...

Degrassi: TNG - The Incident

Rock This Town
The Bitterest Pill

For our US Readers: Spoiler Alert

So intense huh? I didn't realise they would show it that graphically. I mean, still not that bad but considering this show is made for teens, it was kind of a bloody incident.

Spike and Snake are away on a trip. So Manny makes Emma throw a party with the weak reason of celebrating a depressed Liberty on her birthday and word gets out and everyone attends. Including the Lakehurst boys, who cause an incident and get thrown out by Jay and Spinner. Meanwhile, JT is torn between Liberty and Mia but Liberty proffesses her love to JT with no response and runs away from the party. JT tells Toby of his dilema and then leaves the party, only to encounter the Lakehurst boys pissing on his car (literally). Then out of the blue, one of the Lakehurst boys stabs JT in the back, and JT dies. A little shocking considering how the killer stabbed JT really for no reason.

The rest deals with the aftermath and the memorial with some of Ellie's coked-up-Craig aftermath thrown in for good measure (and boy, Jesse Stephanovitch's handwriting sure looks a lot like mine). Sad. Even though JT was probably the most annoying character but was growing more likeable again, still sad (and sadly, based on a real incident from a house party in North York, Toronto from a few years back).

More After the Jump...

You Must Go Here, but Not Really Change

I finally got to check out the "slides" at the The Unilever Series: Carsten Höller at the Tate Modern in London, England so if you are in the city before April 9th 2007, definitely check it out.

You can slide down the Level 2 slides for free (though mostly for kids) but Level 3,4 and 5 need tickets that are available free from the ground level ticket booth but have a time reservation on them (with a 30 minute time chunk to work with). (Though it was busy from the kids on holiday the day I went, by 11:30 am, they were already handing out 3pm tickets for Level 5 so arrive accordingly). Level 4 and 5 are definitely a lot of fun and faster and more dizzying than you would think.

I also checked out Caroline, Or Change The Musical at the National Theatre (which has since closed) but found it was better when thinking about the show than actually watching the show. (Chandra Wilson, Bailey on Grey's Anatomy was in the original Off-Broadway production back in 2003) Tonya Pinkins starred as Caroline, reprising her role from Broadway and was great, but the whole thing felt like it was trying too hard to be important while being small and quaint and I could appreciate it more than I loved or enjoyed it. The musical was about a black maid for a Jewish family in 1963 Louisiana, and basically deals with the Jewish boy who must choose between his devotion to Caroline or a cup of change leftover from the pockets of shirts in the laundry. The title is more brilliant than the actual musical.

More After the Jump...

What a Loser I Am

So I've been busy with work and visiting friends from out of town and post-holiday stuff but that's still no excuse for me messing up by NOT recording The Office last Thursday because I screwed up the programming. Then I messed up recording Brothers and Sisters but meanwhile, I managed to catch Grease: You're The One That I Want which ended up being a big old bore.

Luckily, Global is repeating Brothers and Sisters on Thursdays at 9pm for this month, but I'll have to scramble around for The Office.

Meanwhile, the auditions for Grease: YTOTIW produced no one of real interest yet and BillyBush is possibily the most annoying person in America. I'll let Denise Van Outen off the hook for now if only for being on the Big Breakfast back in the UK when I watched her back during my London living days.

More After the Jump...

Ugly Betty - Swag

Christina notices that Betty's Gucci purse is a fake and we get the retelling from 4 months ago about what happened. Was this the episode they bumped when they rearranged the order of some of the episodes, but with some editing around to make it make sense?

Back when Betty first started, Christina had to empty out "The Closet" in her quarterly purge and everyone at Mode (including Amanda and Marc) go crazy for the stuff. This is when Betty discovers the HMO won't pay for Ignacio's drugs, while she also messes up Daniel's expense report (thanks from "help" from Marc and Wilhelmina) and Henry is forced to tell Bradford who cuts Daniel off from the expense account just as a big Japanese client is about to show up.

Christina saves Betty the best item in the closet, a Gucci bag worth $4500, but Betty is forced to give it up to help her family.

Finally Ashley Jensen as Christina gets some more lines, Lucy Davis is back as the Tabloid show host, and Eric Mabius' hair still looks naturally coloured. Plus the introduction of Henry to Betty while also showing how Walter won back Betty. Ah... some things make more sense now (because I thought her running back to Walter in the fall seemed a bit rushed).

More After the Jump...

Scrubs - Baby Blues

My House

There's an orange man, Dr. Cox, the original cranky doctor, as "House", Elliott with her new job, JD fretting about Kim leaving for the other job, and Carla has post partum depression. So will Elizabeth Banks (as Kim) actually return in 4 months? Oh look, just in time May Sweeps and the Season (Series?) Finale!

More After the Jump...

The OC - The Beginning to The End

The My Two Dads

Frank Atwood, Ryan's dad, shows up in Newport and doesn't cause as much trouble as I thought he would, though he did give Ben McKenzie as Ryan more chances to speak and emote to prove that yes, he can actually act (see Junebug, even though he pretty much played someone who doesn't really speak). Frank fakes cancer to see Ryan but Sandy finds out and punches out Hercules (Kevin Sorbo as Frank).

The big surprise was with Seth and Summer's engagement which felt like it could have brought us back to lame OC for the final eps but the hilarious plot of each of them trying to smoke out the other to back out of the engagement first was fresh, proving that yes, this year, The OC really has improved. Sadly, without its annoying "star" Mischa Barton (you bitch, you stole my DVD's and left town), The OC is failing in numbers (though I say more because its against Grey's Anatomy which would pull the same audience) and the stick gets to gloat about it. We can't let the bulemic win.

At least The OC will end it's 4 seasons on a high.

More After the Jump...

The OC is Great Again and Now Fox Cancels It.

I noted this in my Best of TV 2006 column but I caught up with The OC during the Christmas break and it really is GREAT again this season. We all guessed Marisa's death would be great to purge the worst whinny downer part of the show but we were all being hopeful. Season 4 has exceeded my expectations and made it back onto my appointment TV. That being said, I've been in denial all day about the reports of its cancellation but alas, it's apparently true. Just as Autumn Reeser as Taylor Townsend single handily revived the series and made Ryan Atwood smile and funny.

I'm actually really sad about this. A year ago, it would have been a relief to get rid of The OC, but now, I'm actually truly sad about this news (and just checking the message boards on the TV Guide report but seems like many feel the same way I do). Leave it to Fox to axe a show just as it was on the uprise (see Kitchen Confidential, Arrested Development, Action etc) while they leave on crap like 'Til Death or The War at Home (which really, have no possibility of saviour since they were never good to begin with to be revived).

I guess at least The OC ends on a high note in its wonderful 4th season (much like last years Everwood). Hmm... Chris Pratt is not having a good 12 months is he.

Well, remaining episodes of The OC start again tonight (Thursday, Jan 4th) at 7pm on CTV in Canada, 9pm on Fox until the Series Finale on February 22nd.

More After the Jump...

Friday Night Lights - Of Vice and Men

Nevermind


Is it me or does my favorite new show of this TV season Friday Night Lights bear a striking resemblence to our favorite Canadian export Degrassi: The Next Generation?

Deals with teenagers in an unusually realistic fashion dealing with hard issues head on:
Friday Night Lights - Check! Degrassi: TNG - Check!

School team is The Panthers with Blue and Yellow colours:
Friday Night Lights - Check! Degrassi: TNG - Check!

Takes place in a foreign land Americans don't really understand yet is still relatable:
Friday Night Lights in Texas - Check! Degrassi: TNG in Canada - Check!

Main character in a wheelchair:
Jason Street in Friday Night Lights - Check! Jimmy Brooks in Degrassi: TNG - Check!

Relatively Racially Diverse casts yet still no Asians:
Friday Night Lights - Check! Degrassi: TNG - Check!

So back to the town of Dillon, where Tami Taylor drills down on Riggins to actually complete his own homework and volunteers Landry to the task (and who ends up reading the entire book of Of Mice and Men to Riggins). Jason Street and Lyla try to make out but the there is no action/reaction below the waist for Jason who then seeks help from Herc. Senior Saracen shows up at the doorsteps just in time to help Matt out with all the problems with supporting Grandma Saracen but Matt's father is a pathetic excuse and is of little help.

All the stress carries onto the shoulders of Matt who dismisses Julie and plays poorly at the game his father is finally able to see. It all unravels when Matt yells at his father after the game for knowingingly sending Matt's grandma to a home, and Matt to another state to live with other relatives, as Matt's father returns to Iraq, even though he had the option of staying to help with Matt and his mother. Everyone else looks on, and this is the point in this episode where my eyes begin to water (like shivers in Lost and snort laughs in The Office, it must happen at least once an episode apparently). The Taylors look on and take Matt home. Ah, the Taylors, the best parents on TV since Sandy and Kiki Cohen. Kudos for Connie Britton for playing Tami so fiercely yet entirely motherly and this episode she got more to showcase as she harks on Riggins (and Coach for protecting Riggins).

Next week, seems like we will see more of Tyra defending herself from an abusive man (father?). Don't forget, Friday Night Lights now on Wednesdays at 8pm on NBC.

Meanwhile, it seems we in Canada have caught up and surpassed The N's broadcast of Degrassi: The Next Generation with the "big" episode next week on CTV just ahead of The N's broadcast of the episode "Rock This Town" which you should not miss. I can't give you the spoilers but you may want to have some tissues on hand (or you may cheer, depends how you feel). Next Tuesday January 9th at 8pm on CTV and on Friday January 19th at 8pm on The N.

More After the Jump...

Best of 2006

Welcome to 2007! I'm going to be depressed the more I think about it but anyways...

Here were the 12 Best in Entertainment of 2006 for me in alphabetical order, taken from all my lists of the 12 things that I thought defined my favorites of the year and I could not have imagined the year of 2006 without. (More theatre than normal but it was a very good year, less film, more TV).

A Chorus Line - Musical Theatre - Curran Theater, San Francisco, Schoenfeld Theater, New York City (where is currently resides)

Casino Royale - Film

Company - Musical Theatre - Barrymore Theatre, New York City

Everwood - Television Program - The WB

Friday Night Lights - Television Program - NBC

Grey's Anatomy - Television Program - ABC

High School Musical - Television Movie and Soundtrack

The History Boys - Theatre Play and Film

The Office - Television Program - NBC

So You Think You Can Dance - Television Program - FOX, and Live Show Tour

Spring Awakening - Musical Theatre - Eugene O'Neill Theater, New York City, and Cast Recording

United 93 - Film

Here's my lists for:
Best of Movies 2006 and everything else
Best of TV 2006
Best of Music 2006
Best New People

More After the Jump...