6/30/11
6/29/11
“The Simpsons”
OK, this was my absolute favorite show growing up. I said that Batman: The Animated Series was the best kids’ show, but this one is for adults. Granted, the show’s really gone downhill in the 2000s, but in the 1990s, this was by far the best show on television. It’s odd to realize how great and warm and funny they were considering how stale and corporatized they’ve become in recent years. And Bart Simpson is easily the best cartoon character since the Looney Tunes. Others, such as Pinky and the Brain or Stewie Griffin have come close, but none have reached Bart’s heights. He was one of my heroes as a kid. Here’s to you Bart:
Eat my shorts!
“Batman: The Animated Series”
OK, this and Animaniacs are the best Saturday morning cartoons bar none. I mean, X-Men is good, but name me another superhero series that comes close to it. Maybe the 1967 Spider-Man TV series, story-wise, but this show has much better animation. It takes the best elements of the Tim Burton films, whilst omitting Burton’s “quirky” elements. And it also uses the kickass theme Danny Elfman composed for the 1989 film. Strangely enough this show is more adult and took its audience more seriously than the live action series did.
Seriously, what else can compare to Batman and Animaniacs?
“Animaniacs”
Damn is this a terrific show. Maybe not an all-time classic, but if not, it still comes close. Probably nothing else has come closer to the quality of the old Looney Tunes cartoons than this show. My favorite characters here were always Pinky and the Brain. Seriously, those two are every bit as good as Daffy Duck, Bugs Bunny, Yosemite Sam, Elmer Fudd, Porky Pig, etc.
Strangely enough, I don’t think Spielberg’s a very good film director, but the cartoons he served as executive producer on are often very good- most notably this and Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
Room 222 Theme song and opening video with Karen Valentine
Paved the way for The White Shadow, Degrassi High and other shows- even Welcome Back, Kotter.
Love American Style TV Show Opening Theme Season One
A hit and miss classic from Friday Nights of mu childhood.
6/28/11
“X-Men”
OK, here are some of the TV series I grew up with.
Not exactly an artistic masterpiece, granted, but damn was this show cool. Yeah, some things are silly and dated, but that opening just kicks ass, and Wolverine was probably the coolest superhero not named Batman. And c’mon name another children’s show that could equal this badass theme music.
Truly my generation was the best for children’s programming. The generation before suffered through the Hanna-Barbera shit and the generation after suffered through Pokémon. X-Men holds up far better.
Not exactly an artistic masterpiece, granted, but damn was this show cool. Yeah, some things are silly and dated, but that opening just kicks ass, and Wolverine was probably the coolest superhero not named Batman. And c’mon name another children’s show that could equal this badass theme music.
Truly my generation was the best for children’s programming. The generation before suffered through the Hanna-Barbera shit and the generation after suffered through Pokémon. X-Men holds up far better.
6/27/11
The Page Turner trailer
Here's another French film I streamed. It involves another one of those French bitches you don't want to fuck with. (The Piano Teacher and The Bridesmaid are all French titles I recently streamed and all involve lead females who are psychotic.)
The Page Turner is good because it is subtle and the character never tells you what she is thinking, but rather, we know through her actions. She is seeking revenge on a woman who she believes ruined an audition of hers from her childhood. The woman unknowingly hires her to work in her house and be her page turner, though the way the events play out are not what one might think.
Ironweed Trailer
I finally got around to watching the film version of the Pulitzer winning William Kennedy novel via requesting on DVD. While the acting is good, the film is ungodly long--like 2 and a half hrs long, and this is even more remarkable considering the novel is only like 70K words.
And while there are good moments, these moments are due to the novel, which is a great one. The film is merely ok and could have benefited by some serious editing.
The Bob Newhart Show ("Home To Emily")
Another Friday nighter and later Saturday night classic- loved the original Bob Newhart Show.
6/26/11
6/25/11
Fat Albert Classic Theme Song #1
My fave cartoon on Saturday mornings. Fat Albert and pals actually played in the environments I did- urban wastelands. This was when Cosby was cool and not a pretentious ass.
The Partridge Family Opening TV Theme Song 1970
As I recall, this show followed the Brady Bunch on ABC in the early 70s.
6/24/11
Brady Bunch TV Show Opening Theme Season Five
Every kid I knew wanted to do Jan. Marcia was too perfect, and Cindy was annoying. Jan had depth, relatively speaking. Ah, the 70s.
6/23/11
The Nostalgia Critic reviews “Saved by the Bell”
Well, it’s better than contemporaneous shit like Full House.
saved by the bell new girl part 1
I was too old to watch this late 80s Saturday morning crap, but it's better than most sitcoms on tv now. It makes shows like The Brady Bunch seem high art, by comparison, yet compared to sitcoms today, like those produced by my obese nominal doppelganger, it is, in its own right, a camp classic.
6/22/11
6/20/11
6/19/11
“The NeverEnding Story” trailer
Another classic fantasy film from the 1980s, although not as satirical.
6/18/11
'Bridesmaids' Trailer 2 HD
Another movie I saw this weekend. Very funny! Basically this is a guy flick with female characters--or shall I say it shows that women can be as crude and vulgar as men. There is one scene involving food poisoning that made me laugh so hard I cried. VERY FUNNY!!!
Midnight in Paris Trailer 2011
Saw this with my mom this weekend and it was a good, light film about those Romanticizing the past. I've met many in the arts who have done this, and while it is an easy thing to do (as the past is not any threat) the present is always the better place.
6/16/11
6/13/11
6/12/11
Amelia- Official Theatrical Trailer
Here's a film I requested on DVD. It's pretty much a paint by numbers biopic, which is what I expected. Don't expect to be surprised at all, and if you know the story, you know what happens in the end. Swank looks a lot like the real Amelia.
The Money Pit Bathtub Laugh Scene.wmv
Here's another junky movie I streamed. Sometimes when I am writing I like to watch non-pretentious junk as this. Tom Hanks is much better in comedy than he ever was in drama. This movie is dumb and predictable yes, but it's totally unpretentious and absurd. Also Maureen Stapleton is in it.
Money Pit Door Problem
Here's another Money Pit scene. Tom Hanks and Shelly Long are two yuppies who buy this really big and fancy house for a very low cost but they soon learn that everything about it is broken and falling apart, like the door here.
Swimming Pool - Official Trailer
Here's another film I streamed with Charlotte Rampling. It started out ok but then kind of took the cheap way out, albeit it somewhat redeems itself in the end. It's the whole story within a story trope, but the inner story isn't as good as the outer one.
Dumb and Dumber 'There's a Chance'
Here's another. I actually think that Steve Martin's The Jerk is much funnier than this.
Dumb and Dumber toilet scene
A dumb movie I watched for the 1st time the other night and this scene gives a sound that married women hear all too often coming from their men.
The Stephen King Miniseries
God, I remember those things back from the 1990s. Most of them were pretty awful. Fortunately, the Nostalgia Critic does have some amusing takes on them:
It (1990)
The Langoliers
I carefully avoided watching The Shining TV miniseries out of respect for Stanley Kubrick and Jack Nicholson. Although if he posts a review, I might watch it.
It (1990)
The Langoliers
I carefully avoided watching The Shining TV miniseries out of respect for Stanley Kubrick and Jack Nicholson. Although if he posts a review, I might watch it.
6/11/11
Atlas Shrugged Trailer
Ayn Rand, whether you agree or not with her philosophies, was a really BAD writer.
6/10/11
Puppy to Adult Dog in 40 seconds
Love this video, which shows a love of animals in its very handling.
6/9/11
9 To 5 by Dolly Parton (Lyrics)
I streamed 9 to 5 last night and it is hilarious. I love this song! I ♥ Dolly!
The Tree of Life Trailer 2011 HD
Near-great film with poorly structured start, magnificent middle 90 minutes, and possibly the worst ending to a near-great film since Kurosawa's Rashomom.
Why, Terrence, did you have to piss on the intelligent viewer with such condescending pabulum?
6/8/11
Zodiac Trailer
I watched this last night and overall it was a better than average thriller--the characters are better developed than what you might usually find and the acting is good. However, the film is ungodly LONG. 2 hrs and 40 mins of the Zodiac killer. The film is not poetic in the least and so it is all straight forward plot/action, but man, I got to about an hour and 40 mins and was still shocked I had an entire hour remaining.
It's not that it gets boring, but it really should not be this long. Really.
6/7/11
6/5/11
6/1/11
All Good Things - Official Trailer [HD]
I streamed this film last night and it's directed by the same director of Capturing the Friedmans. The 1st 2/3rds of it is quite good for a thriller, but the final 3rd tanks. This is based on real events, where a woman married into a rich family and then went missing in 1982.
What is interesting is to see their marriage deteriorate b/c hubby is a psycho, but he works up to it, you see? It's interesting to note his little nasty and belittling mannerisms towards his wife, notably whenever she achieves any sort of success. He's a talentless, lazy loser and is resentful when she finishes college (he refuses to stand and clap at her ceremony) and then when she learns that she gets into med school, he jumps into a cold river to pretend to pull a boat in, but really he wants to distract her and cause her concern.
Also, there's a scene where she is at her mom's house celebrating her graduating college and he tells her they have to leave, but she refuses and so he then pulls her out by the hair. It's pretty sick shit.
Frank Langella is also in this and there are some great asshole moments with his character. What a rich, nasty bastard he plays.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)