Monthly Archives: October 2012

TV

The Walking Dead: 3.01 – “Seed” Premiere Review

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Words cannot express the high level of anticipation and anxiousness I felt yesterday as the television lit up with a recap of the season 2 finale of The Walking Dead.

The episode “Seed” began after some months had passed. The group had made it through the long winter by running from house to house and eating anything they could safely consume. You see Lori has a big pregnant belly, and Hershel has a beard; both signs that a chunk of time has gone by. Andrea is still with Michonne, the newest addition to the show. She gruesomely beheads two walkers during the first scene she is in. Clearly, this is an indication of what we can expect from her, action-wise, in the future.

In a world full of fear that one night a walker is going to find its way onto your person and turn you, you can imagine that there would be some tension. Rick seems to have become very hard and cold. Lori spent the entire episode focusing on herself, as usual. She explained that she was concerned that she would die while giving birth and come back as a walker. I am not saying that this would be awesome, but… I can’t think of a way to finish this sentence. After this long with Rick being the prominent leader and keeping a good chunk of this group alive, some are still doubting his ability to keep them safe. The group finally reaches the long awaited prison! Victory! The way that they secure the premises just inside the gate was very impressive. Some of them were stabbing walkers through the gate from safety, some were sniping, and Rick got face-to-face with a bunch as well!

One thing became very clear to me by the first half of the episode: Maggie is now a total bad-ass! She joined the men in fighting hoards of armored walkers from the other side of the prison, and she was the one to figure out how to kill them! You go girl!

Maggie’s little sister Beth… not so much of a bad-ass. In fact, as Dr. Kronner would say, she is completely useless. She sang a song, which I guess cheered up the group, but Maggie sang as well. So really, I was thinking that if the group lost a member, it should be her. Instead, much to my chagrin, Hershel got bitten by a walker. While the group was making their way through the rest of the prison, Maggie and Glenn had to duck into a door and separate from the group. When Hershel went back to find them, he decided to step over a dead body instead of walking on the other side of the empty hallway. The body was that of a walker, who then bit Hershel.

Rick chopped off the infected leg with an axe. This wasn’t even the most disgusting part of the episode, if you can believe that. (The most disgusting part was when Rick pulled a helmet off of a walker and it basically ripped his whole face off, skin and all.) Out of all of the people who could have been bitten, it had to be the most useful one? Hershel knows how to farm, is signed on to deliver Lori’s baby, and is basically the group doctor, not to mention that he is also the group’s conscience. Oh yeah, guys. You don’t want that gross, messy riot gear and armor that you had lying on the table. You’d rather tough it. Good call. After this, at the end of the episode, you see that there are other survivors who are living in the prison! Last season, we learned that outsiders can be a bad thing for your group. I am curious to see whether the group accepts them, or if they kill them off.

As far as other characters, not much development took place. Carl stayed put! This is a pretty big change for him, doing what he is told. Also, Carol and Daryl are going to hook up (gross). Beth and Carl might eventually get something going, but thankfully right now the Grimes boy is in his awkward stage. In the beginning of the episode, you see an owl; try not to fall in love with it, because Daryl picks it apart for food. T-Dog is still just kind of there.

This episode was seriously amazing. The overall amount of walkers killed was impressive. How they were done in also was very fun to watch! The character development was much needed! I really like the way they skipped ahead a few months from last season’s finale. This allowed for the characters to change without any real explanation. When you see someone every single day, change is so gradual that you do not notice. This is where the jump in time helps the story move along. I appreciated every minute of this premiere. I imagine that the other 10.9 million viewers did as well. Bravo!

5/5 Grizzlies

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Countdown to Halloween #17: Eric Draven, The Crow

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I’m sure nobody is at all surprised that Eric Draven has made it into our Countdown to Halloween. The Crow was a critical success and a fan favorite with a pretty huge cult following. But that isn’t where the story begins. The Crow started life as a comic book created by James O. Barr, and was an even darker and grittier story than the movie.

Continue reading Countdown to Halloween #17: Eric Draven, The Crow →

TV

Boardwalk Empire: 3.05 – “You’d Be Surprised”

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Last week can be summed up pretty easily- “Your vagina and you”, dead smartass mouthy kid, Owen watch your back, and Masserria wants heroin money.

This week? There was just way too much going on. Granted it was all important stuff, okay that’s debatable but for the most part each story line from this week did move things forward. Some in a much more naked pace than others.

As for the less interesting ones- Apparently Gillian is in deep denial or she truly believes Jimmy is still alive and just on some adventure. Yea he’s on an adventure, it’s called the afterlife you incestual loon. Seriously though, I have to make myself care about this entire story arc. It’s a struggle. The only reason I keep hanging on is the hope that I’ll catch a glimpse of Richard. Where is Richard? WHERE?!?

Whenever they go back to the Congress/District Attorney/I’m not totally sure who all is involved here storyline, I literally have to go back to my notes because I can’t be bothered to remember anyone. I could not care less about the legal battle going on. There are people being shot and I need to see that, I don’t need witty back and forth in a Senate hearing.


Granted I do love James Cromwell but even my love for Captain Dudley Smith, or Andrew Mellon as he plays here, couldn’t keep my attention during these scenes. Even sadder, Stephen Root made an appearance and the only highlight was him busting out the S.A.T. word, dishabille.

Amazingly enough, I actually liked the VanAlden appearances. I still don’t want to like him, but it’s becoming increasingly difficult, especially with that wife of his, Sigrid. She is very entertaining… and has no problem bashing a man in the head! I was watching that unfold and of course the cinematic masterpiece Anchorman came to mind.


It does (hopefully) finally bring about some cohesion to seemingly random things going out in Chicago. I imagine VanAlden’s association with Dean O’Banion won’t end once the agent’s body is disposed of. Those threads have been waving around loose for way too long, let’s get them back to weaving something.

Oh Billie Kent. How I dislike you so. I can not for the life of me figure out what Nucky sees in you, besides a piece of ass, and why he is with you. You don’t really need his help and you certainly don’t want it. Nucky is a “rescuer” and you just do not fit the bill. So why don’t you do everyone a favor and disappear. Immediately.

The only thing Billie Kent did accomplish is involve Eddie Cantor in a great way this week. I loved how Nucky brought him some Passover vodka. It’s one of those, look I brought you vodka completely free of grain and signed off by a rabbi… now find a way to fix my girlfriend’s show because otherwise I’m going to send Chalky and Purnsley over to beat your ass. Surely Nucky, of all people, would understand the importance of honoring your contracts. I mean come on. It did seem like Eddie going to New York added just a little bit more to Arthur Rothstein’s derision over being pulled into shit dealing with Tabor Heights. As he said, only things in New York matter.

Billie Kent also worked her way directly into Margaret’s storyline. Now I’m not up to date on “Keeping a Mistress 101” but it seems to me that one of the major highlights of that course would be “Don’t take your floosie to the same shop that your wife visits on a regular basis.” Apparently Nucky isn’t up to date either because there they were and come on Nucky, get it together. Margaret is giving you carte blanche to basically do whatever you want as long as you allow her to keep up appearances. You are failing Nucky. Failing hard. You best believe Margaret is getting her shit in line with a bank account and all and don’t be surprised if you come “home” one day to find yourself all alone. No one left to rescue but yourself-someone who desperately needs it.

What I’d love to see from Margaret is for her to just sack up and take over the world. I had started to dislike her at the beginning of the season but she’s come back around. Now if she were to smack that annoying ass nun who sits in her vagina class basically clutching her pearls the entire time, I’d build a statue of her likeness in my front lawn.

The big story of the episode was the aftermath of Gyp hijacking and killing Nucky’s delivery guys on their way to Rothstein. We finally got to see Rothstein lose just a little bit of his cool. I think he’s one of those tip of the iceberg kind of guys, basically the exact opposite of Gyp Rosetti.

This scene actually drove me a little nuts because they showed AR picking up that spoon at least three times in two seconds.

The writers have set up the audience exactly as they wanted. Every time we see Gyp we expect him to go ape shit and kill someone. Then they show us a couple of times that he can laugh things off so we relax a bit and then he goes and sets the sheriff on fire. This week we saw him enjoying himself with the aid of a belt. Who would have ever thought that the belt would be what saves his life? Well the belt and the naked chick he used as a human shield.

The title of the episode “You’d Be Surprised” was quite accurate because I would have never guessed the result of Rothstein and Nucky’s screaming match was Benny showing up at the Kinnernet Lodge shooting everyone he came across. Of course it does set up the rest of the season because now we get to watch how Gyp, who will kill a man for looking at him crosseyed, reacts to Rothstein sending a guy to kill him. Not only that but Gyp worked for Masseria? The same Masseria who is already pissed at the trio of Rothstein, Luciano, and Lansky? It’s going to be insane.

I did like how the episode wrapped up with Eddie telling Billie that she is nothing. She may think that she has landed this big fish in Nucky, but really she’s just a flavor of the week. You tell her Eddie!

Lucy Danzinger was of course Paz de la Huerta‘s character…at least before she was fired prior to season 3….

Whew, there was a lot of stuff in this episode. Some of it wasn’t so great, others was damn near perfection. That scene with Gyp walking through the dead bodies and pools of blood? Very reminiscent of Taxi Driver and just an incredible scene.

Going to have to go with a four out of five on this one. Gillian Darmody and the boring Senate hearing drug it down.

In the news section of today’s review – Boardwalk Empire has been picked up for Season 4! I don’t think anyone saw this as a big surprise, but it is nice to know. I can’t speak for everyone, but I know for myself, I’ve been burned by canceled shows enough times that when something hasn’t been officially announced as renewed, I just assumed it’s going to be gone.

One could hope that now they are certain they are a go for another season, perhaps they can spend a little bit more time with their other storylines. Hahaha, that’s never going to happen. Just ask Chalky White.

For now, I’m going to go sit in my Miller Chair (just kidding, I don’t have a Miller Chair but it is mentioned in the song that Eddie and Billie are singing at the end) and wait for next week.

Movie News & Opinions

In Defense Of The New ‘RoboCop’ Suit.

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We’re passionate about RoboCop here at GB. We’ve covered his news, a lot. Probably about 7 or 8 times since we first heard serious word of it. We’ve actually had multiple discussions on the film, and when those first pictures leaked of the new RoboCop suit, the majority of us were… unhappy. However, being ever the contrarian I am, I expressed my caustic disappointment VERY specifically, because I knew the more I thought about it, the more I could understand it. In that article I said, and I quote:

“I’m…. Just really gonna keep hope that it’ll work in the movie.”

And I still stand by that statement. At first It was meant in a way to express dread, but the more I looked at this new RoboCop I kept trying to understand why it was so drastically different from what we’d all expect, and so seemingly cookie cutter and generic looking, when it suddenly hit, and everything made perfect sense. You see, when you’re a passionate nerd about something, seeing it changed to something else in a “new” form is a bit shocking, and tends to illicit knee-jerk reactions of imminent hatred or dismissal. I think that’s the natural state of all nerds. We see something that maybe takes an old favorite, and turns it on end, or tries something completely different with it, and usually we hate it. At first anyway. I remember the old internet reaction to Heath Ledger’s Joker, when the first pics of him leaked. People were VERY critical and dismissive. I would know, because I was one of those people. Of course we all know how that story turns out, because The Dark Knight is one of the best films of all time, and a huge part of it is due to the game changing performance by Heath Ledger.

I took a vow that day to never immediately judge something as a failure based on preview pictures alone. That potentially, it could all work out in the finished product, and a good movie could come from it. I even held this view for The Amazing Spider-Man, right up until it proved to be an unwatchable mess. So what was it that clicked for me? What changed my initially reserved but dreadfully optimistic view on this RoboCop remake? Well before I get to that, let’s take a second look at the new suit, so you’ll have a fresh idea in mind of what I’m talking about.

via [JoeBlo]

Again, the first things that come to mind are how UN-original it looks. How it seems reminiscent of countless other generic cyborg/soldier characters from all types of media right? I believe this is ENTIRELY intentional. If you’re going to remake RoboCop, one of the greatest missteps you could take would be to not carry over the brilliant social satire it had throughout the film. In the same way that the original RoboCop’s look represented the pinnacle of faux-futuristic 80’s excess, so does this modern RoboCop’s look reflect the polished, materialistic, and factory formed look of almost all modern technology. The sleek embossed sheen to his hood is indicative of most modern cell phones, right down to the bright red visor.

The style, layout, and font choice are all intentionally similar.

If you’ve ever seen a Droid commercial you’ll have no trouble making the visual connection. What they’ve done is rather than rehash the old story(and suit) note for note, they’ve gone and taken the initiative. It makes sense that in a modern world where everyone has the same looking cell phone, same looking cars, and same looking computers, we should have a similarly themed RoboCop. Of course he looks generic, because a massive, money-making corporation churned him out like yesterdays cheap cell phone update. It’s a theme that’s very welcome for a RoboCop remake because the whole thing was about criticizing the faceless corporations that would literally put a brand name on justice if it made them an extra dollar at the end of the day. Steamlined robotic officers? Mass produced cybernetic equipment? Bargain basement justice? I’d buy that for a dollar!

So yes, the new RoboCop suit looks incredibly generic and uninspired, but that is precisely the point, and ultimately what ends up making it ironically, very inspired and unique. It’s a pretty effective way to establish a visual motif of social commentary, that even our CYBERNETICALLY ENHANCED ROBOT COPS get the shiny, red laser LED lined look to them. That’s exactly what any modern technology company would do. The proof is all around your living room, or even in your pocket. Sure the movie may end up sucking something fierce still, (I don’t think it will, but I have been wrong), but at the very least the intention to establish and bring back that sense of social commentary, updated now for relevant social context, is laudable and worthy of note. That’s not even to say what the whole suit will look like after filming effects are completed, because I have a strong feeling it’ll get a much more visually striking look once it’s complemented with added CG lights and whatnot. Furthermore, between the strength of its cast, director, and what we’ve seen so far, I’d say everyone has good reason to get their hopes up. This is the RoboCop for our generation, and it most certainly is reflecting that, as it should. So sit back and relax RoboCop fans. We may have a good remake yet.

POP CULTURE

Album Review: Hot Fiction “Apply Within”

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The Before:

Two-man bands have been a staple to the post-alternative rock scene for the last ten or so years. I tend to make assumptions about the sound: blues-inspired grungy riff-rock. The names The White Stripes and The Black Keys certainly come to mind. I appreciate the straight-forward style and deceiving simplicity of much that this genre (is it fair to call it so?) has offered.

Much in the vein of the aforementioned bands, British band Hot Fiction, brings forth their sophomore effort, Apply Within, out October 18th. The band describes it as a “soulful awakening”, though I’m not sure if that “awakening” is meant for the band or the listener. Regardless of the intent, they better make their points quick, as the album clocks in under the 40 minute mark.

The band is comprised of drummer/vocalist Andy Yeoh and guitarist/vocalist Simon Miller.

The After:

The band has a comfortable feel. It certainly fulfills my expectation of blues-inspired grungy riff-rock. However it does consistently feel fresh mainly due to the tunes’ strong melodies (see Harder Than Before) and percussion work that has that pleasant clarity and subtlety of not being canned. The guitar work is appropriate for the genre (are we still good with this?) of two-man riff-rock, and doesn’t rely too heavily on effects to draw in the listener, which is something that I have found to be draining on my ear juice.

Yeoh’s voice is strange at times (Gotta Go); pulling in and out of pitchy, frail to bold, and even 1960s white soul to Nick Drake circa Northern Sky (see Broken In a Good Way). And while I’m trying to figure out and adjust, the vocals blend with Miller’s guitar work that has many of the same qualities.

Ultimately, what kept me interested in the songs was the constant push and pull between the simplicity and dissonance of the melodies (see Sweet Goodbye). There is a fluidity to this album, even though the separate tunes hearken to different influences, conscious or not, such as the afore mentioned Nick Drake in Broken In a Good Way, a less orchestrated and instrumented The Band in You’re Not Alone, and even a streamlined Blood Sweat and Tears on No Soul.

As a side note, this is the point where I am conflicted over the possibilities of more instrumentation verses the uncomplicated nature of two-man groups like Hot Fiction. On one hand you have such potential to show range and counter-melody, but on the other you have the ability to become highly cohesive and streamlined in approach and purpose.

Regardless of my ramblings, Hot Fiction has put together an album in “Apply Within” that grooves, moves, and flows. This is a band that I could see developing further from influenced to influential as they explore their sound and push away from the precedents.

I give this album 3.5 g-bears.

Hot Fiction’s YouTube Channel

TV

SNL: 38.4 – Christina Applegate/Passion Pit

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After last Saturday’s horrific outing, I spent the week placing offerings at my shrine to the great Colin Quinn in the hopes that it would pay off with a better episode this week. I wasn’t even asking for it to be good, just that it didn’t suck donkey balls.

Man, my house smelling like a pothead’s van for a week really paid off.

Everyone knew that the cold open was going to be the VP debate. In my review of the premiere, I said that Taran Killam’s Paul Ryan impression needed work. Apparently he heard my concerns because this week it was spot on. It really was better than I could have imagined. Add in the ridiculous water drinking, with the hamster bottle being the highlight, and I was in heaven.

And if the already strong sketch needed any help… Usain Bolt. That was so unexpected but enjoyable. I had completely forgotten about Ryan’s inflated athletic abilities, such great material there.

The monologue was okay. Usually I don’t like when the hosts do a random musical number because it never really seems to fit in, but I always forget that Christina Applegate can sing. Of course it was also nice that she gave Matt Foley, Motivational Speaker a shout out.

The Gillette commercial with Jerry Sandusky was just odd. There’s a good chance I have missed a story concerning Jerry Sandusky and shaving and perhaps that’s where the idea came from, but yea, it was weird.

If I had to choose one recurring sketch that I dislike more than all others, it would probably be Fred Armisen as the annoying producer turned talk show host. If I had to choose a second recurring sketch that I dislike more than all others excluding the previously mentioned, it would be The Californians. The moment the SoapNet logo comes on I just want to fast forward. At least this time it had Taran Killam as the wedding planner.


Next up was the second best sketch of the night, “Tech Talk” aka “First World Problems”. This seems like one they’ve had on the blocks for a while now and decided to go with it this week. Fantastic execution. Describing the new iPhone as “three sheets of paper stapled together” had me rolling. Best parts were the “traditional sarcastic dance” and of course the complaints about American products.

The next sketch was a prerecorded movie trailer for “Give Us All Our Daughters Back”. So many great impressions in this one. Bill Hader as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Christina Applegate as Uma Thurman, Bobby Moynihan as Steven Seagal- they were all good. The best though was Jay Pharaoh with his Denzel Washington impression. “Are you a porpoise or a narwhal?”
The most disturbing part of the sketch was when I realized that not only would my husband watch that movie, he would love that movie. If Chuck Norris were added to that cast, he would probably have that movie showing on a continual loop.

I think it’s a mark of a good show when the musical guest comes up and you think “already?”. Passion Pit was on tap and they are good. One of those somewhat obscure bands that divides the internet between the “I LOVE PASSION PIT” and the “who the hell are these people? Come on SNL, why don’t you get some bands on that people have actually heard of or care about.” crowds.

Weekend Update had one of my least favorite guests and one of my favorite guests. Jean K Jean is sort of amusing but really I could do without him. More than anything he reminds me of Keenan Thompson’s character Pierre Escargot on Take That.

However, Nasim Pedrad’s Arianna Huffington? I could watch her all day long. I don’t know that I would even recognize the real Arianna Huffington if I came across her in a dark alley, but I get a little giddy when I see Nasim appear as her.

After Weekend Update the show moved into that mine field that makes me nervous each week. Which barrel scrapping sketches made the cut? This week I was extremely pleased to see that my favorite sketch of the night aired in this slot. There’s a good chance I loved the “Siren Song” sketch as much as I did because I’m a woman in my mid-30’s and therefore by default have fond memories of chick music from the 90’s, but there’s an equally good chance that this sketch was just perfect. I’m going with perfect. Jason Sudeikis was Odysseus, tied to the mast to avoid the song of the sirens, played by Cecily Strong, Christina Applegate and Kate McKinnon. They tried to lure Odysseus in with such hits like Lisa Loeb’s “Stay” and Shania Twain’s “That Don’t Impress Me Much”. And what mention of 90’s music would be complete without TLC’s “No Scrubs”?

There was a return to the high school with “Hell-o-Ween” which was mildly entertaining and then a “Dance Class” sketch that was a bit on the odd side. What it really made obvious though, is how much alike Christina Applegate and Kristin Wiig are. I don’t know if Applegate was trying to impersonate Wiig, impersonating a strange Fosse obsessed dance instructor but damn, it was a little eerie. The voice, the expressions, everything- odd.

Biggest things from this episode- hello Jason Sudeikis and Kate McKinnon! This is by far the most, and best, we’ve seen of Sudeikis so far this season and he was on top of it this episode. Kate McKinnon is literally living the dream right now. It’s only her second season right? And she has been the go to girl for almost every episode. I can’t imagine she won’t be bumped up to cast member either at some point in this season or definitely by next season.

She’s already gotten to announce the show so what else is there?

Which brings me to a question- where is Aidy Bryant? Has she just had a run of bad luck and all her sketches have been cut? That just doesn’t seem possible. Surely they can find some place for her. We’ve seen plenty of Cecily Strong and Tim Robinson (more Strong than Robinson) and only a few snippets of Aidy Bryant. She was the new cast member I was most looking forward to so her absence is strongly felt.

Dear Ms. Bryant,
 If you want or need help writing some sketches that will make the final cut, just give me a call. I’m sure we can work something out that will blow their minds and force them to give you some airtime.

Sincerely,
The Ironbunny.

I’m really glad this episode was as great as it was because next week the host and musical guest is Bruno Mars. Unless your name is Justin Timberlake, you don’t really have any business pulling double duty. Here’s hoping for the best, while bracing for the worst.