The Excelsior: The TV List: The Future of the Fall’s New Arrivals

Original Article

Pilot season is upon us once again: In the last two weeks, series and season premieres were all over TV. The Excelsior presents three shows, their virtues and vices, and what we think will become of them.


My Generation
(ABC, airs Thursdays at 8 pm)

This remake of a Swedish show portrays the life of a group of young adults ten years after their high school graduation. We see what became of them and how they live today, including flashbacks to their teenage years.

The Good: The concept of showing the life, love and struggles of an entire generation personified through a handful of 28-year-olds has a lot of appeal: While we meet the characters, we identify with them and their problems. It is also a very novel idea, at least on American TV. And while the mockumentary style has become common in comedies (The Office, Modern Family), the way My Generation employs it to drama is refreshing.

The Bad: The show’s novel concept could just as well be its downfall: The documentary style is being used to its extremes, with characters telling the cameraman to turn away and whispering to each other so the camera cannot pick up on it. While this makes it more realistic in a way, it gets increasingly irritating over the course of the episode; not only because it leads to logistical problems (like not hearing or seeing a character at a crucial moment), but also because it decreases the authenticity of scenes (if a character really didn’t want the camera there, they wouldn’t have the most important conversations in front of it in the first place). Plus, the actors are much prettier than they are capable of acting.

The Prognosis: No likeable characters, no good acting, too convoluted a concept – this one won’t survive.


Hawaii 5-0
(CBS, airs Mondays at 10 pm)

A group of special agents, Alex O’Loughlin and Daniel Dae Kim among them, track down organized crime in beautiful Hawaii in this remake of the successful 60ies show.

The Good: Surprisingly, the strongest suit of the new Hawaii 5-0 are the characters and their interactions. Alex O’Loughlin plays the very matter-of-fact leader of the team Steve McGarrett, and his dynamic with sidekick Danno occasionally leads to comedy gold. When they storm into an elevator, in full body armor and guns drawn, a little boy is scared of them. McGarrett, brazenly: “Don’t worry, we are cops.” After Danno consoles the crying child, he turns to his partner: “You are really great with children.” A beat. McGarrett, confused: “What?”
Plus, Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park’s sexual chemistry has potential for some good storylines.

The Bad: The storylines are generic and forgettable. While there’s some mystery throughout the episode, it eventually always comes down to cops chasing down a bad guy – something we have seen millions of times over on TV an in movies.

The Prognosis: Action-packed, interesting characters – unless Hawaii 5-0’s storylines get even more familiar, this has a good chance of becoming a crowd pleaser.


The Whole Truth
(ABC, airs Wednesdays at 10 pm)

A new take on crime shows: Every episode, we see a court case from the perspective of both the prosecution and the defense. In the end, the truth is revealed – but only to the audience.

The Good: The Whole Truth’s structure is interesting and new, even with some overlapping scenes a la Vantage Point or Elephant. The show’s pace is fast, and leaves the viewer breathless and wanting more. There is never a dull moment here, even though there are no high-speed chases or global threats. A major plus of the show is its ambiguity: There’s no clear-cut good guy or bad guy here; both parties are just trying to do their jobs the best they can. The evidence is contradictory and unclear at times, which makes this probably the most realistic courtroom drama to date. And the chemistry and implied history between the leads (Maura Tierney as the hard-boiled prosecutor, Rob Morrow as the somewhat slick defense attorney) is promising.

The Bad: For all its inventiveness, The Whole Truth is essentially another crime/court drama, with only minor variations to the formula of shows like Law and Order. It might get old.

The Prognosis: Intriguing premise and characters, and the audience loves a well-written courtroom drama. So unless this is lost among its similar peers, it will last.

The Excelsior: The TV List: It’s Déjà Vu All Over Again in TV Land

Going to the movies, we have gotten used to it: Half of the films playing are remakes, sequels or adaptations. Of the top ten grossing movies so far in 2010, seven (Toy Story 3, Alice in Wonderland, Iron Man 2, Eclipse, Shrek Forever After, Karate Kid, Clash of the Titans) were based on existing material.
This trend has found its way into the land of TV. In the last year or so, the percentage of TV shows that are based on books, movies or even other TV shows has grown exponentially. It all started with the reboots of classic teen melodramas Beverly Hills, 90210 (reborn as just 90210 in 2008) and Melrose Place (which was cancelled REALLY quickly) in 2009. While both shows’ success was far from overwhelming, they drew in a somewhat stable viewership in the beginning who knew of the original. In far-from-secure times like this, the networks seem to prefer the known over taking chances with new ideas.
This year’s fall lineup will be no different. The Excelsior presents 5 shows that aren’t going to be real originals.


Hawaii Five-0 (CBS)

The Original: Hawaii Five-O, TV show running from 1968-1980 on CBS.

One of the first and longest-running procedural cop shows on TV, the original Hawaii Five-O was set in Honolulu, Hawaii and followed a small police task force that took down Mafia bosses and international spies. That the new version is spelt with a “zero” instead of a letter “O” seems to be the only difference between the original and the remake, which has the exact same plot. It’s not a big stretch – while visually and politically outdated, Hawaii Five-O the original still stacks up pretty well against all the cop shows it inspired. Starring LOST’s Daniel Dae Kim and hot guy Alex O’Loughlin.

Premieres September 20, 2010.


Nikita (The CW)

The Original: The French movie Nikita (1990), its remake Point of No Return (1993) as well as the TV series La Femme Nikita (1997).

The remake that makes all other remakes look pale in comparison: After all, if it’s been done three times before, it might be hard to make it feel fresh. The story about a beautiful young woman who becomes a spy against her will has been told in two movies and one TV show before. Additionally, the new Nikita has already been compared to Alias and Dollhouse. So can we expect anything really new? It’s doubtful. At least they changed around the story – in its new incarnation, Nikita will go rogue against the agency that turned her into an agent in the first place. Starring Maggie Q of Mission: Impossible III and Shane West (ER).

Premiered September 9, 2010.


$#*! My Dad Says (CBS)

The Original: A Twitter feed called “Shit My Dad Says.” Really.

Welcome to the 21st century, where a Twitter feed with quotes of your elderly, cranky pop can earn you a book deal and a TV show. Its author, Justin Halpern, set up the account after moving back into his parents’ house, and posted random, expletive-laden comments his father made throughout the day. This real-life story will be the plot of the show. On the pro side, William Shatner plays the angry dad. On the con side, it doesn’t bode well that the title of the show has been censored (it is officially pronounced “Bleep My Dad Says”) when it is based on source material that lives from its four-letter words.

Premieres September 23, 2010.


Undercovers (NBC)

The Original: None, really. And too many at the same time.

While not technically a remake or adaptation, this show about a husband-and-wife spy team has been compared to too many series and movies to count, among them Undercover Blues, Hart to Hart and Mr. and Mrs. Smith. It’s not a good sign if the first thing you have to say about a story is how much it is like another story. On the other hand, J.J. Abrams who has done fabulous things like LOST and Alias for TV, produced this and directed the pilot.

Premieres September 22, 2010.


Law & Order: Los Angeles (NBC)

The Original: The entire Law & Order franchise, which had its start in 1990.

Law & Order never dies: While the original series recently got cancelled after two decades, its newest spawn is already waiting in the wings. Taking the concept of showing cops and prosecutors working on the same case to Los Angeles for the first time, this is the fifth spin-off of the successful franchise, including a UK version. Not much novelty is to be expected considering that Law & Order is one of the most formulaic shows on television. Starring Scream’s Skeet Ulrich and screen veteran Alfred Molina.

Premieres September 29, 2010.

Considering that television can be one of the most innovative media when it comes to storytelling, it seems a shame that a certain conservatism has taken over. Of course, some of the most ingenious TV, say, Dexter, has been based on other material. We will have to wait and see what the networks make of it this time around.

Beautifulfield Productions presents: "The Mother"

MY FIRST SHORT FILM



When her young son goes missing, a mother has to face the possibility that their separation will not just be temporary.

Silent short film created for Film 40.1 at Brooklyn College, NY in Spring 2010.
Written and directed by Johanna Schoenfeld.

CAST:
Father - Erich Rausch
Son - Matteo Cacioppo
Extras - Daniel Shabasson, Adriana Cacioppo, Samantha Kalontarov, Eric Ruffin, Mark Thomas, Danny Cruz

Crew - Alexis Arias, Asia Boostani, Daniel Shabasson

Special Thanks to - Susanne Shabasson

Excelsior: Hello and Goodbye - Shows That Leave Us, Shows That Come Up

It’s finals season – for students as well as for TV executives; season finale time, that is. And while we are still in a limbo of uncertainty about our grades, many TV shows already know they failed, and that no new season will premiere in fall. TV audiences have to say goodbye to some of their favorites – and it isn’t going to be easy.
On the other hand, the summer has become TV’s “second year”: Long gone are the times when you would turn on the TV in July and all you’d see was a rerun from six months earlier. Quite a few shows will premiere or return this summer, and they are anything but second-rate.
The Excelsior presents five shows that will be (more or less) sorely missed, and five that will console us during the summer months.

Goodbyes…

1. LOST (ABC)

Probably the only show that is leaving us voluntarily: Three years ago, it was announced that this saga about the 48 survivors of a plane crash would end in 2010 so as to tell a well-rounded story. Now, the dreaded time is here: On May 23, all questions will be answered in a two-and-a-half hour series finale. Allegedly.
Ends May 23.

2. Scrubs (ABC)

After a somewhat weird resuscitation of this medical comedy last year, Sacred Heart is now closed for good. The new concept, including a completely different main cast, just didn’t work – and should probably best be forgotten.
Ended March 17.

3. 24 (FOX)

Finally, Jack Bauer will get some sleep: After eight days of real-time around-the-clock terrorist fighting, “24” is over. Maybe it’s for the best: America’s No. 1 badass was beginning to look exhausted – just like the show’s storylines.
Ends May 24.

4. Law and Order (NBC)

This one is the shocker of the year: Extremely long-running primetime show “Law and Order” has been cancelled after 20 (!) years. But no worries, the law will continue to rule: Besides the current spawn “SVU,” a new spin-off called “Law and Order: Los Angeles” is coming up next season.
Ends May 24.

5. As the World Turns (CBS)

This soap opera even beats out “Law and Order” – by a few decades, no less. After 54 years (!!!) and around 14,000 episodes, “As the World Turns” will end in September. 54 YEARS! Jack Bauer is a pussy.


…and Hellos:

1. 100 Questions (NBC)

This new show follows newly single Charlotte who signs up for an internet dating site. She has to answer a 100-question compatibility test – each of which leads her to reminisce about a specific adventure in her life. Promising – even if it sounds an awful lot like “How I Met Your Mother.”
Premieres May 27.

2. Drop Dead Diva (Lifetime)

Back for a second season: After a car accident, ditzy model Deb wakes up in the hospital in someone else’s body – she has become overweight lawyer Jane, of all people. Hilarity and a little bit of wisdom ensues.
Premieres June 6.

3. The Gates (ABC)

Big-city cop plus family move to a seemingly idyllic gated community. Soon, things begin to get weird and the supernatural comes a-knocking. Let’s bet there’s a vampire somewhere in there, shall we?
Premieres June 20.

4. Scoundrels (ABC)

A family of small-time criminals decides to go straight after their father is sent to prison. High hopes for former movie star and leading lady Virginia Madsen
Premieres June 20.

5. Lie to Me (FOX)

The show about a human lie detector (another former film star, Tim Roth) who uses his skills in analyzing facial expressions and vocal inconsistencies to expose crooks returns for a third season.
Premieres June 7.

Happy TV summer!

Excelsior: Really Good TV Actors Who Should Be More Famous

Isn’t it funny how people like Britney Spears or Paris Hilton receive lead roles in major Hollywood films without so much as a hint of acting experience or, say, talent? Or how some actors make a living doing essentially the same thing in every movie (cough, Keanu Reeves, cough)? At the same time, there are loads of actors and actresses out there that would more than deserve their big Hollywood break. The Excelsior is taking the opportunity to suggest five TV actors and actresses to all the casting directors out there for the next big blockbuster. Because, really, they’re good.

Lauren Graham

Let’s be honest: She was the real star on Gilmore Girls. Rory’s constant whining started getting tiresome around the third episode. And yes, we all had an opinion on the “Dean or Jess” question, but the real issue was when Lorelai and Luke would eventually get together.
In the course of the show Graham defined the character of Lorelai and revealed herself to be a radiant, gifted actress.
Which is probably why she got another main role in this season’s new show “Parenthood” as Sarah, a middle-aged woman who has to move back in with her parents after a divorce – probably the most interesting and sympathetic character on the show.
The big screen hasn’t embrace Graham as much as she would deserve it – she had notable supporting roles in “The Pacifier,” “Bad Santa” and “Evan Almighty,” but no real big break yet.

Michael Emerson

Don’t you just love a great villain? From Lady Macbeth to Dr. No, any story benefits from a compelling bad guy you just love to hate. So why Michael Emerson hasn’t been cast in more major films is a mystery. In his current engagement on TV’s “Lost,” he plays Ben Linus, the mysterious manipulator who lives on the island the protagonists land on. The role earned him a Golden Globe and two Emmy nominations as well as one Emmy win and made him a fixture on Best TV Villains lists on the internet.
His only big movie appearance was in “SAW,” where he once again played the bad guy – at least until Jigsaw showed up. He should really show his unique talent to be creepy to a wider audience. Speaking of Dr. No, why not make him a Bond villain? He’d probably be so good at it that James Bond might just lose that one.

Tom Amandes

On every good show, there is one supporting actor that grows on you and makes you love them. On “Everwood”, it was Tom Amandes a.k.a. Dr. Harold Abbott who started out as the somewhat goofy and cliché nemesis of main character Dr. Brown but developed into a multi-layered and interesting character. Tom Amandes made you cry and laugh, and was equally great at both.
He has also had guest appearances on seemingly every show on TV, from “ER” to “Big Love,” but Hollywood hasn’t noticed so far. Somebody write them a letter or something!

Tyne Daly

A supporting character on “Judging Amy”, Daly made Amy’s mother the secret star of the show. Her struggle with her often depressing job as a social worker, her striving to keep the family together, and her search for love at an age at which most people have given up made you root for her. Of course, Tyne Daly has been a TV fixture for much longer, ever since she starred in “Cagney and Lacey”, and hasn’t lost any of her charms. That’s pretty rare – so take advantage of it and cast her, producers!

Gregory Itzin

Remember the 5th season of “24”? Itzin played – spoiler alert! – the goofball-turned-terrorist associate President of the United States and made for one of the biggest cliff hangers of the season. You had to hate him, but you also felt a bit sorry for him because he seemed to have gotten himself into a really bad situation without meaning to. Okay, he was also an unbearable sleaze-ball – and Itzin pulled that one off perfectly. So can somebody cast him as Nixon already?

Starpulse: What's The Best Show On TV? Starpulse Writers Weigh In

Original Article with other writers' opinions

My Segment:

"LOST"

"A television phenomenon...that captivated millions," ABC recently boasted in the weeks leading up to the premiere of "Lost's" sixth and final season. And they have a point: audiences around the world anxiously awaited the date of the episode's broadcasting.

Throughout the last five years, "Lost" has given us a wide variety of stories and narrative strategies. At first, it was simply a story about the survivors of a plane crash who were stranded on a deserted island - interspersed with the characters' back stories. The flashbacks became flash-forwards in seasons three and four. And finally, both became literal by throwing time travel into the mix. And suddenly, the survivors weren't just stranded on a deserted island, they were stranded on a deserted island in the 1970s.

So one thing is sure when it comes to "Lost" - it's not going to be what you expect. The show is famous for its excruciatingly frustrating cliffhangers and astonishing WTF moments (polar bears on a tropical island?!) - a breath of fresh air in a world of formulaic and predictable shows. And yet, the plot twists aren't there for their own sake, but organically result from the story and the characters that populate it.

Character development is in fact one of the show's strongest suits. Over its run, the audience got to know the characters, their histories and motivations better than their own families - and maybe we even like them a little bit better.

The biggest question at the moment is how the writers will tie up the story in the remaining handful of episodes. But knowing "Lost," it is going to be surprising, satisfying, emotional and action-packed all in one.

Excelsior: TV’s Guiltiest Pleasures

There are the kinds of television shows you are proud to be a fan of. You like them because the dialogue is realistic and brilliantly written, the actors’ performances are Oscar-worthy and the storylines are elaborate works of art. But then, there’s another kind of TV show: The one you watch even though you know it’s, objectively speaking, trash – the guilty pleasure. The Excelsior presents four reality shows that have no artistic, social, or educational value, but that you will tune in to anyway – because they are just too much fun to watch.


VH1’s Tough Love (VH1)

Have trouble finding a boyfriend? You ain’t seen nothing yet! VH1’s “Tough Love” assembles the most hopeless cases of female dating wrecks. There’s the marriage-obsessed 24-year-old who talks about having kids after one date, the career-minded businesswoman who doesn’t make time for her love life, the crazy party girl who makes out with a different guy every night, the timid girlie who changes who she is depending on who she is dating.
These women move into a house together and get dating advice, not from a therapist, but from a matchmaker, of all people. In the end, they are supposedly ready for a long-term relationship.
Apart from the ridiculous notion that all these women’s issues can be solved in a two-month “boot camp,” forcing each woman into a stereotypical personality template is extremely simplistic. On the other hand, any girl who has ever been single knows how hard dating can be and can identify with one of the women. And if you take the host’s advice with a grain of salt, there’s actually something to learn here about how men think. He’s not bad to look at, either.

http://www.vh1.com/shows/tough_love/season_2/series.jhtml


Flavor of Love/Rock of Love/I Love New York/For the Love of Ray J./and so an and so forth (VH1)

The formula of all these shows is simple: A total Has-Been or a Never-Really-Was lives in a house with a number of people of the opposite sex with whom he or she regularly makes out. Every week, one of the potential “partners” is sent home.
There’s nothing to learn here whatsoever. This is all about looking down on people who engage in inane competitions, (cat) fights and desperate attempts to get the attention of a person most people wouldn’t look at twice. But sometimes, you just need some mindless entertainment that makes you feel better about yourself.

http://www.vh1.com/shows/flavor_of_love/season_1/series.jhtml
http://www.vh1.com/shows/rock_of_love/season_1/series.jhtml
http://www.vh1.com/shows/i_love_new_york/season_1/series.jhtml
http://www.vh1.com/shows/for_the_love_of_rayj/season_1/series.jhtml


Hogan Knows Best/Brooke Knows Best (VH1)

Almost-forgotten former stars are a recurrent theme in reality TV, as seen on “Hogan Knows Best,” in which wrestler Hulk Hogan and his family were followed around by cameras throughout their day-to-day lives. For the most part, it was all minor conflicts with neighbors, going to the gym and daddy not wanting his daughter to go on dates – pretty banal stuff. But then, actual reality interfered and made the show (whose focus had meanwhile shifted to daughter Brooke) interesting – Hulk cheated on his wife with a girl that looked a lot like his daughter, the parents got divorced, mom took a boyfriend half her age, and the son went to jail after causing a car accident that sent his best friend into a coma.
You would almost think it was scripted – but in this case, it was real life that created the drama.

http://www.vh1.com/shows/hogan_knows_best/season_1/series.jhtml
http://www.vh1.com/shows/brooke_knows_best/season_1/series.jhtml


Tool Academy (VH1)

If you’re ever really pissed at your boyfriend, just watch an episode of “Tool Academy,” and you will only be too happy to take him back. Here, the worst of the worst in male – and essentially human – behavior is showcased. If girls (and, since this season, guys) cannot take their significant other’s cheating, lying, and generally tool-ish ways anymore, they enroll them in the “academy” that supposedly makes “knights in shining armor” out of them.
This, of course, is bullshit. A few minutes of therapy and a telegenic challenge a week does not a great boyfriend make. But it’s fun to see them try.

http://www.vh1.com/shows/tool_academy/season_1/series.jhtml


Dishonorable Mention: Jersey Shore (MTV)

This trashy reality soap about a group of orange-tanned, self-described “Guidos” got lots of attention recently. But there’s too much low-class bitch-slapping, name-calling and drunken making-out going on on “Jersey Shore” for it to be called a “pleasure.” If you actually enjoy watching this show, you should just feel plain guilty.

Excelsior: Movies that are Better than the Books they are Based On

How often have you seen a movie adaptation of a great read and said, “The book was so much better”? How often have you been downright disappointed by a film because you had imagined it differently, or they changed the story around, or it didn’t capture the spirit of the book? In an overwhelming majority of cases, literary adaptations don’t do the original justice. And yet, there are a handful of exceptions – The Excelsior presents four movies that are actually better than the books they are based on.

Fight Club

The story of a disillusioned insurance employee and his soap-making friend who step out of society by starting a nightly meet-up where men beat each other up to feel alive is a pretty great premise for whatever medium. But while the book is good, the 1999 film by David Fincher is a masterpiece.
Filled out with powerful visuals – from the color schemes of the wardrobe to the surreal feel of the sparsely used fantasy sequences – the story comes to life. Oscar-worthy performances by Edward Norton and Brad Pitt – who shed the pretty boy image once and for all with this – help too.
In a rare display of a voice-over that works perfectly, the film keeps the spirit of the novel while improving on some of the plot points – most notably the very ending, which is much more open in the book. Even the novel’s author Chuck Palahniuk saw the movie adaptation as an improvement on his novel.

The Graduate

“The Graduate” is the story of recent college grad Benjamin who has no idea what he wants out of life or even what he is going to do tomorrow. The decision is made for him by the somewhat pushy Mrs. Robinson who seduces him. He, of course, ends up falling in love with her daughter.
While the film inspired generations of young aimless people, the book by Charles Webb reads like a bunch of stage directions from your local community center’s latest play.
The most memorable scenes of the film – Mrs. Robinson taking off her stockings, Ben floating in the pool with his diving gear on – are purely visual in nature. It almost seems as if this narrative was supposed to be a filmic one in the first place – which is why the movie has a place in the canon of film classics and the book has, rightfully, been forgotten.

The Shining

Now this one is debatable: While Stephen King’s novel is a solid horror story, the 1980 film was dubbed one of the best horror movies ever as well as a great cinematic achievement. The tricky thing in this case is that director Stanley Kubrick made the story of a man going crazy in a haunted mountain hotel completely his own – to the point that the book and the film could be considered two distinct works of fiction.
But when we think of “The Shining” today, we think of the twins in the hallway, the blood splashing out of the elevator, Jack Nicholson axing the door and yelling “Heeeere’s Johnny!” – all things that are not in the book.
There is a reason that literal King adaptations like “Pet Sematary,” “Children of the Corn” or even the 1997 “The Shining” miniseries are largely B-movies. King is the master of somewhat over-the-top fantasy and horror scenes. Kubrick’s interpretation, on the other hand, is understated and rich in its visual symbolism. This makes it top-notch cinema, while the book remains a beach read – a hugely entertaining one, granted, but still a beach read.

American Psycho

If you like your serial killer stories with a side order of social criticism, “American Psycho” is for you. Patrick Bateman is a New York yuppie by day – and a sadistic murderer at night.
The book alternates between extremely detailed descriptions of status symbols such as dress shirts and wrist watches and just as gruelingly detailed descriptions of the rapes, tortures and murders the protagonist commits. In other words, it alternates between passages that induce extreme boredom and passages that induce projectile vomiting.
The film portrays society’s obsession in a much more focused way, and only insinuates most of the graphic violence of the novel, proofing that less is more. Plus, Christian Bale’s portrayal of the Huey Lewis-loving, prostitute-killing madman is absolutely mesmerizing.

Excelsior: “Lost” Season Premiere Review – After the Big Bang

“A television phenomenon (…) that captivated millions,” ABC boasted in the weeks leading up to last Tuesday’s season premiere of “Lost.” And yes, it definitely was one of the most longingly awaited premiers this year, seeing as this last season of the show promises to answer any and all questions.

After all, season five ended (like almost every episode in the show’s history) with a cliffhanger of epic proportions. Disclaimer: If you’ve never seen “Lost,” you should stop reading now, visit your local Blockbuster, rent the first season and start watching.

Throughout the last five years, “Lost” has given us a wide variety of stories and narrative strategies. At first, it was simply a story about the survivors of a plane crash who are stranded on a deserted island; interspersed with the character’s back stories. The flashbacks became flash-forwards in seasons three and four. And finally, both became literal by throwing time travel into the mix. And suddenly, the survivors weren’t just stranded on a deserted island; they were stranded on a deserted island in the 1970s.

Many burning questions were left by last year’s finale. Above all: Would the castaways’ plan to detonate a bomb in the past lead to a present where they never landed on the island in the first place?

In traditional “Lost” fashion, this question wasn’t answered in the sixth season’s premiere. Or rather, it was answered with both Yes and No – literally.

The episode started out in a familiar way to all those who had seen season 1. We’re back on the plane, and all – or most – of our favorite characters are there. There are even a couple of cameos of long-dead sidekicks as a special treat for fans. But of course, it’s 2004, and they are strangers. And this time, the infamous flight 815 safely lands at LAX.

Simultaneously, though, it doesn’t: Cut to the island, just post-explosion. In this version of reality, the survivors are still where they were; and the future (or rather, the present) hasn’t changed.

Ever since the two-hour season premiere aired, the fan world is in full speculation mode. The favorite, and, knowing “Lost,” a very plausible theory is the following: The two timelines will converge in the future, and everyone will end up on the island eventually anyway, making the alleged alternate universes one. This makes sense given that the show has made a point of stating that every single person ended up on the island for a reason.

In the meantime, even physicists weigh in on Lost’s interpretation of alternate universes, deeming it consistent with physical theories. (See popularmechanics.com)

What it all really means, of course, only time and the remaining ten episodes of Lost’s last season will tell. Until then, viewers will need a lot of patience – but that’s something “Lost” fans are more than accustomed to by now.

Excelsior: Three Fall Shows to Watch...and One to Skip

Original Article

Fall season is upon us, and the words "series premiere" have been all over television for the last few weeks. But which ones are worth getting obsessed with, and which ones are likely to get the boot mid-season and enter obscurity? The Excelsior has picked the three shows most worthy of procrastinating for - and one whose timeslot you can actually use to study.

Three shows to watch...

"FlashForward"

(ABC, Thursdays at 8 pm):

On a day in September 2009, every single person on the planet blacks out for two minutes. But they don't just lose consciousness - they get a glimpse of their lives six months in the future. A race begins: Some want to prevent what they saw. Others find new hope in their visions. And then there are the ones who have to find the meaning of theirs while D-Day, April 29, 2010, is fast approaching.

The strongest elements of the show are its intriguing premise and its stars. Joseph Fiennes is Mark Benford, an FBI agent who saw himself investigating the blackout in his vision and now has to follow the clues from his future. At the same time he struggles with his wife's (Sonya Walger of "LOST") flash-forward that showed her being with another man. Meanwhile, Benford's partner Demetri (John Cho in a very strong performance) has to come to terms with the fact that he didn't see anything during the blackout.

The entire show is based on the slow revelation of the big secret behind the flash-forward. This is bound to frustrate impatient viewers who are used to one self-contained story per episode. But the show definitely attracts the loyal LOST viewership that is used to waiting for answers. It remains to be seen if "FlashForward" turns out to be cast in the same cult series mold. (Get caught up with "FlashForward" at http://abc.go.com/shows/flash-forward)


"White Collar"

(USA, Fridays at 10 pm):

Taking over for hiatus-ed "Psych," "White Collar" has a tough spot to fill. Matt Bomer stars as Neal Caffrey, a brilliant con man who receives a get-out-of-jail-free card. Of course, there's a catch: He has to switch sides and work with the FBI to catch other white-collar criminals. Coincidentally, he has to partner up with Peter Burke (Tim DeKay), the exact same agent that caught him after years of a "Catch me if you can"-style hunt. Caffrey's almost magical charms and seemingly inexhaustible knowledge of fellow criminals, of course, is what gets the case solved at the end of the day.

"White Collar" is not so much a crime-solving drama as a personality-driven comedy. While the storylines are elaborate (albeit dramatically enhanced) and engaging, it is the chemistry between the two lead characters that makes the show. The insanely charming con man and the grudging detective make the ultimate team as seen in countless "buddy movies." Their exchanges are witty and sometimes even laugh-out-loud funny. "White Collar" is a breath of fresh air in a world where TV is populated by countless "CSI" and "Law and Order" clones. (Lust after Matt Bomer at http://www.usanetwork.com/series/whitecollar)


"The Middle"

(ABC, Wednesdays at 8:30 pm):

ABC's Comedy Wednesday has brought us four new sitcoms this fall, some better, some worse. While the critics (rightfully) drool over the clever mockumentary "Modern Family," Patricia Heaton's ("Everybody Loves Raymond") new vehicle "The Middle" goes slightly underappreciated. Heaton plays Frankie, mother of three, working as an unsuccessful car saleswoman in Bumblefuck, USA. Her children - rebellious, mindless typical teenager Axl; enthusiastic but talented-at-at-nothing-at-all Sue; and little Brick, who is socially challenged; her husband, who has a tendency to be brutally honest even to his own children; and her less-than-glamorous job constantly keep her on the go.

It's a lot like "Malcolm in the Middle" - but a less over-the-top, and a much more docile, good-natured version. The show displays real sympathy for its characters, and at the end of the day, there's a redeeming quality about everyone. (Relax and laugh at http://abc.go.com/shows/the-middle)


…and one to skip:


"Cougar Town"

(ABC, Wednesdays at 9:30 pm):

Here's the thing about expectations: When they are too high, you're bound to be disappointed. Here's the thing about "Cougar Town": Even if it wasn't Courtney Cox's long-awaited return to the small screen; even if it wasn't a concept that was extremely promising (newly single middle-aged woman starts dating hot young guys) - the show would still be a disappointment. The short explanation: It just isn't funny. The long one: The makers should have watched a little more "Sex and the City" and a little less "Ally McBeal" and "Dawson's Creek". (See for yourself at http://abc.go.com/shows/cougar-town)

Excelsior: Three TV Shows for Real Men

Original Article

Sure, guys love watching TV. But it doesn't always have to be the Sunday game. There are some pretty awesome drama and comedy series out there that might have a special appeal to bearers of the Y chromosome. Here are three of them. Bonus: one dishonorable mention and one future hope.


24 (FOX)

There has never been a more testosterone-filled, bad-ass, all around guy's show than the real-time chronicles of counter-terrorism agent Jack Bauer. Each season, we follow him through 24 action-packed hours of saving the world. He is the ultimate hero - fearless, indestructible, yet willing to take unorthodox measures to save America. And no-one, not even the Geneva Convention or the US president, will stand in his way.

Jack has survived nuclear explosions, biological WMDs, being held captive in a Chinese prison for years, and even death. (Yes, he once died for five minutes. Which didn't stop him from kicking major ass for the rest of the season.) He has battled Yugoslavian kidnappers, corrupt American office holders, and cliché Middle Eastern terrorists. He's the post-9/11 American superhero. Plus, 24 still delivers on simple suspenseful action like no other show.

24's eighth season will air on FOX starting January 17, 2010. Official website: http://www.fox.com/24/


Two and a Half Men (CBS)

The hit sitcom, currently in its 7th season, stars Charlie Sheen as a middle-aged womanizer who loves his booze a little too much. He leads a carefree existence in his California beach house (paid for by his job as a jingle writer) until his wimpy brother Alan and his son move in with him after having been kicked out by Alan's ex-wife.

Two and a Half Men has proved highly successful with audiences since it premiered in 2003. Its in-your-face sexual humor paired with over-the-top yet recognizable family situations is still refreshing. One of its strongest suits is the quirky minor characters, including Charlie's and Alan's cold-hearted mother and their stalker neighbor Rose. That Charlie embodies everything men secretly want to be doesn't hurt either.

Two and a Half Men airs Mondays at 9 pm. Watch episodes at http://www.cbs.com/primetime/two_and_a_half_men/

Modern Family (ABC)

At first glance, ABC's new critically acclaimed mockumentary-style sitcom isn't an obvious pick as a guys' show. It follows the everyday lives of a family, consisting of patriarch Jay, married to a woman half his age who is also a mother; his daughter Claire, her husband and three children; and her brother Mitchell who, together with his partner, has just adopted a baby.

There's not a clear male protagonist in Modern Family; and yet, if you look a little closer, it's the men who get the most interesting storylines and have the most intriguing personalities. Jay's experiences often deal with the question of men getting old in our society; his son struggles with balancing being gay, maintaining a successful relationship and being a new father. These issues are handled in a subtle and thoughtful yet understatedly hilarious way. Which makes for great TV for the whole family - whoever that may be.

New episodes air every Wednesday at 9 pm. Go to http://abc.go.com/shows/modernfamily for more information.


Dishonorable Mention: Secret Girlfriend (Comedy Central)

This show's TV ad features a guy jumping on a club's dance floor and shouting at the women around him: "Who wants to receive a child support check from me one day? Huh?" One of the show's most recent plots was described thusly on its website: "When Phil's sister was 15, she told Sam she was too young for him, but now that she's 18, she's his for banging." Need we say more?

Secret Girlfriend airs Wednesdays at 10:30 pm. Also watch at http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/secret_girlfriend/index.jhtml, if you must.


Future Hope: Men of a Certain Age (TNT)

Ray Romano returns to television with Men of a Certain Age which he also co-created. It will also star Scott Bakula and Andre Braugher as friends who enter the eponymous "certain age" and face heretofore unknown problems. Judging from previews, the show looks promising in treating male middle age with a realistic yet dry tone. If it lives up to expectations remains to be seen.

Men of a Certain Age premieres December 7 at 10 pm. Watch a preview at http://www.tnt.tv/series/menofacertainage/

Excelsior: Three TV Shows With Girl Power

Original Article

Remember the good old days of Ally McBeal? When you and your girlfriends would gather in front of the TV, pop open a huge container of chocolate Haagen Dazs, and cheer on a female heroine throughout all her successes and failures.

Well, those days are gone. But today, we have a new generation of girl dramas - with a twist.

1. Drop Dead Diva (Lifetime)

23-year-old Deb has everything in life going for her: a promising career as a model, a cute and successful boyfriend who's crazy about her, smashing good looks. Until the day that she dies in a head-on crash with a truck full of oranges. Instead of going straight to heaven, there's a bit of a mix-up at the pearly gates - and Deb ends up in the body of lawyer Jane. She gets a second chance at life - but has to come to terms with being an overweight, at times socially awkward brainiac. Only her best friend, air headed model Stacy, and her guardian angel Fred know the truth about her.

It seems sad that this must even be mentioned, but it feels great to see a beautiful, plus-size, smart woman as the protagonist of a TV show. Brooke Elliot owns the role; with impeccable comic timing she portrays the shallow model trapped in a new, and very different, body.

Through a turn of fate, Jane works with Deb's - her - former boyfriend, a situation that makes for great dramatic tension. Will he recognize her? Will he fall in love with her again, even though her appearance has totally changed?

"Drop Dead Diva" does a great job at mixing comic and dramatic tones, while almost effortlessly addressing current socio-cultural issues like our obsession with being skinny.

Season 2 of "Drop Dead Diva" will air in summer 2010.

2. Being Erica (CBC/Soapnet)

Erica is 32, still looking for Mr. Right and her dream job. She's anything but satisfied with her life; this isn't how she imagined it would turn out for her. Thinking back, there are a million things she would have done differently. And then, in the middle of running off from a family lunch where everyone outright pitied her, she suddenly gets a chance to do exactly that. Dr. Tom, a somewhat unorthodox therapist, sends her back in time to the points of her biggest regrets. Erica gets to do things over, and, in the process, learns that single events of the past are not always to blame for the present.

In a world where being successful is a big part of people's self-worth, the Canadian show "Being Erica" is a breath of fresh air. The heroine is pursuing her dreams while still struggling with defining them. Slowly, she realizes that this struggle is a part of life.

At the same time, there's the appeal of time-traveling. Who hasn't wished they could do a specific day in their lives over? And, apart from the philosophical implications, it's just plain fun to see the characters dressed up in ridiculous 90ies clothes.

Season 2 is currently airing on CBC, and will premiere on Soapnet January 20, 2010.

3. Dead Like Me (Now out on DVD)

Yes, "Dead Like Me" is old news. It premiered in 2003 and was axed a year later after two seasons. This year, the complete series was finally released on DVD, as well as a movie based on the show. Reason enough to remind everyone of this gem in TV history.

Ellen Muth plays Georgia "George" Lass, a young college drop-out without any apparent ambition in life. That changes when she's smashed to death by a toilet seat from the MIR space station. She becomes a grim reaper, and, for the first time, has to deal with real responsibility.

Muth's deadpan performance and the dark humor with which the subject of death is treated are what make the show. The group of grim reapers meet at a German waffle house to get their assignments and have to hold day jobs as meter maids and secretaries. At the same time, they are responsible to "collect" their clients' souls at the exact right moment, without knowing anything but the time and place of death. "Dead Like Me" raises some big questions, but mostly it's just great television entertainment.

"Dead Like Me - The Complete Series" and the movie "Dead Like Me - Life After Death" are available on www.amazon.com.

Excelsior: Stage Review - Circle Mirror Transformation

Love, Life and Loss at Your Local Community Center

A bland room and five strangers in sweatpants: A nondescript community center in New England is the setting of “Circle Mirror Transformation.” They are there for a so-called creative acting class: There’s the aspiring pretty actress who has hit 30 without a big break in sight; there’s the bitter new divorcé who loves making chairs; there’s the insecure teenage girl who doesn’t yet know who she is but dreams of being an actress; there’s the new age instructor who insists on everyone’s expressing their feelings but keeps her own buried deep down; and there’s her husband who struggles with his marriage and the relationship with his daughter.

This unlikely quintet is thrown together by chance, and together, they go on a journey – a journey that is sometimes plain ridiculous and funny, and sometimes deeply emotional. We follow them through the six weeks of their summer acting class, see them interact and slowly get to know them, maybe on a more personal level than is comfortable. Tensions arise, lips are locked and promises are broken; unexpected secrets are revealed.

The beginning of the play is decidedly light-hearted. Anyone who has ever attended an improv class will recognize the exercises that supposedly help the characters free themselves up to be creative. Seeing them acted out on stage makes them laugh-out-loud funny. In a way, you end up laughing at yourself. Deirdre O’Connell does a superb job as the community center acting teacher who has never actually been an actress but instead is determined to release everyone’s inner self. She catches the spirit of a middle-aged spiritual coach who takes the acting class to be more about self exploration than about, well, acting, and is hilarious, but never over the top.
A lot of the humor is derived from human insecurity and awkwardness. When two of the participants end up alone in the room with each other during a break, a halting conversation about their lives unfolds. Hasn’t everyone found themselves making senseless small talk after their first class of the semester? This familiar element of “Circle Mirror Transformation” manages to make the play funny and profound at the same time without ever ridiculing its characters.

Over the course of the story, more serious tones creep in. The seemingly silly games, designed to get the creative juices flowing, turn out to reveal more about the characters than they might have been willing to reveal. When they do a round of family constellations – an exercise in which one person asks others to represent her family members and places them in a way she feels appropriate – we realize that there are all kinds of monsters in these people’s past.

At the same time, personal relationships develop between the characters. Although we only see a brief glimpse of their lives – the weekly acting class – we get a strong sense of who those people are and where they stand in relation to each other. The excellent cast succeeds in letting the subtle lines of dialogues come to life in a gripping and sometimes chilling way.

And as we get to know these people better and better, the intensity of their emotions becomes more and more urgent. We understand them, we know what they want and where they are coming from. This charged environment culminates in one last exercise: Each member of the group anonymously reveals a secret about themselves. And yet, we, and probably they themselves, know whose secret is whose. Everything they have been through together has led up to those revelations, a catharsis of sorts.

Circle Mirror Transformation, at Playwrights Horizons' Peter Jay Sharp Theater (416 West 42nd Street, between 9th and 10th Aves), playing through November 1. Performance times: Tues-Fri at 7:30 pm, Sat at 2:00 & 7:30 pm, and Sun at 2:00 & 7:00 pm. Tickets: www.playwrightshorizons.org

thecelebritycafe.com: TV Review - Veronica Mars

Original Article

Television at its best.

Life’s a bitch. 17-year-old Veronica Mars has known that for a while now. Her life has fallen apart in the past year: Her best friend Lily was brutally murdered. Veronica’s father lost his job as the sheriff after accusing Lily’s father, the wealthiest man in town, of the murder. Her popular friends, including her boyfriend, ditched her. And finally, her mother left the family and vanished off the face of the earth.

So yeah, fate has dumped a lot on Veronica. But the former girlie girl has toughened up and learned to live with it. She uses her newly-discovered sleuthing skills and her father’s equipment – he is a private detective by now – to solve little mysteries at her high school by day and makes a little cash off that. But by night, she tries to solve the mystery of her best friend’s death.

The plot of Veronica Mars’s first season was originally intended to be a novel by series creator Rob Thomas. And you can tell: The story arc of the search for Lily’s killer spans the whole season and is crafted beautifully. There are no coincidences in Veronica’s story, and everything falls into place in the end – even if it’s not the kind of solution Hollywood would choose.

The writing is just as flawless as the storytelling. The story moves along smoothly, there are incredibly satisfying plot twists, and more witty one-liners than in an episode of Seinfeld. The characters seem human even though they are clearly contrived to serve a plot. And yet, they are just as unpredictable as real people and surprise you with their flaws as well as with sudden and unexpected goodness.

This is not least due to the actors who portray their roles with great skill and dedication. Kristen Bell leads the cast as Veronica, and she plays tough no-nonsense detective just as well as helpless bimbo when Veronica is on undercover research.

Bell is supported by a line-up of actors who really seem to sink their teeth into their roles – most notably, Jason Dohring, Enrico Colantoni and Michael Muhney. Amanda Seyfried makes a great guest star as dead Lily in several flashbacks.

Veronica Mars is definitely not your average teen drama, and has more in common with a film noir. It is dark and cruel, and shocks you more than once with a sudden reverse of fortune. It deals with death, rape, extortion and violence, and yet, never becomes a soap opera. It is just too cool for that.

Watch full episodes of Veronica Mars here.

thecelebritycafe.com: TV Review - Profit

Original Article

Profit is the best show you have probably never heard of.

Adrian Pasdar (Heroes´s Nathan Petrelli) stars as Jim Profit, a businessman without a conscience who ruthlessly follows his goals. At the moment, his goal is to climb the career ladder at the corporation “Gracen & Gracen”. His boyishly good looks and the shallowness of the business help him disguise what he really is: A sociopath without feelings.

But Profit sure does have the brains to make up for it: He spins a web of blackmail, deceit, bribery, and crime that would do any soap opera credit, were it not so evil and dark (not to forget wildly entertaining). And yet, you can’t help but root for him.

Profit has been compared to American Psycho more than a few times, but also has a lot of moments that bring TV’s Dexter to mind. Some of the special effects (and haircuts!) may seem outdated by today’s standards, but the mind-blowingly good acting and writing sure aren’t.

The show was axed by FOX in 1996, not least because of scenes like this: Profit finds a beautiful woman waiting for him in his office. He makes out with her just to then greet her with, “Hello, mom.” But luckily, all eight completed episodes (plus, tons of bonus material that clearly shows how much fun everyone involved had) are now available on DVD and one can relive all the great plot twists, sexy voice-over and sleeping in a moving box – you have to see it to believe it.

thecelebritycafe.com: TV Review - Tough Love

Original Article

They are pretty, they are successful, they are smart - and yet, some women just seem to fail in the dating world. VH1 Tough Love tries to show them what they are doing wrong, and what a man's point of view is.

Alleged "master matchmaker" Steve Ward is the host of VH1's latest dating show brainchild, who wants to teach eight apparently hopeless women how to date. All of the contestants seem to fit a different stereotype: There's the party girl who has never had a serious relationship, the marriage minded one who already has designed her wedding dress, the gold digger, the career woman, the stalker type, the motherly caring girl, the tough one and the picky one.

Steve is dishing out what they keep doing wrong - and he's not gentle doing it. They learn to build a relationship from ground up - from first impressions to sharing secrets in a positive way to trusting someone.

VH1 Tough Love was a topic of heated discussion even before it hit the airwaves in March. People worried it would have a misogynic undertone and try to form women after some male ideal that was impossible to reach.

It turned out differently: Yes, Steve Ward candidly tells contestants what their faults are, and yes, the tone of the show is not always amiable - but there's a reason it is called Tough Love.

As reality shows go, this one is definitely one of the most tolerable ones in recent history. The contestants seem like real people instead of drama queens who seek media exposure, and the objective of the show is always to help people with their issues.

And then, it even teaches the viewer a little about dating ? the most comforting thing being that you never have to change who you are, just how you present yourself.

thecelebritycafe.com: TV Review - Strangers With Candy

Original Article

Politically extremely incorrect and absurdly hilarious – Strangers With Candy delivers.

How “out there” can you get? It seems like writers and actors Amy Sedaris, Paul Dinello and Stephen Colbert (yes, that Stephen Colbert) were trying to explore this question while creating Strangers With Candy. Just take the basic plot: 46-year-old Jerri decides to return to high school after decades of living on the street, prostitution and drug abuse. So she continues exactly where she left off when running away 30 years earlier: As a freshman at Flatpoint High, a life full of annoying teachers, arguments with parents and other challenges.

Every episode, Jerri has to deal with an “issue” – a stab at after school specials, the programs that neatly resolve every problem in just under an hour, while teaching young people something essential about life. And so Jerri lives through everything your average teenager does – she joins a cult, battles drugs and an eating disorder, finds out what she wants to do with her life, falls in and out of love and learns how to deal with retarded people. Hilariously, she comes to a not-so-inspiring conclusion at the end of each episode, for example, that you sometimes have to give up your dream (quote, “If you're gonna reach for a star, reach for the lowest one you can.”), or that people simply like you more if you look better.

Just as absurdly comical as the outline is, as politically incorrect are the jokes. Try this on for size: “I cried when I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet – then I laughed really hard.” Sedaris, Dinello and Colbert succeeded in creating a hysterical show that will have you in fits of laughter if you have a weird sense of humor or in fits of rage if you’re too sensitive. One way or the other – Strangers With Candy will not leave you unaffected.

Now, you can relive all the love, tears, and lessons for life with the complete three seasons of the show in a trapper keeper-like box set.

thecelebritycafe.com: TV Review - Wonder Showzen

Original Article

Bizarro-Sesame Street offends and/or makes you literally roll on the floor laughing.

MTV2’s “Wonder Showzen” is Sesame Street for adults – for adults with a sense of humor as black as tar. It has all the ingredients – puppets, cute, innocent children, lessons for life. But you definitely shouldn’t let your children watch it. In fact, every episode starts off with the following warning: “Wonder Showzen contains offensive, despicable content that is too controversial and too awesome for actual children. The stark, ugly, profound truths Wonder Showzen exposes may be soul-crushing to the weak of spirit. If you allow a child to watch this show, you are a bad parent or guardian.”

That much is true: Because in the world of Wonder Showzen, the numbers and letters are star-crossed Israeli/Palestinian lovers and have on-screen sex. The cute children ask random people on Wall Street questions like, “Who did you exploit today?” and “Where will you hide when the revolution starts?” The inspirational songs have titles like “Thank you, slaves,” (see video below) and kids write letters saying, “Dear Jesus, when I’m done writing this letter, I’m gonna throw it in the garbage. Cause at least the garbage is real.”

If you are easily offended, Wonder Showzen is not for you. The show makes balancing on the verge of bad taste its credo. More than once, it crosses the line.

But it is much more than an assault on good taste. Wonder Showzen is the epitome of what MTV once was: Ground-breaking television that’s different from anything else. There is definitely nothing that compares to this show. It cleverly combines absurdity and randomness with social and political commentary. The juxtaposition of the format of a children’s program and kids as protagonists with total political incorrectness makes for great entertainment – again, as long as you don’t mind exploiting taboos for comical effect – to quote the Wonder Showzen puppets: “This is the Chernobyl of TV shows – only with less laughs.”


Watch “Thank you, slaves”:

thecelebritycafe.com: Movie Review - Revanche

The 2009 Oscar nominee from Austria is a quiet yet powerful film about culpability.

It all starts with a plan that’s supposedly foolproof: Small-time criminal Alex will rob a bank. Together with Ukrainian girlfriend Tamara who works as a prostitute, he wants to start a new life. They are planning to get out of lower-class Vienna, get away from Tamara’s pimp who tries to pressure her into becoming a private call girl, away from their debt and drug problems, away from their past.

The small bank near Alex’s grandfather’s farm seems to be a safe bet: It’s a rural, quiet area, few people, no police, no one will get hurt. But then, the plan goes awry, and nothing is as it was before…

Revanche is a quasi-film noir in the unlikely setting of Vienna and rural Lower Austria. The contrast, especially between peaceful, sunny landscapes and forests and the dark emotions that the movie evokes, is fascinating.

The movie centers around a single event, depicts its reasons and what leads up to it, as well as the sometimes unexpected impact it has on different people’s lives. It shows how a certain ripple effect is part of every day life and of seemingly mundane and random events. Every action affects a multitude of lives.

The central question of the film is culpability – who can we blame if our lives don’t go according to plan? Is there ever a single culprit or is it a multitude of circumstances that lead us into bliss or perdition?

Another issue is closely related to these questions: Is there even such a thing as revenge, when so many different things led to a certain event? When even your own actions contributed to what happened?

Revanche was nominated for an Oscar as Best Foreign Film in 2009, and deservedly so. The depicted emotions seem so raw and intense you just have to feel for the characters. And while it might be considered an arthouse film, the ever-rising tension of the story will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Revanche opens May 1 in New York, Seattle, and Boston, and will make its way around the country through July, according to distributor Criterion. Watch out for it.

thecelebritycafe.com: Movie Review - Memento

Unusual thriller tells story backwards, with a twist at the “beginning“.

What would it be like to never know what you just did? This theoretical premise is Leonard’s life. He lost his short-time memory, and now struggles with finding his wife’s killer while coping with his disability. His life is a series of moments by themselves, since he doesn’t remember what brought him there or what just happened.

In a desperate attempt to make sense of the world, Leonard organizes it by writing information on post-its, taking pictures of everyone he meets, and even tattooing the most important things (“Find him and kill him”, in respect to his wife’s killer) onto every part of his body, until he starts looking like a bizarre notepad.

Leonard is in a constant state of insecurity, disorientation and desperation. He never knows whom he can trust and who is taking advantage of him. In a genius twist, Director Christopher Nolan puts the audience in the same spot by putting the movie’s sequences in reverse order and telling the end of the story first. At the beginning of each scene, we are just as confused as the protagonist, since we don’t (yet) know what led up to it.

“Memento” certainly requires a lot of attention on the viewer’s part to be adequately enjoyed. It is a totally different viewing experience: You have to find a way to orient yourself in a disorienting world.

But once you know how to watch it, there’s nary a movie that is more fun to watch. The audience slowly discovers the whole story, complete with a shocking plot twist at the end, uh, beginning.

thecelebritycafe.com: TV Review - Everwood

“Everwood” provides laughter, tears, and Treat Williams with a beard.


Somewhere in the middle of the Colorado mountains: Welcome to Everwood, a small town complete with quirky inhabitants and easy-going lifestyle, where everyone knows everyone. But then, a new face appears in town: Dr. Andrew Brown (Treat Williams, with a beard!), a world-famous neurosurgeon and his children Ephram (Gregory Smith) and Delia (Vivien Cardone).

Andy is here to start a new life. After his wife died in a car accident he realized how little he knew his own children. Now, he wants to reconnect. There’s just one problem: His son hates him.

Ephram, meanwhile, has other problems: He falls in love with the most popular girl in school, Amy (Emily VanCamp), who, of course, has a boyfriend. And not only that, this boyfriend is in a coma. So when she hears about a surgeon coming to town, she has new hope.

The aforementioned quirky Everwoodians have various reactions to the new residents: There’s the town’s doctor (Tom Amandes) who isn’t happy about the new competition as Andy opens an office. There’s his estranged mother (Debra Mooney) who is married to the only black guy within a 30-mile radius. There’s Andy’s neighbour Nina (Stephanie Niznik) with whom he always finds a sympathetic ear.

“Everwood” was easily one of the best dramas on TV. Mostly because it had a lot of drama (Deaths! Comas! Unrequited love!) without ever being cheesy, and just enough comedic elements without being ridiculous.

Another strong suit of the show are its characters, whom you just can’t help but fall in love with as you get to know them along the way. A lot of that is due to great writing, but just as much credit goes to the actors who craft their characters with a certain fondness. Tom Amandes in particular succeeds in making the town doctor, who seems to be nothing but a funny sidekick at first, into a multi-layered, interesting person.

There’s one thing you can count on with “Everwood”: Almost every single episode will make you cry like a baby, or, at the very least, make your eyes water. It’s just that good.

thecelebritycafe.com: Movie Review - The Reader

Original Article

The movie version of Bernhard Schlink’s novel delivers: Kate Winslet naked, strong story-telling, fascinating take on German history.

Berlin, 1958. Michael is fifteen when he first meets Hanna, a woman more than twice his age. Nevertheless, they fall in lust, and gradually, into some sort of love. Their relationship includes an important element: Michael regularly reads to Hanna. Together they go through the world’s literature, from Schiller to Chekhov.

But then, the affair ends suddenly, abruptly, as Hanna disappears from her apartment. Michael is not going to see her again until ten years later, and it will be in a courtroom. She is accused of killing hundreds of people as a Nazi prison guard.

Director Stephen Daldry sensitively paints a picture of a young boy who doesn’t really know where he’s going, an unconventional relationship and the ramifications of learning something unbelievable about someone you once loved.

Kate Winslet gives the performance of a lifetime as a woman without remorse. And yet, she is not evil in the slightest. She just shut herself off from what happened, disconnecting herself from her past. “It doesn't matter what I think. It doesn't matter what I feel. The dead are still dead,“ she says.

In the courtroom, she seems lost, helpless, almost pathetic. “What would you have done?” she asks the judge, and it’s not a rhetorical question.

Meanwhile, Michael has to battle his own demons. He knows something, a piece of information that would exonerate his former lover, but can he bring himself to disclose it? Doesn’t she still deserve punishment? And who is he to decide? Those are questions that will haunt him for a long time.

Yes, „The Reader“ deals with the topic of the Holocaust, but it is not a Holocaust movie. It’s just as much a character study, the story of obsessive love, and a tale of coming to terms with the past, personally and collectively.

thecelebritycafe.com: Movie Review - The Baader Meinhof Complex

Original Article

A little-told piece of German history in a film that tries a little too hard to be a documentary.

Terrorism is not a new phenomenon. Germany, the 1970ies: The left-wing Red Army Faction (RAF) becomes the most feared group in the country by bombing government buildings, robbing banks and organizing kidnappings. They protest US Vietnam policy, the treatment of the so-called Third World, and capitalism. Andreas Baader, Ulrike Meinhof and Gudrun Ensslin are the group’s founders and leaders. They believe in their causes and are convinced that violence is necessary to fight the evils of the world. But then, things get out of control and people get hurt and killed. Can the spiral of violence be stopped?

2008's The Baader Meinhof Complex hasn’t found a US distributor yet, but it is up for a foreign language Oscar on Feb 22. The nomination is well-deserved, a win however wouldn’t be. The film does a good job at portraying a piece of German history that has been more or less neglected by the movie industry. It gives you an overlook of three generations of RAF terrorists and their fate. This is where the film’s first problem arises – it tries too hard to stuff in too many facts and events into 150 minutes, and that doesn’t quite work. Especially the last third feels more like a series of snapshots than like a movie. The second problem is related to that – the film tries so hard to document absolutely everything, it seems to forget it is supposed to be a drama.

The strongest suit of The Baader Meinhof Complex are definitely the actors (especially German stars Moritz Bleibtreu and Martina Gedeck), who make their terrorist characters so human and passionate you can’t help but root for them a little bit.

thecelebritycafe.com: Stage Review - Chicago the Musical live

After 13 years on Broadway, Chicago the Musical still delivers.


“...and all that Jazz”: Ever since the Oscar-winning movie starring Renee Zellweger, Catherine Zeta Jones and Richard Gere in 2002, Chicago the Musical has been a household name. And even after 13 straight years on Broadway (after having been revived in 1996), the live version doesn’t fail to entertain.

In the 1920s, the morals in Chicago are loose: Every week a new murder case rocks the headlines and another murderess becomes a heroine for 15 minutes. The latest one is Roxie Hart, a young unrepentant beauty who shot her boyfriend because he was about to leave her. She arrives in a women’s prison filled with sexy criminals and run by Matron Mama Morton with an iron fist. Most unhappy about Roxie’s arrival is inmate Velma Kelly because the new girl is stealing her place in the spotlight. And not only that – top lawyer Billy Flynn, a must-have to win your process, seems to focus his attention on the newbie.

The current production of Chicago certainly plays to its strengths – being a classical Broadway musical. There are no experiments – instead, there are colorful lights, sparkly costumes, and stirring tunes; also, some dark humor you cannot help but thoroughly enjoy.

One definite highlight is – just like in the movie – the “Cellblock Tango”, a confessional sextet by all the murderesses whose lyrics just make you smirk (“And then he ran into my knife – he ran into my knife ten times!”) and whose tune makes your feet tap along.

There are two performances that stand out: Melora Hardin (Roxie), famous for her portrayal of Jan Levenson on NBC’s The Office, mostly because it’s really cool to be close to a famous person in actuality. Also, she skillfully walks the fine line between making Roxie an annoying ingénue and a cold-blooded criminal, respectively. And then there’s Tom Hewitt, who brings just the right amount of slick and glib to the role of Billy Flynn. Plus, he has a way better voice than Richard Gere.

Chicago, which has been at the Ambassador Theatre since 2003, is a perfect evening of entertainment without any surprises. Solid Broadway gold.

thecelebritycafe: Movie Review - The Counterfeiters (Die Fälscher)

Original Article

Last year's foreign Oscar winner offers a different take on the Holocaust.

Sometimes, it feels like the film industry has already told every story about the atrocities of the Holocaust there is to tell. The only way to still pulling it off is finding a small story inside all of the big history and tell it – and that is exactly what the 2008 foreign-language Academy Award winner The Counterfeiters (Die Fälscher) does.

Salomon Sorowitsch (Karl Markovics) is a master counterfeiter – and he is living the sweetest life it can buy him. But then, he gets arrested, and ends up in the concentration camp Sachsenhausen. And the Nazis are not about to let his talent of forging currency and documents go to waste. They set up a workshop where they have Sorowitsch and others forge British money, among other things. In exchange, the counterfeiters get a little oasis in the middle of hell: More food, better beds, a life that actually deserves the name, compared to all the other prisoners.

This puts the group in a dilemma in two ways: They want to survive, they want to live, and they know they only will if they obey the Nazis' orders. But on the other hand, they are painfully aware they are financing the war on the Germans' side by providing them with valuable foreign currency. And then, there’s the guilt of hearing the screams from the other side of the camp while lying in their comfortable beds or having a cigarette.

The Counterfeiters was Austria’s first Oscar win for Best Foreign Language Movie, and deservedly so. It features a number of strong performances, especially by lead Karl Markovics, who is one of the country’s most promising acting talents. The visuals are far from glossy, and seem impressively rough and realistic.

The story suffers from a few lengthy sections and the rather unrealistic portrayal of Adolf Burger, a counterfeiter colleague of Sorowitsch's, from whose point of view the story is told. While all the other characters are realistically torn between doing the “right thing” (resisting the Nazis) and their will to survive, Burger seems to be some kind of angel who always argues for the morally sacrosanct choice, apparently without any fear of being killed for it. One can assume without too much speculation that he made himself look a bit better on purpose, since the movie is based on Burger's own memoirs – and no-one can really blame him for that.

thecelebritycafe.com: Movie Review - Frost/Nixon

Original Article

Frost/Nixon is a piece of history and a potential crowd-pleaser, all wrapped in one.

There he is, former President Richard Nixon (Frank Langella), at the end of his political life: It has been a few months since Watergate and his resignation and he has been reduced to being a guest speaker at low-profile conferences.

Cue David Frost (Michael Sheen): The British talk show host is known for interviewing the crème de la crème of Hollywood and pop music and hosting shows about escape artists. With virtually no credentials in political journalism, he still decides to take on what could be considered the most important interview of the time: Richard Nixon’s first big post-Watergate talk. And because money talks, and also because Frost seems to be a safe bet as a soft.hitting interviewer to Nixon’s team, he gets the job. And he ends up “giving Richard Nixon the trial he never had,” as Sam Rockwell’s character puts it.

“Trial” is definitely the operative word here. Frost/Nixon which re-tells the story of one of the most memorable interviews in American history plays like a cross between a boxing match and the best courtroom drama you have ever seen. It centers, of course, on the interviews themselves, but also allows a glance backstage: You get to see how both parties prepare for the interviews (which is actually a bit like preparing for a boxing match) and what strain they are under (Nixon wants to rehabilitate himself; Frost needs the interviews to be spectacular, mostly because he has problems selling them to TV stations).

Above all, Frost/Nixon has the feel of a highly enjoyable play, which after all is where it originated. Still, it transforms seamlessly to the screen, mostly because of the excellent performances by Langella and Sheen. Even though Langella has been accused of “overdoing” his Nixon, he succeeds in capturing the spirit of the 37th US president and has rightfully earned an Oscar nomination. The difficulty of accuracy vs. artistic interpretation of the material is the same here as with all biopics and “true stories”, or even more so, seeing as everyone can go back and look at the real Frost/Nixon interviews. But director Ron Howard and screenwriter Peter Morgan (The Queen) succeed in finding a balance between realism and Hollywood-esque appeal to audiences.

thecelebritycafe.com: Movie Review - The Deep End of the Ocean

Original Article

Tragic family story – including bad acting by children.


It’s every mother’s nightmare: When Beth Cappadora (Michelle Pfeiffer) turns her back for a second, her three-year-old son Ben is abducted from her high school reunion. The search doesn’t yield any results. And so, the family has to deal with this sudden loss: Beth develops a serious case of depression, her husband Pat (Treat Williams) tries to hide his grief and move forward, and their oldest son Vince (Jonathan Jackson) has to deal with both his guilt (he was supposed to be watching his brother) and the lack of attention from his parents.

Almost a decade later, the family moves to a new neighborhood. A boy comes by and asks if he can mow their lawn – and instantly, Beth recognizes her son Ben. Will the family be reunited after nine years? And is it even possible to make up for the lost time?

The Deep End of the Ocean has quite a few things going for it: A solid cast and, more importantly, an intriguing premise. What a pity that it doesn’t make more of it.

The most glaring problem is that the makers aren’t sure what kind of story they want to tell. Is this a movie about the loss of a son? Is it about a family’s reunion or about the problems afterwards? Or is it about the impossibility of changing the past?

Instead of choosing, the movie tries to tell a variety of different stories, and that doesn’t quite work out. In the end, the different parts seem too disjointed.

A second problem is the partially incomprehensible motivations of the characters. In one case in particular, this is due to a bad child actor. Ben’s (Ryan Merriman) displayed emotions don’t seem to fit his actions even once.

The Deep End of the Ocean could have been a pretty good Lifetime movie. Instead, it was turned into a below-average motion picture.

thecelebritycafe.com: Movie Review - Away From Her

Original Article

Touching, understated tale of a couple that has to deal with Alzheimer’s disease.

Grant and Fiona have been married for over four decades. They have a good life together, living in a small but comfortable house by a lake. Most importantly, the love each other. But then, they have to face the fact that Fiona is developing Alzheimer’s disease. They decide she should live in a home – for her own safety. Alzheimer’s is not like any other disease, though. Fiona starts to forget their history, and even Grant himself. “I think I may be beginning to disappear,” she says.

And suddenly, Grant is not only a stranger, but even an intruder in his own wife’s life. He has to decide if he will make the biggest sacrifice of all for the woman he loves.

Away from her is a small movie about big emotions. It’s about the struggle with Alzheimer’s, about losing oneself, and losing the person you love without being able to do anything about it. Director Sarah Polley foregoes any melodramatics, and yet, the despair and helplessness is tangible in every scene.

It touches on the theme that so much of a person’s character is made up of their memory. Fiona is not just losing her memory, she is actually losing herself. Her new world is confusing, and there are no signs that tell her what to do and where to go. She is desperately seeking something that makes sense, and finds it in an unexpected place.

At the same time, Grant is almost in a state of grief. He has lost the Fiona he has spent his life with. But at the same time, a different Fiona is still there. How is he supposed to deal with that? And there’s still that feeling that maybe Fiona is punishing him by forgetting – an emotion that alternates with nascent hope.

Both Gordon Pinsent and Oscar-nominated Julie Christie play their roles with understated perfection. Their story almost seems to be a reverse relationship. They start out as intimate as a couple can be and become strangers. They are far apart in the end – even though Grant once vowed he never wanted to be “away from her.”

thecelebritycafe.com: Review - Why Men Don't Listen and Women Can't Read Maps

Original Article

Men and women, explained.

Have you ever wondered why your boyfriend doesn’t talk about his feelings or can’t seem to find anything in the fridge? Have you asked yourself more than once why your wife never shuts up and just can’t find her way on a map? Are you puzzled why you and your partner apparently approach the simplest things in a totally different way?

Happily married couple Allan and Barbara Pease try to answer those and other questions in their self help-meets-science publication “Why Men Don't Listen and Women Can't Read Maps”. In the same vein as “Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus,” their basic assumption is that men and women are fundamentally different. They reportedly spent seven years collecting research, conducting interviews and developing their ideas. The concepts and arguments of “Why Men Don't Listen and Women Can't Read Maps” are based on recent findings in brain and social research.

The title already says it: The authors argue that typical “male” and “female” behaviors and skills are based on physiological differences and are therefore innate. This starts with spatial sense (men are better) and field of vision (men have tunnel vision) and ends at the basic way we hear what the other says (women see talking as a way of relating to others, while men think women are giving them a problem to solve).

The most obvious pitfall of writing a book like this is being conceived as sexist. The authors address this right at the beginning: They see science on their side. They also emphasize that they are always talking about the average man/woman and acknowledge that every individual is on a different point of a spectrum with the so-called male brain on one end, the female on the other.

“Why Men Don't Listen and Women Can't Read Maps” is the epitome of popular science. Whoever expects anything else obviously hasn’t really read the title of the book. Yes, it is based on scientific research, but the wording is extremely simplified and obviously aimed at everyman.

The book is total infotainment and shouldn’t be taken too seriously. But everyone who has ever had a fight with their significant other can’t help but smirk at some of the statements.

Starpulse: Actors & Actresses We Want To Return To TV

Original article: http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2008/10/31/actors_aamp_actresses_we_want_to_return_

While TV gives us one reality program after another, there are quite a few talented thespians that seem to be out of a job. Here's a list of TV actors we want to return to the small screen:

Starpulse: Spotlight on Movies From Austria

Original Article: http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2009/02/19/spotlight_on_movies_from_austria

Austria's most important export as far as movies go is Arnold Schwarzenegger. In that respect, the small country in the middle of Europe has given us Terminator, Eraser and Conan the Barbarian.

Starpulse: TV Nemeses That Have Incredible Sexual Chemistry

Original Article: http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2008/12/08/nemeses_that_have_incredible_sexual_chem

Love is never straightforward in TV land. There are always tons of obstacles, problems, and misunderstandings. Sometimes, the two leading characters are even arch enemies. Which definitely enhances sexual chemistry.