10.31.2008
Has Pushing Daisies Been Canceled??
The current rumor being spread is that Daisies producers were told by ABC to treat episode 13 (which begins filming Monday) as a series finale, which some fans have interpreted as definitive news that the network decided to cancel the series.
Not true, say my sources. Producers have not yet been told whether they will receive a pickup for the remaining nine episodes of the current second season, and that is still a possibility.
However, it is true that producers were asked to change the plan for the 13th episode, which initially was a two-parter, with payoff in the 14th episode. ABC told producers to make number 13 a stand-alone episode and to "cover all bases," meaning that the episode should be able to serve as either a series finale or a launch pad into the final nine episodes of season two.
We can't let this show be canceled! Please! Pushing Daisies is unlike anything you've ever seen on TV and it is beautiful and funny and delightful and sad and sweet and did I mention it was funny?
Click here to find out what you can do to help save the Daisies.
Please.
At least he went with a smile on his face.
Happy Huluween!!
Hulu has put together a guide filled with Halloween/horror related movies, TV shows and clips for your viewing pleasure. I am way late in telling you guys about this, and I hope the link is good beyond today.
Some examples:
The Thing (I haven't seen this yet)
Night of the Living Dead
Halloween with The Addams Family
Buffy's (excellent) Season 2 Halloween episode
And the list goes on.
So if, like me, you're sitting at home on a Halloween Friday night and not at some awesome costume party drinking too much, doing some anonymous flirting and wishing you didn't choose a costume that required a wig because your head's really itchy, and you can't take off the wig because now you have wicked wig-head and all that anonymous flirting will be for naught once the wig comes off and the cute guy in the Jedi costume will say he needs to go check on his friend and you'll never see him again...I'm sorry, what was I saying? Oh, yeah - if you're going to be staying in tonight, watching Hulu's Halloween picks might be a fun way to pass the time.
10.30.2008
Movies That Scare Me
Those movies are, in no particular order:
Candyman (1992)
28 Days Later (2002)
Alien (1979)
The Exorcist * (1973)
Carrie (1976)
Halloween (1978)
The Omen (1976)
The Sentinel (1977)
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre * (1974)
When A Stranger Calls (1979)
The Shining (1980)
Rosemary's Baby (1968)
The Ring (2002)
Poltergeist (1982)
Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)
Shaun of the Dead (2004) **
* To be honest, I've never been able to watch either of these movies in their entirety. Too scary!!
** OK, so it's not as scary as some, but it's good!
If you're into classic horror, then check out TCM. They've programmed "48 Hours of Horror", airing classic horror films all day today and tomorrow. Also, AMC has been airing their "Fearfest '08" all week, and they have some of the more modern horror classics.
Do you have any favorite scary movies?
10.29.2008
For Nyac, the cutest hand-holding otter, ever.
*SNIFF* I need something to cheer me up.
That's better. Thanks for the smiles, Nyac.
New trailer for Season 7 of '24'!
"So help me God I will kill you and this time you will STAY DEAD!" Yeah!
TV Talk: Pushing Pushing Daisies
So, I'm going to ask all of you people not interested in watching a half hour of Obama - whether you're voting for him or not - to PLEASE watch Pushing Daisies instead. ABC hasn't picked up the remainder episodes for this season yet, and if there was ever a show that needed a ratings spike it's this show at this time.
It's an incredible show and you will NOT regret it! Here's a little taste of what you're missing:
I want my MTV!
I thought I'd take us back to that time when MTV was actually MTV by dipping into the archives for some old favorites. I loved, loved, LOVED David Bowie when I was in college, so let's start with him.
Here is Bowie's cover of Wild is the Wind, one of my favorite songs of his:
Next, probably one of his most beloved songs. And am I wrong, or isn't he totally high in this?
Finally, it's Bowie and Mick Jagger being really silly and somewhat gay with their cover of "Dancin' in the Streets":
Oh my God, I just remembered - I had a white coat just like that!
ETA: You can go straight to the video site at MTVMusic.com
My pumpkin.
This was the pumpkin I carved at this year's party. It's supposed to be Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King from Nightmare Before Christmas, but I don't think I quite got the eyes right.
10.28.2008
Heroes: Episode 3.07
Sigh. I am actually beginning to ask myself if it's worth watching anymore. I don't hate the show. No, it's much worse than that - I'm not sure I care what happens anymore.
Robert Forster as Arthur Petrelli - aside from that corny "You're grounded" line - brings some much needed cool to the show, I will give them that. With Nathan and HRG relegated to sub-sub-plots, this show is super-low on cool, so that's a good thing. Unfortunately there aren't many good things left on this show.
Please tell me how in the WORLD Elle got through airport security without setting off every single scanner? She couldn't even keep it under control sitting in Claire's house, for crying out loud. Even if you overlook that little plot hole, who in their right mind would think that putting a human lightning bolt inside a giant, super-conductive metal can at 30,000 feet was a good idea??
And then there's Mohinder. Wasn't he an evil bug man last week? Now suddenly he did it all, including cocooning a couple of perfect strangers in his nesty lab, because he loves Maya? He barely knew her even a day before he injected himself - because he wanted powers, not because he was trying to find a cure for her - and only after that was he attracted to her. After his experience with The Company last season, why, why, WHY would he even consider working for Pinehearst? I think Mohinder was wrong about himself and he's had a power all this time - the power of Stupidity!
How about Maury Parkman, the man who abandoned his son, has shown absolutely no paternal concern nor any indication that he cares he has a son, who last night was suddenly willing to die to protect him and in fact did just that? Huh? Where did that come from? And I'm sorry, but I just do not buy Matt and Daphne. Nope.
10.27.2008
10.24.2008
A perfect storm of adorable animals and weird Swedish music.
I'm sitting here on the couch all by myself, laughing like an idiot.
10.23.2008
ZOMG! Everyone's got a gun!
Speaking of LOST, have you guys been playing along at DharmaWantsYou? I sort of lost track of what I was doing! I think I still have to take the final quiz. I'd better go do that soon.
And for those of you who are wondering, LOST doesn't come back until January 2009.
Drive Through Review
I have seen this movie at last!
10.22.2008
So you think your vote doesn't count?
Caught on Tape!
OK, how pathetic is that?? For all of you McCain supporters out there, it would be just as pathetic if it was someone stealing a McCain sign. And in the interest of equal time, if someone is caught on tape doing just that, I will make sure it gets posted here!
I love how she tries to be all nonchalant about it, tying her shoes and all. Like someone is going to stop their car and get out in order to tie their shoes. Someone should dub in some "don't mind me, just mindin' my own business" whistling - it would be perfect!
We interrupt our regularly scheduled program for this important political message.
While I've got your attention...I found this great site that has downloadable PDF Obama/Biden signs that are free. If you're an Obama supporter, this is a great way to spread the word. I downloaded a couple, brought them to a copy store and had a bunch printed up today. I can't wait to hang them up!
Heroes: Episode 3.06
So I watched this last night and wow, it was really good! They're still not the brightest bunch of super-powered people, but the storytelling has improved dramatically.
I thought the Russian Roulette scene with Claire and her two mothers was really well done. It had slipped my mind that Claire can heal until she told her mother to shoot her. Knowing that Claire can't die should have drained the scene of suspense or drama, but having her mother be the one to shoot her just amped it up.
I couldn't care less about Parkman, but the turtle is cute. And Daphne's character is developing nicely. A question occurs to me: If in the future that Parkman saw Molly was living with Parkman and Daphne, then where is she now? Wasn't she living with Mohinder and Parkman at the end of last season? Surely she's not still living with Mohinder??
Speaking of Mohinder, I finally realized what it is about him that really bugs: I can't stand his voice and fake accent. He's definitely more interesting as a villainous bug-man, but the voice...it's just so...milquetoast-y? Is that the word I'm looking for?
Tracy continues to outshine Nikki as a character. It doesn't take much to trick Mohinder, but it was still cool when she did.
I'm satisfied with the explanation for Ando's "death" and I'm happy that the situation hasn't made Ando angry towards Hiro. The Pre-Cog shovel antics were hilarious and I'm glad that someone finally told Hiro that he needs to slow down and actually think about what he's doing.
I was sort of disappointed that Adam was killed, but only because he's essentially Sark and who doesn't like Sark, right? But then I thought, this show has WAY too much going on and WAY too many characters, so the loss of one, even a likable one, is almost welcome.
It appears that Arthur Petrelli is the original "power absorber" and his sons Peter and Sylar inherited diluted versions of his ability. Arthur not only takes someone's power - he seems to take it completely away from a person (via touch), unlike Peter who is more of a mimic and "absorbs" someone's powers just by being near them. Sylar also "absorbs" powers, but by learning how a person's brain produces it; like with Peter, the person still has their power, but unfortunately, tin-canning someone's skull and poking around in their brain usually proves lethal.
Anyhoo, I say YAY to the power re-set for Peter! Way to dig yourself out of that hole, writers! But do you think Arthur also took the power Peter was born with? Is Peter a non-Hero now?
Lots of questions, but for the first time this season I am actually looking forward to next week.
10.21.2008
If the world could vote.
What I'd like to know: Why is McCain so popular in Macedonia and Burkina Faso? Ha!
Go to iftheworldcouldvote.com to cast your ballot.
Heroes
10.20.2008
How to wrangle a wild chipmunk.
Give her plenty of almonds, I guess! Yes, the action figure is really on the chipmunk's back. I love it!!
In fact, I love all of powerpig's chipmunk photos. Awesome.
Palin's SNL Report Card
I thought Governor Palin, while not the most engaging or funny guest, was at the very least a good sport for appearing on the show Saturday night. Personally, I think she was much funnier dancing along to Amy Poehler's Palin Rap than she was in the show's cold opening. Here, judge for yourself:
How you feel Eskimos? ICE COLD!
Sunday Drive
I took a little road trip yesterday up to Mohawk State Forest to take some pictures of the pretty fall foliage. The view from the summit was fantastic, but I guess my camera skillz ain't all that, and I just couldn't capture it very well.
Here are a few shot from the day that I thought did come out pretty well.
10.17.2008
Nobody's Fool
Please, check it out.
TV Talk
If you're interested in SOA and want to catch up, you can find the first 5 episodes at Hulu.
I'm still hanging in there with Fringe. It hasn't come together for me in the way that SOA has, but there are enough worthwhile moments in each episode and story elements in place to keep me coming back. John Noble as Walter Bishop continues to shine. Walter doing the sock-shock thing to Peter this week made me laugh out loud.
The first 5 episodes of Fringe are also up at Hulu.
I haven't watched Life On Mars yet, but I DVR'd both episodes and I hope to watch them this weekend. I'm also behind on Pushing Daisies, which I hope to remedy tonight.
10.16.2008
Poll
10.14.2008
Heroes: Episode 3.05
Maybe it's because I've accepted that the show isn't what it once was - and perhaps that it never really was what it once was - and my expectations for it are lower now, or maybe last night's episode was actually pretty good, or maybe it's because Peter was in a drug-induced coma; whatever the reason, I enjoyed it.
For me, the show is usually at its best when things get dark and creepy, and there was some seriously dark shit last night: Peter trying to kill his mother, the Vortex man killing himself (or making himself disappear), Mohinder's nest of victims, HRG's old ruthlessness, the Puppet Master's spaghetti-eating-forced-makeout scene, and Mrs. P's bloody vision of Nathan, Tracy and Peter's murders and her paralysis at the hands of Mr. P were all high points of the episode. I'm sick of hearing these people whine about their abilities and it's fun to see them actually use them, even if it's for nefarious purposes.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: When they give the heavy-lifting acting jobs to the better actors - e.g., HRG, Mrs. P, Nathan - the entertainment level rises to point where the writing inconsistencies don't matter a whit to me.
That's not to say I didn't have issues with certain aspects of the episode. Mohinder's story has now shifted from being what could be called a ripoff of The Fly to something resembling the movie Aliens. If some little monster Baby Mohinder pops out of the chests of Maya and the other cocooned people, I'm outta here!
Speaking of Mohinder, what is he supposed to be turning into? The soundtrack plays what I thought was rattlesnake-ish noises during his scenes, but he seems to be acting more like a bug or spider.
I'm not sure what to say about Hiro killing Ando. It pisses me off because it seems unnecessary and completely out of character. Hiro has pledged to not go back in time anymore because it causes so many problems, so how does he get out of this one?
10.13.2008
10.09.2008
Bye-bye, Opus. ACK!
TV Talk: New shows premiering, Old shows returning
10.08.2008
Heroes: Episode 3.04
Fun Fact: Upon witnessing the first test of a nuclear bomb(Trinity), Oppenheimer was reminded of a line from Hindu scripture: I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.
So, am I the only one not feeling the love anymore? I have not ranted here about all the ways that I think this show is losing it and just adding new heroes so we don't notice that they're doing the same freaking story arc every season, or about the stupidity of the characters -- wait, maybe I did talk about that a little - but all of that has certainly been on my mind. My point is I am not enjoying this show nearly as much as I used to. At all. I'm trying to keep an open mind, so I'm going to give this recap thing one more shot. If the show pisses me off again next week, I'm done. I'll still watch and will occasionally post about something I might find notable in an episode, or if the writers actually come up with something good, but these recaps are a lot of work and, well, the thrill is just about gone.
Simon Pegg:
I was just saying the other day that he would totally make my List (similar to the Freebie List, but without there being cheating of any kind because there isn't anyone for me to cheat on. It's more like a list of celebrities I would sleep with if I could. So, completely different than the Freebie List).
I'd say Geek *and* Great. Sometimes, funny is sexy.
Gordon Gekko Approves.
Robert Willumstad, former CEO of AIG, testifies before the U.S. House in Washington on Tuesday.
AIG sent its executives to the coastal St. Regis resort south of Los Angeles, California, even as the company tapped into an $85 billion loan from the government it needed to stave off bankruptcy.
The resort tab included $23,380 worth of spa treatments for AIG employees, according to invoices the resort turned over to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.
OUTRAGEOUS.
10.07.2008
Washington Square Triumphal Arch
I was so happy we got to go to Washington Square Park during this visit and I was looking forward to shooting the arch. Unfortunately, the area around the arch and the fountain was fenced off for construction and I could only shoot from this side. The sun was behind the arch and it was difficult to get anything but a dark silhouette, but I liked this one.
10.06.2008
Chibi
I'm back from my NY trip!
Accomplice: The Village was a good time, although not as good as Accomplice: NY, I think. The NY show felt more like a scavenger hunt/puzzle, and that made it more fun. The Village version was still enjoyable, though, and I would recommend both shows to anyone looking for a fun way to see the city.
We ate at some great restaurants, too (alas, not Chibi's):
Gatsby's on Friday night, where we had some yummy pub food and the Guinness was well-poured.
We ate breakfast at the Prince Street Cafe both mornings. We all loved the place.
And for dinner on Saturday night we went to Sakura Sushi & Thai, another restaurant I would recommend (if you like sushi and thai food). My steamed thai dumplings and New York roll (with tempura shrimp) were both delicious and the staff is very nice.
Needless to say, I spent a lot of money! But I also took a lot of pictures. Here are a couple more from the weekend. I'll have more in a few days...
10.01.2008
TV Talk: Reminder
The second season of Pushing Daisies begins tonight on ABC at 8:00!
I also wanted to mention that Fringe has gotten progressively better with each passing week. Last night's episode was their best so far. The tone and story were both consistent and the characters were well-written. John Noble as Walter is still the breakout star, but Olivia is becoming more likable and like a real person and they're all becoming characters you can begin to care about. And I loved the creepy Observer guy! I think I saw him in the train station last week's episode. If you haven't seen the show yet but want to see what I'm going on about, you can find the first three episodes at Hulu.