I'm Not Angry...Just Disappointed

[Great idea that completely went out the window.]

Eye-catching advertisements or buzz worthy word of mouth can build excitement for just about anything.

I've been known to become bewitched with anticipation (heart pounding, blood pumping) very easily, but especially after seeing a gorgeously made movie trailer or a commercial for a new delicious sounding Blizzard flavor at DQ. Once the fervor is there,  nobody could convince you that ____ (fill in the blank with something you are looking forward to) isn't going to be the greatest thing that ever happened to your eyes/mouth/brain.

Sometimes though, there is a downside to having extreme enthusiasm - not a whole lot will be able to match your high expectations. That snap back into reality is what we call the eventual let down.

That sounds semi-negative, but I've become an expert when it comes to disappointment from movies. Maybe I'm a sucker for movie trailers, because when they're made real well, I could get hooked into heading out to the theater anytime, anywhere. And we all know that a good trailer does not necessarily lead to a great flick. 

The best example of me being tricked by a trailer is a throwback to high school. My friends and I saw a trailer for a comedy that we deemed just about the funniest thing to hit the Earth. I will never forget the endless amount of time - for serious, it was months - we spent laughing and talking about how hilarious this movie looked.

When the film was finally released and we raced to the theater, in utter surprise to us, it turned out to be a major stinker (terrible pun once I reveal the movie).

Jack Black, Amy Poehler, Ben Stiller, a product called Vapoorize - what's not to love about that? This was the magic makings of a total bomb called Envy. Remember it? All I know is it almost became the first movie I walked out of and demanded a refund. But, like all good people flummoxed by how wrong they were about something, I sat and watched until the end hoping it would get better. It never did.   

I'm almost positive that Envy was actually called Vapoorize originally. Now, a title like that would obviously explain why my friends and I were expecting a ballsy work of dark comedy brilliance. Or we probably should have known it would be terrible...

I still haven't learned my lesson, since now-a-days, I still see all of the movies and never stop watching, no matter how bad the experience. On the other hand, I no longer  allow time to be spent reading a book I don't find interesting or keep watching a television series just hoping it will get better. It's never worth spending your time doing something you don't enjoy, even if it means admitting defeat about something you had been hoping would be truly genius.

Since I do tend to be over excitable, I am destined to be let down quite often. Just in the the last couple months, a small list of true disappointments have been stacking up.

Gotham

Gotham City, aka Batman's home, is a place that exudes darkness, where most of the residents are villains who are always causing trouble.

When I heard word that FOX was adapting a show that would use Gotham City as its backdrop and focus on Batman when he was a child, it sounded like an unstoppable idea. With the recent success of Christopher Nolan's take on the Dark Knight, it seemed like that was the direction the show wanted to take. Seedy, gloomy, edgy - based on the early trailers for the show, Gotham looked like one of the large television networks had finally figured out how to make a stylized drama like the one's the cable channels have been making for years.

Based on all that, the word "excited" was an understatement when it came to me awaiting the premiere of Gotham. I was pumped months before its debut. After sticking it out for about 10 episodes though, I had to let it go.

The visual look of the show, especially all of the details for creating Gotham City, is terrific. There is something really interesting about how the show is set in an unknown time period. Both old and new technology (some offices have type-writers, while others use fancy computers) are even thrown together, giving the show a mysterious touch.

Even the best sets and props that create a world really well can't help when the writing and execution of the stories are flat out terrible. The plot is continually jumping around. During the numerous episodes I watched, I was often frustrated at ridiculous sub-plots to the point that I would exclaim out loud, "No one cares about this!"

If it wasn't for Robin Lord Taylor (who plays the young Penguin), I would have bailed out of the show after episode three. He is very fun to watch, which is why I am a little sad for not sticking it out. No, they should just retool the whole show to be focused around him instead, then I'll be back.

Maybe it will turn around. Who knows. It is baffling to me that with such a perfect set up, the writers couldn't come up with consistently interesting stories, instead of the same old stuff we see in any other procedural cop show. Such a waste.

American Horror Story: Freak Show

Carnival tricks, a frightening clown murderer, a polished psychotic gentleman, 1950s costumes, and giant festive tents - American Horror Story: Freak Show had all the makings to be the best season yet!

For the first five episodes or so, it wasn't too far off to believe that the season would come out on top. Every viewer though can probably attest to the moment when the show started sliding downhill. It was when the series entirely lost its focus and had nowhere to go.  Just like Gotham, it all comes down to the writing.

Generally speaking for the show as a whole, American Horror Story always tends to ebb and flow with quality. I've talked about this many times in reference to Ryan Murphy, who has great ideas, but never knows how to execute that genius all the way through a project.

With such a high starting point full of truly chilling moments, I don't think anyone could have guessed that this season would somehow mirror the frantic, slapped together final seasons of Lost. In that case, and with Freak Show, it felt like the writers never had any idea where the story should end up. Nothing felt resolved, since numerous plot lines were completely thrown out the window. Mass deaths happened in the final episodes and it felt like it was because the writers simply couldn't be bothered to come up with something better.

When the last moment of the series came to a close, and it cut to black, I was flabbergasted that any show runner could have been satisfied. There were some very well done moments and great characters (Dandy, played by Leo lookalike Finn Wittrock, was a crazed revelation), but once again, strong promise doesn't mean anything without follow through. Writing and story progression is everything, otherwise it is an insult to anyone who is watching and trying to piece it all together.

If you can't tell, I was actually mad about this, mostly because I defended this season for so long, continually telling people, "Don't worry, each season always blows your mind in the end!"  Frankly, the show did not show me the same respect.

Can Lady Gaga and a kind of mundane sounding "Hotel" top the endless possibilities for stories that could have come with a set like a Freak Show? We'll just have to see.

Snowpiercer

You're telling me that there is a movie set entirely on a futuristic train that never stops traveling around the Earth and it is filled with passengers who became the only survivors once the outside world froze and that over the years these people eventually developed their own class structure, specifically based on where you were in the train when the apocalypse happened? Holy crap! Sign me up! This sounds like the most incredible movie of recent memory!

The extreme buzz for Snowpiercer was endless in the later point of 2014, which lead to my joyous feelings expressed above. Every magazine I read raved and each website and positive tweet further supported the movie's magnificence. How could all of this stellar talk not lead to excellence?

There are people out there that will find me insane, but I'm going to be honest and say it anyway - I detested this movie. Hated. Loathed.

What is it with things that crumble under the pressure of an incredible original premise? A train that replicates our own shameful social structure and the earth's actual rotation (it takes the train 365 days to make one trip around the world), I mean, what an amazing concept!

Yet the idea is wasted, especially once the story focuses entirely on very extended  fight sequences instead of letting the audience learn more about the people on the train. I have no problem with well filmed action packed moments. Of course there had to be some killing sprees, since the overall story is about the poor, suffering people in the back of the train, attempting to rebel against the rich people and make it through the hundreds of fancy cars to the front of the train. (When I type that sentence, the movie still sounds great.)

Although, we can't care about hero man Chris Evans and his other rebels stomping on the man (and Tilda Swinton's magnificent set of teeth) if we don't know much about their characters. Because of this lack of character development, there are no stakes and  I spent the whole time not really caring what happened to anyone, which seems to negate the whole point of the movie. At least I think we're supposed to care about the serf like society taking down the evil royals...

Really the most interesting moments are when these rebels must pass through the hundreds of other train cars. Each one has different themes that support other aspects of life - one is a classroom, another has a sushi chef, and there is even one that is just a party room filled with people doing drugs. To me, these train cars filled with different people is where the story should be focused, but instead they quickly move along (the train is very long afterall). These people just seem magnificent and fascinating and we only get to see them for short snip-its.

Ultimately, I wanted to know much more about this world and the people forced to live within it. How could I be anything but disappointed when that didn't happen?

This movie is bizarre and at times fascinating, but always frustrating. With so much talk I expected this whole idea to be rolled out with perfection and instead found a violent high brow action movie that lacked important story-telling elements. Really, it was upsetting - I very much wanted to love this flick.


Snowpiercer became another fail in my eyes, but it's all subjective. Some people might not care as much about story progression (or wonder how it is possible that those children become train parts??) and just want to see people seeking revenge in ill-planned train wars. And that's just fine. For those people, expectations were met and everything is feeling great.

For me, Gotham, Freak Show, and Snowpiercer were total let downs. I still feel a little betrayed.


Did anything not match your high expectations recently?


Until next time!

Movies Take On The Media

Inciting Ebola mania.

"If it bleeds, it leads."

Death and destruction will always be the story given the most attention on the news.

We are all guilty of being fascinated in looking when life hits terrible turns. It's the car crash you can't help but rubberneck on the highway. TV has made it that much easier to indulge in such practices. Yet, the over the top nature in which it is covered can be upsetting most of the time.

Just sitting down tonight, in one hour spanning both local and national perspectives, various stories that fit that frame were, as expected, set up on the center stage. There was a follow-up to  last week's gun shooting at a Marysville, Wash. high school, a story about torrential storms causing panic for unsuspecting citizens all over the east coast, and continuing coverage on the Virgin America crash. 

Even through all the criticism, I still live for the news. It is frustratingly flawed in some ways (like, endlessly covering Ebola in the US when we should focus on how to help the problem in Africa), but I remain optimistic that there is enough quality reporting still happening that would outweigh the negatives.

Since I'm actively critical and a heavy consumer of media, it was hard to ignore that our common place world of visual storytelling is clearly ridiculed in some very popular entertainment items from this week. Two top movies at the box office are largely, if not completely, focused on our obsession with watching horrible crimes and the sketchy nature of the media.

No spoilers here about Gone Girl. I was one of those folks who had wanted to read the book for the last year and then, at least, before the movie came out. Well, that never happened. I don't know the ending yet, but after starting the novel less than two weeks ago, I'm now getting into the last one hundred pages.

What I can confidently say without ruining anything, is that a huge focus of the story is being critical of how crime stories unfold on the television. There is even a character that is straight up an homage to Nancy Grace, since no story of this nature could be complete without a passionate lady like her.

As if we are all detectives and life is a game of Clue, viewers of shows like the one Ms. Grace hosts, pick apart evidence that is seen on their screen and half expect to solve the mysteries themselves. Many even take sides and make judgements without even really knowing the "true story".

I say that in quotes, because, what really is the truth? Does anyone else wonder if we ever know for sure? That's just me being a crazy conspiracy theorist.

Being told from two different perspectives, Gone Girl wonderfully plays with the truth, bouncing the readers (or, I imagine now, the viewers) to continually change their perspectives on who can be trustworthy. Just like the audience enjoying the tale, when presented with new information, the national media covering the Amy Dunne case is seen to change their minds very quickly. Those news producers are simply going with what details  they have to continue the story. They may turn the hero into the villain and vice-versa multiple times over, but we hope that they are always reporting the most honest and accurate information.



 
"Hoping" seems all well and good until a "wowza" movie like Nightcrawler is released. It is such a fantastic flick that it will stick in your mind and, at the same time, make you question everything you see on television.

Lou Bloom, a crazed trickster/perpetual thief (played to creepy perfection by Jake Gyllenhaal) has his keen eyes set on finding an actual career. While curiously checking out a car accident, Bloom observes a news film crew recording the entire scene and instantly decides that is the job for him. With obsessive detail, Bloom begins figuring out how to film car accidents and other crimes during the late nights/early mornings in L.A. This type of footage, the bloodier, the better, reels in viewers and is in high demand at every news station in the area, which quickly turns Bloom into a money making machine. The real seedy side of journalism.

He's new to the trade, yet quickly develops his skills at a frighteningly top notch level. Bloom turns in such impressive work that it gets to the point where one station manager is willing to do just about anything to get some of his b-roll footage. When all that power isn't enough, nothing and no one around him is safe from his manipulation. Even what he films and the lengths he will go to in order to get some great footage.

Slick as I'll get out, yet unprofessional as hell. Simple cuts, edits, or a different angle and perspective can completely change any story. Altering the truth can be so simple.

Could a person like Bloom actually exist? Sure. Plenty of journalists have been caught writing misleading news. Two excellent stories like Gone Girl and Nightcrawler weren't written to make us all depressed about how easily people can be untrustworthy, but instead both tales force us all to think a little more before taking everything we watch at face value. Maybe we should even do a little more of our own research before making a single judgement.

Or maybe we should stop caring so much about seeing bloody car crashes or wondering if a guy killed his wife or who the shooter was in a local tragedy. If we all still tune in for that type of news, the networks will continue to focus on it the most.

Until next time.

Week Of What!?

(Sign me up for this 13-hour recreation. Masterful poster created by Feministing.)

Connecting to the events occurring in the world around us has become as easy to do as breathing.

Like a pulsing heartbeat, endless apps, websites, and the mega-tron of social media are updated constantly - if there is something happening in the world, odds are you can find an informative (maybe not always informative...) article or post.

The citizens of this information driven society absorbs it all up on a daily basis, but how do we begin to compartmentalize it all? Is it possible to take it all in?

Being a person that faced with this dilemma often gets overwhelmed  (I want to read and know everything that is happening), I have to take a step back from it all and try not to become crazed. Otherwise, like earlier this week, I turn into Jesse Spano.

As a compromise with myself, I simply seek out a couple "important" tid-bits that make me feel connected to the events of the day, as well as discovering some news story or trivia facts that made me excited, most often making me burst out a loud "what!" from the other side of a screen, newspaper, or magazine.

This has been a huge news week, filled with culture defining changes. It's hard  to think of anything else after the Supreme Court decision last Wednesday, but here are just a couple other items that have been blowing my mind recently:

What? That's A Cover!.

Building up to the excitement of her new release, and getting tickets to her gig in September, I have been in a very Neko Case-y mood.

This merged with my affinity for doo-wop/rock girl groups of the 50's and 60's earlier this week, when I was presented with the reality behind a favorite song from Case. Well, what I always believed to be one of her songs.

Once again Pandora brought something new to my attention when it started playing a familiar tune, "Train From Kansas City", but with slower beat and sung by a chorus of girls. Now I know I actually owe credit to those ladies behind "The Leader Of The Pack", The Shangri-La's, for creating one of my favorites.

To me it's interesting to discover which songs are actually covers, some more surprising than others ("Respect", for example). Even with this factoid and actually enjoying the original, I still hope to hear Neko bust out her more pumped up version live someday.

That show Medium was real?

No, Patricia Arquette doesn't work for the police, but apparently cops actually use psychic tips as a basis for tracking killers.

I didn't hear about this story when it actually happened in 2011, but recently a follow-up article over at Gawker caught my eye.

The local police department storming onto a couple's property looking for a mass grave, and claiming they are murderers all because of a psychic vision sounds like, 1. a terrible novel, and 2. is definite cause for a lawsuit.

What's baffling is the entity being sent the $6.8 million bill.

According to the Gawker article, a suit against the police department, fell through. The psychic didn't exactly force the property invasion, just made a suggestion, but that doesn't seem to be an important factor.

Several news outlets also rushed to conclusions and covered the story, before any real information was released, and though a suit was also dropped against CNN and The New York Times, they are owed a public shaming.

All blame is resting on the psychic, who is set to pay the wad of dough to the couple that has had their name wrongfully tarnished. The law suit is more than justified, but really, the police department is not facing the most blame? Our justice system at work.

No! Not T-Bone

Nashville, may have had the most ridiculous, yet highly enjoyable season finale of the last five years, but there was one thing that kept us coming back even with the sometimes terrible, over the top storytelling - the music.

We can all cry black mascara tears, as it was released that T. Bone Burnett, the mastermind behind the music on this show and many movies (including Walk The Line, and the upcoming Coen Brothers', Inside Llewyn Davis), will not be coming back for Season Two. 

Will we get anymore catchy, often beautiful tunes, or will the show completely crumble? Covers have already been thrown in a few times, so now will it merge with Glee and just be covers all the time?

As this show is set in a thriving music city, and not run by Ryan Murphy, a new music producer may be able to throw together more soulful, folksy, countrified covers a lot better than auto-tuned pop mash-ups.

Filibusterin' Like A (Wo)Man

Back in high school when I was learning about the government and certain rules set up for the Senate and the House, the idea of a filibuster actually made me annoyed. Why should anyone be able to distract from a vote, especially when important bills are trying to get passed?

Like usual, I was only looking at it like the Pollyanna type I am, still naive with a gleam in my eyes as if the people in government were always trying to pass laws that are positive for all people.

Turns out  filibusters can be inspiring, and as most everyone knows, we saw that happen this week.

Wendy Davis literally stood up against, what most would say, our culture's most controversial issue - and she did so with passion. After 13 hours, she was being applauded from coast to coast and had a pair of internet famous tennis shoes.

Not everyone agrees with her stance on the issue, but we should all be able to acknowledge that having the guts to push against a majority is highly admirable.


The week has just begun and so much has already been boggling my mind. Paula Deen? Plus you heard Michelle Obama joined Instagram, right?

Until next time!

Musings On Movie Plots

In a year when Netflix has faced one low blow after another, it seems unreasonable to kick the company while it's already down-though, here it comes.

It may not be as serious as cost hikes and tales of breaking the company into two separate entities, and yet, a ridiculous foul play repeatedly made by the company must finally be called out.

Something, that while hilarious, can't be taken anymore: Netflix has a major problem with blundering the plots of movies.

Envelopes are the safe haven for our beloved DVD's as they travel through the tumultuous mail, and inside of each distinctive red envelope is a sleeve, where cascading along the front is typed print resembling words "about" the film you are about to receive; however, read at your own risk.

From ruining the end of movies (The Last Picture Show), to lying about cast members (for all of those who were wondering: Nia Vardalos does not "co-star" in Larry Crowne), to referencing events that never actually take place in the film, one may wonder; what kind of person is writing these?

Are they drunk? Has anyone actually seen the movies in which they are writing about?

In my imagination, there is a place called the "plot description writers department" where folks sit around daily (possibly waving cigarettes and drink tumblers) jotting down their thoughts on movies.

They chuckle to themselves (often), as they try to recall the events of films that they saw thirty years ago, put it down on paper, and then turn to writing terrible interpretations of new releases. It's all a very free form space, where editing or fact checking is for losers.

It's one thing to have the guts to attempt to sum up The Tree Of Life in a paragraph, but a "1950s adventure about a confused man named Jack"?

Probably one of the most difficult movies to try and describe to someone or simply encapsulate the plot, but, really, that's the best you could do? Their description could mislead many a film viewer, no wonder some have demanded their money back.

All of this came to a dramatic halt this weekend as the worst foul-up of them all landed in my mailbox in the form of a blast from the past; the 1964 Hailey Mills classic, The Moonspinners.

I'll let the Netflix approved blurb speak for itself (bold denotes that which is especially questionable):

-  When Nikki Ferris and her aunt planned a trip to a small Greek island, they never expected to suddenly find themselves accused of being international jewel thieves. Now, they must uncover the identity of the real crook. If they don't, they face spending several years in a Greek prison. A reluctant innkeeper, a handsome Englishman, a missing boy and a mysterious yacht all play a part in this Disney mystery-romance based on a Mary Stewart novel.  -

What an exciting sounding movie! Too bad, none of this actually happens.

There is definitely stolen jewels and crooks involved, and the film does take place on a small Greek island, however, Hailey Mills is never accused of being a thief nor is there EVER fear of her ending up in a Grecian prison- that's just made up. Mills does get locked in a windmill, but there is no mention of that exciting tidbit.

Mostly these gaffs give me a thrill, eagerly wondering about how Netflix will mess up next. As silly as it may be, there ultimately is no excuse for these descriptions to be so EPICALLY wrong. Netflix is in the movie business after all. This is what they should do best.

If you need someone to accurately write about movies, give me a call, I'm always available.

What's your favorite Netflix blunder? This should be a new party game.

Night Of Neglect Indeed

Glee just isn't what it used to be. Don't get me wrong, the show still has a place in my heart, but progressively through the season it has been losing that little something that made it special.

In the past, every weekly installment would leave a glow around viewers-people would be buzzing about the drama or emotional revelation's characters were dealing with, or even be discussing the creative and "can't believe they went there" moments; honestly, I can't remember the last time I felt this way after watching an episode of Glee.

The stories are no longer compelling, leaving the talented cast with not a lot to work with. Even the music selections have been terrible. Is it because they are running out of musicians who will cooperate with the show?

Things were looking up after the last new episode several weeks ago, which found New Directions at regionals performing original music. Songs like "Loser Like Me" transformed the show into the original vibe that we all fell in love with when it began; talented kids who don't get appreciated, get bullied, and the audience really relates.

Last nights, hugely anticipated new episode (the first in a month), once again faltered. Gwenyth was back, again. While I have nothing against Ms. Paltrow, whenever she is on the show, her presence overpowers all the younger actors. There are already too many kids on the show, but they bring in huge stars instead of drumming up stories for the characters we already love and don't see nearly enough? Huge mistake.



[Adele, you show 'em how it's really done.]

When Paltrow's appearances first began, earlier in the season, it was really great; she rocked her version of "Forget You", so much that I almost like the song edited more than the original, and the countrified version of "Landslide" was lovely. However, after last night, it's just enough already.

While Paltrow excelled in covering pop tunes, powerful ballads may not be her strong suit. How did they even release that version of "Turning Tables" out of a recording studio? (If you missed it, check it out!) It made sense for Paltrow's storyline last night, but they should have saved that brilliant song for later in the show, and let someone like Santana tackle the sucker. Seriously.

Also, who else loved Paltrow's close to home, zinger of a monologue, about haters? Apparently I learned nothing. Another fine point; even though I love Emma and Will, why did we get no proper farewell to Stamos? We hardly knew ye.

Glee, come back to us! Fans still know that those creative, brilliant, eye-brow raising stories are still in you! We'll be waiting.

P.S. I Loathe You

Nothing says Happy Valentines Day than a rant about, who I can proclaim is, the WORST movie character in film history.

Lovey-dovey movies have been all over the airwaves leading up to today. Of course, at one point this weekend, I had to find myself lazily in front of the TV, with nothing on except, wait for it, P.S. I Love You.

Notably regraded as a terrible movie, even garnering one whole star from whoever rates movies for Comcast, there is actually a lot to like. It's hilarious, because typical romance movies never get any love from me, but then I end up actually enjoying the ones that no one likes. What is that about?

First of all, it has a baller soundtrack (The Pogues, Camera Obscura, and an actual great song by Flogging Molly), secondly, a big section of the movie takes place in beautiful Ireland, and then there is Jeffery Dean Morgan and Kathy Bates (holler).

Although, there is something that takes any good and pushes it out the window. One character, all by himself, not only ruins every scene he walks into, but is so GOD awful you find yourself just wanting to punch him in the face. Never before have I felt so passionately against a movie character and it's all thanks to Daniel, played by Mr. Harry Connick Jr.

(This awkward scene is only the tip of the iceberg)

From the overly sarcastic comments at a funeral (where this exchange happens; Daniel: "So what did your husband die from?" Holly: "A brain tumor." Daniel: Nice!"), to everything that comes out of his mouth as he tries to woo Hilary Swank; nothing about that character makes sense. I get that he's supposed to be that awkward blunt guy, but really, it's not funny, and one thing I know for sure about myself is that I have a good sense of humor. Case in point; he's a jackass.

Not only the parts I love keep me tuning in, but I continue to watch this movie, because sometimes I can't believe that the character is included or was even written. Often, its very easy to just imagine that Connick is not even in the movie, and it would completely work if all his scenes were cut out, which is never a good sign. There could even be a twist where he's a ghost or a figment of Swank's imagination; anything else, even something truly absurd, would be better!

Harry Connick Jr., I got nothing against you, it's not your fault that something so terrible was written. Although, there would be a lot more to enjoy about this movie if you were not in it.

So, watch this or not, but everyone should probably witness this mess for themselves. Happy Valentines Day everybody!

Logically Why You Should Already Love Friday Night Lights

Anyone who has been around me knows that when I begin to love something, it's full force. Lately, I have also jumped onto the critical bandwagon for the show Friday Night Lights.

One of my favorite periodicals, Entertainment Weekly, has been trying to drill this show into my brain for years now. I apologize to you, the always wise EW, I didn't want to listen, but neither did a lot of other people in this country.

Once again the beauty of Netflix Instant Streaming brought me together with the lives of the people in Dillon, Texas several weeks ago. I'm on to Season 2 and officially hooked.

New episodes (the show is in it's 4th season) are airing currently in, what I think, an ill fated time slot on Friday night. I am at this moment furiously dodging articles revealing plot surprises.

Here is a comprehensive list (because I could go on all night about it) as to why you should start watching this little show that keeps on truckin':