Greetings,
Sometimes when I make these Top Ten lists, they are easy. Other times, they are harder. Or much harder. Or, as in this case, much, MUCH harder. That's one of the only problems with a really good TV show. It's difficult to pick favorite episodes, because there are a ton of great ones. But I did my best and managed to come up with my top ten episodes of Family Ties.
I doubt that there is anyone who hasn't heard of Family Ties. It was one of the most successful shows of the 80's, and, unless my memory is messing with me, it made up my Thursday nights along with The Cosby Show. I just loved, and still love, watching the goings on of the Keaton family, what with the hippie, Liberal parents, Steven and Elyse, always at odds with their Conservative, Republican son, Alex P. Keaton, who never revealed for what the "P" stood. And let us not forget Mallory, the oft thought dumb but just differently gifted older daughter, and the little sister, Jennifer, who was an enjoyably feisty and precocious youngster. Then, there was Andy, the "Hey, the kids are getting older and the ratings might drop so let's get a baby in here" baby, who got hit with a dose of child character Miracle-Gro in the fifth season and magically became four years old. I just hope they remembered to return the bottle to the set of the soap opera from which they borrowed it.
Of course, outside the family we had some recurring characters. First, there was Erwin "Skippy" Handleman, the Keaton's next door neighbor. His niche was that he was in unrequited love with Mallory, and that he was a nerd, who was also kind of dumb. Okay, that's just not fair. Either make him smart and nerdy or dumb and hot, so he can be ahead of the game on something. And speaking of dumb and hot, let's talk about Mallory's longtime boyfriend, Nick Moore. I kid. He wasn't really dumb. Uneducated, maybe, but not every smart person has pieces of paper to prove it. No, Nick was much like Mallory in the way that he was not traditionally intelligent, but he did have talent, as an artist, who made sculptures . . . out of trash. Look, it was the 80's. Give the guy a break. Plus, as time went on, everyone realized that Nick was actually a very good guy.
Alright, enough with the character studies, let's get to the list. Here are my top ten favorite episodes of Family Ties.
#10. "Citizen Keaton" (Season 6) - When it came to politics on the show, those discussions tended to be saved for Alex and his parents, because there is nothing so entertaining as Republicans and Democrats fighting. This is why I am a Libertarian, so I can sit back and enjoy. But, in this episode, Mallory gets in on the action by running for school president of her college. Despite Alex's feelings about the low quality of her school, which, by the way, gave us some good jokes over the years, he decides to get involved with her campaign. By that, I mean, he made her make some insane promises which could not be kept, but, hey, it's politics. Although, I'm sure that when Skippy asked her to bring back the low-fat chocolate milk with twisty straws, that one may have been fulfilled. I'd say the best part of this episode was the heart to heart conversation between the two siblings who didn't always get along so well. It was a nice way to end.
#9. "Best Man" (Season 3) - So, Alex had this best friend named, Doug, played fantastically by one Mr. Timothy Busfield, who has always proved that, not only do gingers have souls, they can also be the epitome of awesomeness. He made an appearance in the first day of college for Alex episode and again here. In this one, Alex is very upset because Doug has a new girlfriend (the most adorable little thing I've ever seen, by the way), who is taking up all of his time. Things go from bad to worse when the young couple decides to marry. So, will Alex swallow his pride and attend the wedding of his best friend? It's a sitcom. What do you think? Oh, and, hey, what's up, Tate Donovan and Billy Campbell at the poker game! You gotta start somewhere.
#8. "Don't Go Changin'" (Season 4) - One of the best things about the fourth season is that it contained the relationship between Alex and Ellen, who was played by Fox's real-life lady, Tracy Pollan. These two characters were pretty different. Alex was all into politics and economics and money, and Ellen was more into the arts, like poetry and classic films and, in this episode, dance. So, in order to seem more in tune with her passions, Alex decides to join Ellen's ballet class. Need I say more.
#7. "Give Your Uncle Arthur a Kiss" (Season 1) - The 1980's was really the era of the "very special episode", wherein a normally comedic show would take a turn and speak on something a little more serious, like drugs or abuse or whatever. This is one of those. Here, the Keatons are being visited by an old family friend who the kids refer to as Uncle Arthur. Well, as it turns out, he's kind of a perv, and he gets a little inappropriate with Mallory. Of course, he blames it on his divorce and getting older. Please! Whilst I would rather have the funny, I understand that these things need to be addressed, and they did it in a very good and relatable way. I know I may sound sappy here, but this shows that, despite all their differences and conflicts,the members of this family know how to stand by one another.
#6. "Alex Doesn't Live Here Anymore" (Season 7) - So here we have the finale. It takes a lot for me to put any show's final episode on a top ten list, because, to be honest, a lot of them aren't very good. I think some shows just don't know how to properly wrap things up. Well, Family Ties did it very well. In this one, we have Alex preparing to move to New York where he will begin fulfilling his lifelong dream of being rich. I'm certainly not judging him since this is exactly want I want for my own life. Everyone starts saying their goodbyes, which leads to some heartwarming yet funny moments, but it is his mother, Elyse, who is having a very difficult time with his leaving. That is kind of the core plot of the episode, and I must say, the scenes near the end between her and Alex are some of the best I've ever seen on this show. And, yes, this one did make me cry.
#5. "Mr. Wrong" (Season 4) - And so we have the first appearance of who would become Mallory's boyfriend for the next four years, Nick. Though her parents were far from conservative, they certainly did not want Mallory to be dating this guy. I mean, seriously, he had - GASP! - an earring!!! I'm not kidding. That was actually a major factor as to why they didn't like him. Now I don't know if they originally intended for Nick to be a short-lived character on the show, but the audience really liked him, which led him to sticking around to the very end. Boy, am I glad he did!
#4. "The Harder They Fall" (Season 2) - I certainly love it when people who are so staunch in their beliefs completely abandon them for their own personal gain. Such was the case here with the pacifistic Steven and Elyse Keaton. It's Parent/Teacher Night at school and Elyse must go and see Alex's teacher, Mr. Tedesco. Turns out, he's kind of a rude, loudmouth jerk, so naturally, Elyse does what anyone who preaches non-violence would do. She punches him. Like for real. This upsets Alex because he is relying on this teacher for a college recommendation. So, Steven goes to see Mr. Tedesco to smooth things over. It's going well until he starts to insult Elyse, and then Steven also punches him. That kind of upsets Alex, too, so they invite Mr. Tedesco over for dinner, and, oh, the shenanigans. I will say this, though. The actor who played the teacher was a guy named Edward Edwards, and he has since done a lot of acting jobs here and there, but I do not know how he is not a mega star. He was amazing in this episode. I truly have never seen anyone take a fake punch as realistically as this guy. Good job, my friend.
#3. "Mrs. Wrong" (Season 5) - Yes, this does tie in to the episode at number five. As it was mentioned, the Keaton parents are not crazy about Mallory's choice of boyfriend, and in this episode, Mallory is not crazy about her living arrangements. So, because she is 18 and totally an adult, she decides to get engaged to Nick. No one seems to approve of this, so they make an attempt at eloping. Of course. Things go as you might expect throughout this episode, but there is such an overwhelming amount of funny here, I absolutely had to put this on the list. Oh, and awesome performances of those spirituals, Michael Gross. You are a treasure.
#2. "Say Uncle" (Season 2) - Hey, Tom Hanks, welcome back to the show. That's right, the Tom Hanks made some appearances on Family Ties, fresh off of his days on Bosom Buddies. This marks his second one as Elyse's little brother, Uncle Ned. The first time he showed up, he was on the run because he had stolen a ton of money from the company for which he worked. Apparently, Ned was a very intelligent and successful guy who was doing very well at this company, but when he found out there was going to be a merger that would put hundreds of people out of work, he stole the money so that wouldn't happen. Oh, so he's a good criminal. Gotcha! Anyway, he had to go to jail, but after his release, he returns to the Keaton house, hoping for help with a fresh start. Unfortunately, he had also discovered the booze. Yes, this episode is really about Uncle Ned being an alcoholic. Of course, we do get some funny here, but it's a lot about the dramatic. Now, some may say it was overly dramatic, but I think it was just the right amount. And, honestly, though it took Hollywood a lot longer to give Tom Hanks respect as dramatic actor, anyone else could see the spark of that in this episode. Good times, sir.
#1. "Birthday Boy" (Season 2) - Happy birthday, Alex! You're 18, and, much like what your little sister would come to believe, that means you can do whatever you want, right? Not according to your mother, especially if "whatever you want" includes going to a bar in West Virginia. Even though, at this point in time, one could go to a bar and drink at 18. Actually, if my research is correct, this episode aired literally like 6 months before the drinking age became 21. I don't want to say this episode affected that, but if I want to blame anyone for my not being able to get legally drunk on high school graduation night, I will probably blame Family Ties. I kid, and I digress. Naturally, because he is, in fact, 18 and allowed to do whatever he wants, Alex defies his mother and goes anyway. At this point, I must discuss the guest cast. So, Alex goes down there with his friends, Neil and Doug, and they meet up with these three girls, Roxanne, Christy and Buffy (for real), who are so dumb that they buy the idea that these guys are Air Force pilots. But they are hilariously dumb. I mean, Christy's reaction to hearing that Alex will be invading the enemy territory of Canada is priceless. Now his friend Neil is played by John Putch, who made an appearance on my blog in my review of Jaws 3-D. This is an upgrade for him. And then there's Doug played by the one and only Crispin Glover. Oh, he was good here. Very good. Hey, wait a minute. John Putch was in Jaws 3-D with Lea Thompson who was in Back to the Future with both Crispin Glover and, of course, Michael J. Fox. A-ha! It's all connected and now I'm dizzy. Anyway, Alex's mother finds out what he does and drives all the way to West Virginia to maybe embarrass him. I don't know. Now despite the inevitable fight, this episode does end on a tender note between mother and son, because, ultimately, the show is about family. Families do fight, but they do love each other. Good episode and my favorite.
Wow, this list was hard. You know, they don't make good family shows like this anymore. Oh, sure, they make ones that they try to pass off as such, but they really are not. I guess this is why I and many others treasure shows like Family Ties. It's a great thing that they can, in a way, last forever. So, major respect to all involved in the creation of this fine series, and thanks for bringing some much needed joy to my childhood.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Breaking the Perfect 10 by Tracy Lindsey Melchior - Book Review
Greetings,
How is this possible? How is it that I have been doing this blog for nearly three years and I am only now doing my first book review? Well, I suppose I could use the excuse that, since I spend so much time writing my own books, I have little time to concern myself with the books of others. I do read, though, and when I come across a good book, I like to tell people about it. So my apologies for dragging my heels on this subject. But now that I have decided to finally review a book, I knew I had to pick one that I think is very, very good. And I have. Today, I will be discussing Breaking the Perfect 10 by Tracy Lindsey Melchior.
For those of you who don't know, Tracy Lindsey Melchior is an actress who has gained most of her success on soap operas. I know, I know. A lot of people criticize the acting on soaps, sometimes justifiably so, but remember, some actors and actresses, who eventually became quite acclaimed, had their starts there. And also Josh Duhamel. Well, relax. Tracy is one of the good ones. She was on One Life to Live, the unfortunately short-lived Sunset Beach and, most recently, The Bold and the Beautiful. Now, admittedly, One Life to Live was not a soap that I ever watched, but I did see her on Sunset Beach, and I've made it abundantly clear how much I love my B&B.
Now I don't usually gravitate toward books written by people in the entertainment industry for many reasons. I mean, I have read some of those, and I am rarely, rarely impressed. Whether it's the subject matter or the writing itself, I just don't have any need for most of those books. However, I was aware of some of Tracy's story and background, so I knew that, if anything, what she would write here would be very uplifting. And it was, about a hundredfold.
Breaking the Perfect 10 is Tracy's account of her tumultuous but, ultimately, blessed life. She tells us of her childhood, coming from a broken home and dealing with a load of abandonment issues. All of that leads to her teen years and early adulthood as she struggles to find worth within herself, while suffering through troubled relationships and still coming to terms with the wounds suffered during her youth and from her family. Mixed in with those stories are the ones of Tracy's quest to become an actress and all the problems and pitfalls that went along with it. And while she lived through all of this, she also, admittedly and, hence the title of the book, broke every single one of the ten commandments. Yes, even the sixth one, although,(spoiler alert!) certain people who tend to be in a certain political party would say that she did not. To them I say, if this brave woman has courage enough to speak up on the matter, knowing that she has been forgiven, then others could have the courtesy to shut up on the matter. Yes, I am passionate about the subject. Sorry. Anyway, even through all of these ups and downs, or perhaps, because of them, she did find success. Actually, she found success in every aspect of her life.
Now let me say, before continuing, that Tracy did have some help from a woman named Susan Wales with the writing of this book. Hey, we all need help sometimes. Still, what I love about it is that you can truly feel how much that this really is Tracy's story. It is her words, it is her thoughts, it is every feeling that she shared with the readers. You never once feel as though someone else wrote it for her. It just feels so genuine.
Okay, I know what some people reading this blog post may be thinking. That this book is just another story of a woman with a boo-hoo childhood who managed to get some fame. I can tell you with certainty that it is not that. Sure, a lot of people have similar problems in their lives, but everyone has their own saga. Everyone's trials come together in their own unique way to create the tapestry of a person's life. And Tracy certainly has a special story, one that needs to be heard and known, one from which everybody can learn.
I suppose the one thing that would set this book apart from most others written by people in the entertainment industry is that Tracy credits her survival, happiness and peace in life to her Christian faith. She knows that it was God and His love and grace that protected her even before she acknowledged His being there, and it was God that brought her every blessing, including her husband and, of course, her children. So I guess my saying that would be the start of a disclaimer, and here it is. If you have a problem accepting that it is the power of Almighty God that can truly rescue someone from despair and destruction to give them a new life, then this is the type of book that you would most likely avoid at all costs. However, if you are the kind of person I described in that previous sentence, then this is the type of book that you should definitely read. As for myself, I can honestly say that Breaking the Perfect 10 is one of the most inspirational and edifying things I have ever read. This book will, no doubt, become one of my "go to" things when I need to be pulled from the troubles of my own life so that I can be reminded that there is always a way to the light.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
How is this possible? How is it that I have been doing this blog for nearly three years and I am only now doing my first book review? Well, I suppose I could use the excuse that, since I spend so much time writing my own books, I have little time to concern myself with the books of others. I do read, though, and when I come across a good book, I like to tell people about it. So my apologies for dragging my heels on this subject. But now that I have decided to finally review a book, I knew I had to pick one that I think is very, very good. And I have. Today, I will be discussing Breaking the Perfect 10 by Tracy Lindsey Melchior.
For those of you who don't know, Tracy Lindsey Melchior is an actress who has gained most of her success on soap operas. I know, I know. A lot of people criticize the acting on soaps, sometimes justifiably so, but remember, some actors and actresses, who eventually became quite acclaimed, had their starts there. And also Josh Duhamel. Well, relax. Tracy is one of the good ones. She was on One Life to Live, the unfortunately short-lived Sunset Beach and, most recently, The Bold and the Beautiful. Now, admittedly, One Life to Live was not a soap that I ever watched, but I did see her on Sunset Beach, and I've made it abundantly clear how much I love my B&B.
Now I don't usually gravitate toward books written by people in the entertainment industry for many reasons. I mean, I have read some of those, and I am rarely, rarely impressed. Whether it's the subject matter or the writing itself, I just don't have any need for most of those books. However, I was aware of some of Tracy's story and background, so I knew that, if anything, what she would write here would be very uplifting. And it was, about a hundredfold.
Breaking the Perfect 10 is Tracy's account of her tumultuous but, ultimately, blessed life. She tells us of her childhood, coming from a broken home and dealing with a load of abandonment issues. All of that leads to her teen years and early adulthood as she struggles to find worth within herself, while suffering through troubled relationships and still coming to terms with the wounds suffered during her youth and from her family. Mixed in with those stories are the ones of Tracy's quest to become an actress and all the problems and pitfalls that went along with it. And while she lived through all of this, she also, admittedly and, hence the title of the book, broke every single one of the ten commandments. Yes, even the sixth one, although,(spoiler alert!) certain people who tend to be in a certain political party would say that she did not. To them I say, if this brave woman has courage enough to speak up on the matter, knowing that she has been forgiven, then others could have the courtesy to shut up on the matter. Yes, I am passionate about the subject. Sorry. Anyway, even through all of these ups and downs, or perhaps, because of them, she did find success. Actually, she found success in every aspect of her life.
Now let me say, before continuing, that Tracy did have some help from a woman named Susan Wales with the writing of this book. Hey, we all need help sometimes. Still, what I love about it is that you can truly feel how much that this really is Tracy's story. It is her words, it is her thoughts, it is every feeling that she shared with the readers. You never once feel as though someone else wrote it for her. It just feels so genuine.
Okay, I know what some people reading this blog post may be thinking. That this book is just another story of a woman with a boo-hoo childhood who managed to get some fame. I can tell you with certainty that it is not that. Sure, a lot of people have similar problems in their lives, but everyone has their own saga. Everyone's trials come together in their own unique way to create the tapestry of a person's life. And Tracy certainly has a special story, one that needs to be heard and known, one from which everybody can learn.
I suppose the one thing that would set this book apart from most others written by people in the entertainment industry is that Tracy credits her survival, happiness and peace in life to her Christian faith. She knows that it was God and His love and grace that protected her even before she acknowledged His being there, and it was God that brought her every blessing, including her husband and, of course, her children. So I guess my saying that would be the start of a disclaimer, and here it is. If you have a problem accepting that it is the power of Almighty God that can truly rescue someone from despair and destruction to give them a new life, then this is the type of book that you would most likely avoid at all costs. However, if you are the kind of person I described in that previous sentence, then this is the type of book that you should definitely read. As for myself, I can honestly say that Breaking the Perfect 10 is one of the most inspirational and edifying things I have ever read. This book will, no doubt, become one of my "go to" things when I need to be pulled from the troubles of my own life so that I can be reminded that there is always a way to the light.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
The Thing Called Love - Music Movie Review
Greetings,
This may just be in my imagination, but it seems that many of the final movies actors make right before they die are not always considered that great. Perhaps, even their worst. That's kind of sad, because no one wants to leave a legacy like that. Case in point, in some people's opinions, would be the last movie that River Phoenix shot, The Thing Called Love. I think there are a lot of folks that believe this movie wasn't so great, while others really enjoyed it. I happen to fall into the latter category, but I may be bias since I tend to gravitate toward films about writers, in general, and songwriters, specifically. And this movie has songwriting as one of its central themes. Of course, other stuff creeps in, as always, so let's get to the whole thing.
The Thing Called Love is a small film directed by Peter Bogdanovich and starring Samantha Mathis, River Phoenix, as I mentioned, Sandra Bullock, in one of her earliest roles and Dermot Mulroney. The story is all about a girl named Miranda Presley (Mathis) who tends to remind people that she is "no relation", as in no relation to Elvis, and she is arriving in Nashville from New York City in hopes of becoming a country singer/songwriter. She is derailed on the way to her first stop in the city when she meets James Wright (Phoenix) who also happens to be a singer/songwriter. Yeah, look, it's Nashville. EVERYONE is a singer/songwriter. Anyway, James offers to take Miranda to where she needs to go. Where she needs to go is the Bluebird Cafe, which is a real place in Nashville. It's actually quite famous, being where a lot of artists got discovered. In case you don't know. In this movie, the cafe is run by Lucy, played by country singer K.T. Oslin, who was perfectly cast in this role. I really don't know why she didn't pursue acting any further than this and a few other small TV roles, because she is very good at it. Anyway, Lucy is kind of like Simon Cowell, but with mothering qualities. She will certainly tell these aspiring artists if they're not good enough, but she will also tell them if she sees potential in them and what they can do to improve themselves. So, when Miranda shows up late with James, Lucy tells her that she'd be happy to hear her song...next week at the next audition.
So, Miranda is stuck in a sad hotel for a week, but she makes the most of it. She spends the time having lone, all night, coffee-fueled, writing sessions in a diner and also going to several music companies trying to get her music heard, and all of this is covered in a musical montage. Best to do it that way, in this case. But, alas, she finally makes it back to the Bluebird, on time, so she can audition for the showcase. While there, Miranda sees James again, who, as it turns out, is actually a very talented and somewhat successful, songwriter already. She meets Kyle Davidson (Mulroney), who performs a song that isn't exactly good, that is, until it gets into the right hands. Also, she meets Linda Lue Linden (Bullock), both a wannabe beauty queen and a wannabe country star, who also sings a little song she wrote which is hilariously bad. Actually, I think this is where we see how Sandra Bullock will become quite good at being funny and lovable at the same time. Anyway, Miranda also sings, and she sings a song called "Big Bar Hair". No, really. Needless to say, only James makes it to the showcase.
As time passes, Miranda continues to work on her songwriting, gets a job at the cafe as a waitress and develops relationships with Linda, Kyle and especially James. Yes, that last one was a bit obvious. I mean, she had to hook up with someone, right? Well, her relationship with James does move at a rapid pace and goes further than the audience may have anticipated, and it has plenty of ups and downs. No kidding. It is this relationship on which most of the film focuses, but the other characters develop quite nicely as well. Linda grows a bit and begins to learn to stop trying to be something she's not, and she also meets a guy named Billy, who is played by Anthony Clark, in a pretty funny role. And then there's Kyle, who manages to overcome his insecurities enough to get himself some success as well, but his quest for the love of a specific woman may be even harder to achieve. And that causes a few conflicts.
But, as I said, this movie is, at its core, about Miranda and her growth as both a woman and a songwriter. She learns from Lucy that she really needs to dig deep into what she feels and who she is in order to write a song that is, not only good, but meaningful. It takes this entire experience to get her to that point, and that is why a lot of writers learn to be grateful for all the things through which they have to go. This film manages to explore that in a very accurate way. Actually, what I like most about the story is that it is almost done in reverse of what a lot of other films do. Normally, you'd have a young woman leaving a small town and heading off to the big city, often New York, to become a star. Not to say that Nashville is a small town, but, compared to NYC, what place isn't thought of as that. Still, you wouldn't think that Miranda, coming from New York, would be intimidated by anything. She is, though, because her character is written so well and portrayed so brilliantly by Samantha Mathis. She conveys the way that Miranda does have some toughness to her, but she also has a lot of vulnerability. It makes for a great character and, in turn, a great film.
Now let me take a moment and speak on the music. The soundtrack here is pretty interesting. It has a lot of known country songs to serve as the soundtrack, but, of course, it has some songs that are there to be the ones the characters have written. Those songs were, in some cases, even written by the actors themselves. And they even mix this up a bit by having James perform the Patty Loveless song "Blame It On Your Heart" as one of the songs he penned himself. By the way, the performance of that song by River Phoenix and Samantha Mathis is really great. So, put all that together, and you end up with a good soundtrack that fits this movie and its premise quite well.
Needless to say, I am recommending The Thing Called Love, especially to songwriters or lovers of country music or both. As I said, some people aren't crazy about this one, but I think it's plenty good. And I did like that River Phoenix got to show off his real life talent as a singer/songwriter before he left us. Although, that does, in a way, make his death even sadder, since it makes us remember that he had more to give than we ever knew. I think this film is a fitting tribute to his work, as well as a wonderful addition to the resumes of everyone involved.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
This may just be in my imagination, but it seems that many of the final movies actors make right before they die are not always considered that great. Perhaps, even their worst. That's kind of sad, because no one wants to leave a legacy like that. Case in point, in some people's opinions, would be the last movie that River Phoenix shot, The Thing Called Love. I think there are a lot of folks that believe this movie wasn't so great, while others really enjoyed it. I happen to fall into the latter category, but I may be bias since I tend to gravitate toward films about writers, in general, and songwriters, specifically. And this movie has songwriting as one of its central themes. Of course, other stuff creeps in, as always, so let's get to the whole thing.
The Thing Called Love is a small film directed by Peter Bogdanovich and starring Samantha Mathis, River Phoenix, as I mentioned, Sandra Bullock, in one of her earliest roles and Dermot Mulroney. The story is all about a girl named Miranda Presley (Mathis) who tends to remind people that she is "no relation", as in no relation to Elvis, and she is arriving in Nashville from New York City in hopes of becoming a country singer/songwriter. She is derailed on the way to her first stop in the city when she meets James Wright (Phoenix) who also happens to be a singer/songwriter. Yeah, look, it's Nashville. EVERYONE is a singer/songwriter. Anyway, James offers to take Miranda to where she needs to go. Where she needs to go is the Bluebird Cafe, which is a real place in Nashville. It's actually quite famous, being where a lot of artists got discovered. In case you don't know. In this movie, the cafe is run by Lucy, played by country singer K.T. Oslin, who was perfectly cast in this role. I really don't know why she didn't pursue acting any further than this and a few other small TV roles, because she is very good at it. Anyway, Lucy is kind of like Simon Cowell, but with mothering qualities. She will certainly tell these aspiring artists if they're not good enough, but she will also tell them if she sees potential in them and what they can do to improve themselves. So, when Miranda shows up late with James, Lucy tells her that she'd be happy to hear her song...next week at the next audition.
So, Miranda is stuck in a sad hotel for a week, but she makes the most of it. She spends the time having lone, all night, coffee-fueled, writing sessions in a diner and also going to several music companies trying to get her music heard, and all of this is covered in a musical montage. Best to do it that way, in this case. But, alas, she finally makes it back to the Bluebird, on time, so she can audition for the showcase. While there, Miranda sees James again, who, as it turns out, is actually a very talented and somewhat successful, songwriter already. She meets Kyle Davidson (Mulroney), who performs a song that isn't exactly good, that is, until it gets into the right hands. Also, she meets Linda Lue Linden (Bullock), both a wannabe beauty queen and a wannabe country star, who also sings a little song she wrote which is hilariously bad. Actually, I think this is where we see how Sandra Bullock will become quite good at being funny and lovable at the same time. Anyway, Miranda also sings, and she sings a song called "Big Bar Hair". No, really. Needless to say, only James makes it to the showcase.
As time passes, Miranda continues to work on her songwriting, gets a job at the cafe as a waitress and develops relationships with Linda, Kyle and especially James. Yes, that last one was a bit obvious. I mean, she had to hook up with someone, right? Well, her relationship with James does move at a rapid pace and goes further than the audience may have anticipated, and it has plenty of ups and downs. No kidding. It is this relationship on which most of the film focuses, but the other characters develop quite nicely as well. Linda grows a bit and begins to learn to stop trying to be something she's not, and she also meets a guy named Billy, who is played by Anthony Clark, in a pretty funny role. And then there's Kyle, who manages to overcome his insecurities enough to get himself some success as well, but his quest for the love of a specific woman may be even harder to achieve. And that causes a few conflicts.
But, as I said, this movie is, at its core, about Miranda and her growth as both a woman and a songwriter. She learns from Lucy that she really needs to dig deep into what she feels and who she is in order to write a song that is, not only good, but meaningful. It takes this entire experience to get her to that point, and that is why a lot of writers learn to be grateful for all the things through which they have to go. This film manages to explore that in a very accurate way. Actually, what I like most about the story is that it is almost done in reverse of what a lot of other films do. Normally, you'd have a young woman leaving a small town and heading off to the big city, often New York, to become a star. Not to say that Nashville is a small town, but, compared to NYC, what place isn't thought of as that. Still, you wouldn't think that Miranda, coming from New York, would be intimidated by anything. She is, though, because her character is written so well and portrayed so brilliantly by Samantha Mathis. She conveys the way that Miranda does have some toughness to her, but she also has a lot of vulnerability. It makes for a great character and, in turn, a great film.
Now let me take a moment and speak on the music. The soundtrack here is pretty interesting. It has a lot of known country songs to serve as the soundtrack, but, of course, it has some songs that are there to be the ones the characters have written. Those songs were, in some cases, even written by the actors themselves. And they even mix this up a bit by having James perform the Patty Loveless song "Blame It On Your Heart" as one of the songs he penned himself. By the way, the performance of that song by River Phoenix and Samantha Mathis is really great. So, put all that together, and you end up with a good soundtrack that fits this movie and its premise quite well.
Needless to say, I am recommending The Thing Called Love, especially to songwriters or lovers of country music or both. As I said, some people aren't crazy about this one, but I think it's plenty good. And I did like that River Phoenix got to show off his real life talent as a singer/songwriter before he left us. Although, that does, in a way, make his death even sadder, since it makes us remember that he had more to give than we ever knew. I think this film is a fitting tribute to his work, as well as a wonderful addition to the resumes of everyone involved.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Saturday, February 9, 2013
My ID Addiction
Greetings,
Apparently, the best way to deal with an addiction is to, first, acknowledge it. So here goes. I am addicted to the Investigation Discovery Channel. I am. If you don't yet know about ID, as we call it, it is a fairly new channel, a spawn of the Discovery Channel, obviously, and it airs shows that deals with things like murder mysteries or legal mysteries or just mysteries in general. And those are the kind of shows I love. I love trying to figure out what is going on, who's the bad guy, whodunnit, even. As I've made it clear, I do love me some good crime drama shows, and seeing a crime drama that comes from reality is more poignant and, at times, even heart wrenching. Bottom line, these shows are just plain good. Let me tell you about a couple of them.
Okay, I must admit that some of the shows are a bit copies of some of the others, with only very small tweaks differing each one from the next. Still, I find a lot of them unique in their structure and theme. For example, we have a little show called Behind Mansion Walls, which is essentially a version of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous with some crime involved. It doesn't hurt in that venture that they hired a mini Robin Leach to host. In the same vein, there is The Will in which the wills of famous people and the conflicts that surround them are discussed. Then, we have Nightmare Next Door, a show to which I could have somewhat related at certain points in my life, and Scorned: Love Kills, a show to which I thankfully cannot relate. Also, they have a series entitled Stolen Voices, Buried Secrets, wherein the story is narrated by the dead victim. Okay, not the actual dead victim, but an actor narrating as though they are such. Yeah, I don't know about this one. I've watched it, and it certainly isn't bad, but it is a little creepy. I think even the people who make the show could understand why I and probably a few others may feel this way.
Now, in addition to these original series, we also get a taste of the past. This comes in the form of reruns of 48 Hours and Dateline episodes. What? No, 20/20? Well, forget you, ABC. Apparently, you're not good enough for this channel. Oh, wait. Reruns of 20/20 seemed to be owned by the WE Channel. My bad. I withdraw the objection. There is also a show called On the Case with Paula Zahn, which I THINK may be an original series, but, every time I watch it, I feel as though I've seen it before. Oh, well. Who cares? I like Paula Zahn, and I think the show is pretty good.
But, hands down, my favorite series on Investigation Discovery is Homicide Hunter. This show is all about the cases that were solved by one Lt. Joe Kenda, and he is fantastic. I love the way he seems so laid back as he tells his stories, but, at the same time, you can tell that he was passionate about his work. Anyway, the show is basically Lt. Kenda going through the events of one of his over 400 solved homicide cases, included in which are interviews with victims' friends and families and people who worked with him, as well as, of course, a dramatization of what was happening. On the surface, it may seem like just another show that you've seen before, but I think the fact that all these stories are coming from one person makes it more, well, personal. You see how much each case has affected him and what he learned from them. It's just a great show to watch. Oh, and the guy who portrays him in those dramatizations is kind of good looking. That certainly can't hurt.
And so there you have it, my admission of great love for the Investigation Discovery Channel. I suppose there are much worse things to which I could devote my time. I get entertained and somewhat informed. Yes, I feel as though I may be learning from what I watch here, and there is nothing wrong with that. Just so long as I am not learning too much from the criminals. That may cause some problems. Let us pray it does not happen.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Apparently, the best way to deal with an addiction is to, first, acknowledge it. So here goes. I am addicted to the Investigation Discovery Channel. I am. If you don't yet know about ID, as we call it, it is a fairly new channel, a spawn of the Discovery Channel, obviously, and it airs shows that deals with things like murder mysteries or legal mysteries or just mysteries in general. And those are the kind of shows I love. I love trying to figure out what is going on, who's the bad guy, whodunnit, even. As I've made it clear, I do love me some good crime drama shows, and seeing a crime drama that comes from reality is more poignant and, at times, even heart wrenching. Bottom line, these shows are just plain good. Let me tell you about a couple of them.
Okay, I must admit that some of the shows are a bit copies of some of the others, with only very small tweaks differing each one from the next. Still, I find a lot of them unique in their structure and theme. For example, we have a little show called Behind Mansion Walls, which is essentially a version of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous with some crime involved. It doesn't hurt in that venture that they hired a mini Robin Leach to host. In the same vein, there is The Will in which the wills of famous people and the conflicts that surround them are discussed. Then, we have Nightmare Next Door, a show to which I could have somewhat related at certain points in my life, and Scorned: Love Kills, a show to which I thankfully cannot relate. Also, they have a series entitled Stolen Voices, Buried Secrets, wherein the story is narrated by the dead victim. Okay, not the actual dead victim, but an actor narrating as though they are such. Yeah, I don't know about this one. I've watched it, and it certainly isn't bad, but it is a little creepy. I think even the people who make the show could understand why I and probably a few others may feel this way.
Now, in addition to these original series, we also get a taste of the past. This comes in the form of reruns of 48 Hours and Dateline episodes. What? No, 20/20? Well, forget you, ABC. Apparently, you're not good enough for this channel. Oh, wait. Reruns of 20/20 seemed to be owned by the WE Channel. My bad. I withdraw the objection. There is also a show called On the Case with Paula Zahn, which I THINK may be an original series, but, every time I watch it, I feel as though I've seen it before. Oh, well. Who cares? I like Paula Zahn, and I think the show is pretty good.
But, hands down, my favorite series on Investigation Discovery is Homicide Hunter. This show is all about the cases that were solved by one Lt. Joe Kenda, and he is fantastic. I love the way he seems so laid back as he tells his stories, but, at the same time, you can tell that he was passionate about his work. Anyway, the show is basically Lt. Kenda going through the events of one of his over 400 solved homicide cases, included in which are interviews with victims' friends and families and people who worked with him, as well as, of course, a dramatization of what was happening. On the surface, it may seem like just another show that you've seen before, but I think the fact that all these stories are coming from one person makes it more, well, personal. You see how much each case has affected him and what he learned from them. It's just a great show to watch. Oh, and the guy who portrays him in those dramatizations is kind of good looking. That certainly can't hurt.
And so there you have it, my admission of great love for the Investigation Discovery Channel. I suppose there are much worse things to which I could devote my time. I get entertained and somewhat informed. Yes, I feel as though I may be learning from what I watch here, and there is nothing wrong with that. Just so long as I am not learning too much from the criminals. That may cause some problems. Let us pray it does not happen.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Top Eleven Nostalgia Critic Reviews
Greetings,
Late last year, some of us who find entertainment in internet personalities suffered a great blow. The icon known as the Nostalgia Critic and his series came to an end. Teardrop. I was particularly sad, since I, in part, credit his creator Doug Walker, his site, That Guy With the Glasses, and the personalities therein for getting me fired up about my blog again. I very much enjoy a lot of the series on the site. They are quite entertaining, and my only real complaint is that they swear too much, for my own taste anyway. Yeah, that usually is my complaint for a lot of things, isn't it? Oh, well, they can do what they want. These are their shows after all, and all the other stuff they say is pretty darn funny. Yes, darn.
Anyway, once I heard of this departure, I immediately began working on a list of my favorite episodes by the Nostalgia Critic. I did finish it, and it has been residing in the notebook I use to work on these types of blog posts. I had been meaning to share it with you all for quite some time, but I never got around to it. I thought I should do it ASAP, since I recently got some good news. It appears the Nostalgia Critic is returning. Smiley face times ten. So I suppose we will have to refer to these as my favorites from the first wave.
Now the Nostalgia Critic mostly did movie reviews, as well as top eleven (yes, ELEVEN!) lists and tributes to certain people or TV shows. So I thought the best way for me to pay tribute would be to turn the tables a bit and do my own top eleven list of my favorite Nostalgia Critic movie reviews. Now I am only going to include his MOVIE reviews on this list, but that is not to say I wasn't incredibly entertained by his retrospective of nostalgic commercials or his trouncing of shows like Full House and Saved by the Bell. Yes, I can and have watched those episodes many times. But I needed some focus, and I decided to zero in on the movie reviews. I certainly hope he doesn't mind. And also, in honor of such, I am doing a Top Eleven. So here we go.
#11. Independence Day - There is something really special about a critic who isn't afraid to say that he hates a movie that everyone else seems to love. Such was the case with Independence Day. The Nostalgia Critic was not exactly crazy about this film, and, looking back now, that may be with good reason. I think the "new" wore off that movie fairly quickly. But he was very excited by the fact that "Boomer will live!"
#10. Doug's First Movie - As I mentioned, the Nostalgia Critic's real name is Doug, so when it came to the Doug cartoon, there would be no middle ground. It would either be loved or hated. And it was very much hated. Still, though it was painful for him, he managed to give us a great review of the feature film spawned from the show. What a brave man.
#9. Star Trek 5: The Final Frontier - So it seems there is a theory that the odd numbered Star Trek films are the not good ones. Whilst I do kind of enjoy the third, I'd otherwise have to agree with that. And so the Critic decided to focus on just those films, and the best review, in my opinion, was that of movie number five. Maybe it was the ridiculous "God" element or the disturbing Uhura dance. But really I think it was the "Row, Row Row Your Boat" singalong. What, Shatner? What!
#8. A Simple Wish - Yeah, everyone loves this review, and for one major reason - the fantastic appearance of Mara Wilson! You know Mara Wilson. She was IN A Simple Wish and Matilda and Mrs. Doubtfire. And she has grown up to be a severely awesome chick. Really, Hollywood? You give all your attention to people like Lindsay Lohan, a sub par actress at best, and totally forget about the talented former child stars like this young lady. Get your act together over there.
#7. The Cell - It's no secret that I have much love for Vincent D'Onofrio, so you'd think a bad review of one of his films would just anger me. Well, not so much in this case. When it comes to The Cell, I do think it has moments where the look of it is a bit interesting, but I can't really put it in the "so bad it's good" category. "So bad it's mesmerizing" maybe. And I am with the Nostalgia Critic when it comes to directors who put these bizarre images in their films for the sole purpose of wanting us to ask them what it means. No, I don't want to ask you what it means. I know what it means. And it's kind of lame.
#6. The Room - Now here's a movie that's so bad it's good. Or, at least, very entertaining. If you don't know about The Room, it is this very notorious bad movie that has developed quite a cult following. I think everyone who reviews bad movies has taken time out for this one, and the Nostalgia Critic is no different, even though this film is not within the time frame for things he counted as being nostalgic. But so many of his viewers asked for it, so he did it. Because he loves us. And it was hilarious.
#5. Casper - Hey, we get another special guest in this episode. Who? Well, it is Casper the Friendly Ghost himself, but he's kind of not so friendly here. It's okay, though, because it is that which makes this one beyond great. I do love this idea that they had and carried out very well, and it ended up being really funny. And this is probably the only time you will see a movie with Clint Eastwood being reviewed by the Critic. Yeah, Clint was in Casper. For only like two seconds, but it counts.
#4. Jaws: The Revenge - As someone who has also reviewed this film here on my blog, I do sympathize with the Nostalgia Critic on this. It's one thing to watch this devastating movie, but to have to sit there and dissect it and come up with things to say, I can confirm that it is painful. And I can be humble here and say that this review was better than mine. Of course, it was. And, in conclusion, may I remind everyone that sharks don't roar.
#3. Airborne - Never head of this movie? That's cool. I didn't think anyone, besides myself, had EVER heard of this. So imagine my surprise when it popped up on the Nostalgia Critic review list. Now if you read my little retrospective of a show called Swan's Crossing, you will know the reason why I actually saw this movie . . . IN THE THEATER! And seeing this review just reminded me that, yes, we are all young and foolish at some point. Not just me. I mean, Jack Black and Seth Green are in this thing. That's right, boys. Remember your roots and learn from them.
#2. Moulin Rouge - So I have always kind of dug Moulin Rouge. It is dizzying at times, but a lot of it I find entertaining, probably because I like artsy stuff. The Critic, on the other hand, hated this one. But whatever about the movie, this review episode is actually very well done. It's elaborate and entertaining and extremely impressive, really. It's clearly the one that had the most work put into it, and it pays off.
#1. Batman and Robin - Again, you all know I love Batman, and I am happy to rush to his defense. To a certain extent. That all most definitely stops with Batman and Robin. I cannot defend this film. No one can. But we can certainly mock it to its most deserved death. Now, though this movie is basically throwing us pitches we can hit where that is concerned, the Nostalgia Critic did a fantastic job of picking out the best worst moments of the film and amplifying them to a hilarious degree. And he is at his best when he takes one of those moments and turns it into one of the most beloved moments of his own legacy. That can be summed up by my simply uttering this phrase - "A BAT CREDIT CARD!?!?!??!" I don't think I have to say anything more here.
So, much thanks to the Nostalgia Critic and the man behind the man, Doug Walker, for all the great entertainment. And now that he is returning, I look forward to many more laughs. I know he won't disappoint.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Late last year, some of us who find entertainment in internet personalities suffered a great blow. The icon known as the Nostalgia Critic and his series came to an end. Teardrop. I was particularly sad, since I, in part, credit his creator Doug Walker, his site, That Guy With the Glasses, and the personalities therein for getting me fired up about my blog again. I very much enjoy a lot of the series on the site. They are quite entertaining, and my only real complaint is that they swear too much, for my own taste anyway. Yeah, that usually is my complaint for a lot of things, isn't it? Oh, well, they can do what they want. These are their shows after all, and all the other stuff they say is pretty darn funny. Yes, darn.
Anyway, once I heard of this departure, I immediately began working on a list of my favorite episodes by the Nostalgia Critic. I did finish it, and it has been residing in the notebook I use to work on these types of blog posts. I had been meaning to share it with you all for quite some time, but I never got around to it. I thought I should do it ASAP, since I recently got some good news. It appears the Nostalgia Critic is returning. Smiley face times ten. So I suppose we will have to refer to these as my favorites from the first wave.
Now the Nostalgia Critic mostly did movie reviews, as well as top eleven (yes, ELEVEN!) lists and tributes to certain people or TV shows. So I thought the best way for me to pay tribute would be to turn the tables a bit and do my own top eleven list of my favorite Nostalgia Critic movie reviews. Now I am only going to include his MOVIE reviews on this list, but that is not to say I wasn't incredibly entertained by his retrospective of nostalgic commercials or his trouncing of shows like Full House and Saved by the Bell. Yes, I can and have watched those episodes many times. But I needed some focus, and I decided to zero in on the movie reviews. I certainly hope he doesn't mind. And also, in honor of such, I am doing a Top Eleven. So here we go.
#11. Independence Day - There is something really special about a critic who isn't afraid to say that he hates a movie that everyone else seems to love. Such was the case with Independence Day. The Nostalgia Critic was not exactly crazy about this film, and, looking back now, that may be with good reason. I think the "new" wore off that movie fairly quickly. But he was very excited by the fact that "Boomer will live!"
#10. Doug's First Movie - As I mentioned, the Nostalgia Critic's real name is Doug, so when it came to the Doug cartoon, there would be no middle ground. It would either be loved or hated. And it was very much hated. Still, though it was painful for him, he managed to give us a great review of the feature film spawned from the show. What a brave man.
#9. Star Trek 5: The Final Frontier - So it seems there is a theory that the odd numbered Star Trek films are the not good ones. Whilst I do kind of enjoy the third, I'd otherwise have to agree with that. And so the Critic decided to focus on just those films, and the best review, in my opinion, was that of movie number five. Maybe it was the ridiculous "God" element or the disturbing Uhura dance. But really I think it was the "Row, Row Row Your Boat" singalong. What, Shatner? What!
#8. A Simple Wish - Yeah, everyone loves this review, and for one major reason - the fantastic appearance of Mara Wilson! You know Mara Wilson. She was IN A Simple Wish and Matilda and Mrs. Doubtfire. And she has grown up to be a severely awesome chick. Really, Hollywood? You give all your attention to people like Lindsay Lohan, a sub par actress at best, and totally forget about the talented former child stars like this young lady. Get your act together over there.
#7. The Cell - It's no secret that I have much love for Vincent D'Onofrio, so you'd think a bad review of one of his films would just anger me. Well, not so much in this case. When it comes to The Cell, I do think it has moments where the look of it is a bit interesting, but I can't really put it in the "so bad it's good" category. "So bad it's mesmerizing" maybe. And I am with the Nostalgia Critic when it comes to directors who put these bizarre images in their films for the sole purpose of wanting us to ask them what it means. No, I don't want to ask you what it means. I know what it means. And it's kind of lame.
#6. The Room - Now here's a movie that's so bad it's good. Or, at least, very entertaining. If you don't know about The Room, it is this very notorious bad movie that has developed quite a cult following. I think everyone who reviews bad movies has taken time out for this one, and the Nostalgia Critic is no different, even though this film is not within the time frame for things he counted as being nostalgic. But so many of his viewers asked for it, so he did it. Because he loves us. And it was hilarious.
#5. Casper - Hey, we get another special guest in this episode. Who? Well, it is Casper the Friendly Ghost himself, but he's kind of not so friendly here. It's okay, though, because it is that which makes this one beyond great. I do love this idea that they had and carried out very well, and it ended up being really funny. And this is probably the only time you will see a movie with Clint Eastwood being reviewed by the Critic. Yeah, Clint was in Casper. For only like two seconds, but it counts.
#4. Jaws: The Revenge - As someone who has also reviewed this film here on my blog, I do sympathize with the Nostalgia Critic on this. It's one thing to watch this devastating movie, but to have to sit there and dissect it and come up with things to say, I can confirm that it is painful. And I can be humble here and say that this review was better than mine. Of course, it was. And, in conclusion, may I remind everyone that sharks don't roar.
#3. Airborne - Never head of this movie? That's cool. I didn't think anyone, besides myself, had EVER heard of this. So imagine my surprise when it popped up on the Nostalgia Critic review list. Now if you read my little retrospective of a show called Swan's Crossing, you will know the reason why I actually saw this movie . . . IN THE THEATER! And seeing this review just reminded me that, yes, we are all young and foolish at some point. Not just me. I mean, Jack Black and Seth Green are in this thing. That's right, boys. Remember your roots and learn from them.
#2. Moulin Rouge - So I have always kind of dug Moulin Rouge. It is dizzying at times, but a lot of it I find entertaining, probably because I like artsy stuff. The Critic, on the other hand, hated this one. But whatever about the movie, this review episode is actually very well done. It's elaborate and entertaining and extremely impressive, really. It's clearly the one that had the most work put into it, and it pays off.
#1. Batman and Robin - Again, you all know I love Batman, and I am happy to rush to his defense. To a certain extent. That all most definitely stops with Batman and Robin. I cannot defend this film. No one can. But we can certainly mock it to its most deserved death. Now, though this movie is basically throwing us pitches we can hit where that is concerned, the Nostalgia Critic did a fantastic job of picking out the best worst moments of the film and amplifying them to a hilarious degree. And he is at his best when he takes one of those moments and turns it into one of the most beloved moments of his own legacy. That can be summed up by my simply uttering this phrase - "A BAT CREDIT CARD!?!?!??!" I don't think I have to say anything more here.
So, much thanks to the Nostalgia Critic and the man behind the man, Doug Walker, for all the great entertainment. And now that he is returning, I look forward to many more laughs. I know he won't disappoint.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Thursday, January 31, 2013
The One Seaoner's Club - My Guide to Becoming a Rock Star
Greetings
I am certainly stretching things today. One of my criteria for this little "club" of mine was that a show must have at least those thirteen episodes that a lot of shows initially get. Well, I did say they had to have them, but never did I say they had to air them. Such is the case with the 2002 show My Guide to Becoming a Rock Star. Never heard of it? Frankly, I wouldn't be surprised.
My Guide to Becoming a Rock Star was a comedy that aired on the WB in beginning in March of 2002 and pretty much ending in March of 2002 as well. How sad. It was based on a British show entitled The Young Person's Guide to Becoming a Rock Star, and the main difference between the original and this remake is that the originally was successful. I mean, I've never seen it, but it did last for six seasons, which means that the number of seasons THAT show got is one higher than the number of episodes that THIS show got to air. Granted, we have had a few British imported remakes that worked and worked very well, like The Office, American Idol and even as far back as All in the Family. But this remake went by way of shows like Coupling and Skating with Celebrities. So, why I am even bothering? I have my reasons. Let's get to the point of this series.
My Guide to Becoming a Rock Star centered around a guy named Jason Darnell who was played by Oliver Hudson, brother of Kate Hudson, son of Goldie Hawn and Bill Hudson. That's right, Ollie. The world does know that Bill Hudson is your father despite your, and especially, your sister's attempts to convince us otherwise. But if I am being completely honest, I must say his good looks are one of the things that attracted me to the show. Sorry. Anyway, do not get used to calling his character Jason because he liked everyone to call him Jace, because, hey, it was the nineties. Okay, it technically wasn't the nineties, but the feeling I got from this show was that it was supposed to be made in the nineties and somehow got shelved until 2002 without a single change being made to it. Give me another explanation for this guy's band being called Slipdog. Could you have a more nineties name for your pseudo grunge rock band? Oh, yeah, he has a band in case you couldn't figure that out from the show's title.
So Jace is this guy in his twenties who still lives with his parents and is unemployed. And he has a band? Again. In creeps the nineties with this blatant attempt to make a new but not improved version of Ethan Hawke's character from Reality Bites. Why? Oh, and his parents were played by Michael Des Barres and Shannon Tweed. I guess they were there to provide some rock star life cred to the show, since one of them was once married to a groupie and the other was often considered something of a groupie until she finally married Gene Simmons. Interestingly enough, they were kind of the funniest people on the show.
Anyway, let's get to the band, such as it was. They had a guitarist named Doc (Kevin Rankin), because . . . why they heck not? He is apparently Jace's best friend, though he's one of those best friends of the main character that you cannot figure out why he is that. Then, they had a girl bass player named Joe (Lauren Hodges), who was actually the toughest of all of them. Couldn't have seen that one coming. And they had a drummer, of course, named Danny (James Debello), but don't get too attached to him, because he bites it within the first two episodes. It's okay, though. As they tell us here "All the great bands lose a drummer." Yes, short-lived TV show, some great bands have lost a drummer, but what does that have to do with Slipdog?
Okay, the plot, I guess, of the first two introductory episodes is that the band loses their drummer, as I said, but also that Jace meets a girl named Sarah, who works at the unemployment agency to which he goes begging and who is also a popular and skilled club DJ. He soon realizes that it is she who his band truly needs to become great. True enough. She's also helpful because she introduces them to Lucas (Kris Lemche) the guy who will become their new drummer. And I should point out that Sarah is played by Emmanuelle Vaugier, who has since built herself an impressive acting resume, including being part of the Saw franchise, and appearances on CSI:NY and Smallville. Not bad. Finally, the band also got themselves a manager named Dole, (Rick Overton), albeit through a bit of blackmail on his part. Oh, look at that, a skeezy manager. And the cliches just keep piling up.
So all that happens in the first couple of episodes, and then more stuff happens in the next three, and then the show got cancelled. Yep, only five little episodes were given the privilege of airing. Well, it should consider itself fortunate, I guess. Had it been owned by any network besides the WB I wager it would not have made it to air at all.
Okay, did it deserve a second season? That is so hard to make a decision about based on a mere five episodes. I suppose I was slightly entertained by this show, and it did have an original style to it, what with these fun captions and quick flashbacks used to move the stories forward. It would be easier to decide if I had seen all thirteen episodes, but the kindest thing I can say is that it did have a bit of potential. There is a chance that this thing could have become a fairly decent series. We'll never know, though. So, I can't say that it deserved a second season, but it definitely deserved to, at least, have those remaining episodes air. Oh, maybe someday.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
I am certainly stretching things today. One of my criteria for this little "club" of mine was that a show must have at least those thirteen episodes that a lot of shows initially get. Well, I did say they had to have them, but never did I say they had to air them. Such is the case with the 2002 show My Guide to Becoming a Rock Star. Never heard of it? Frankly, I wouldn't be surprised.
My Guide to Becoming a Rock Star was a comedy that aired on the WB in beginning in March of 2002 and pretty much ending in March of 2002 as well. How sad. It was based on a British show entitled The Young Person's Guide to Becoming a Rock Star, and the main difference between the original and this remake is that the originally was successful. I mean, I've never seen it, but it did last for six seasons, which means that the number of seasons THAT show got is one higher than the number of episodes that THIS show got to air. Granted, we have had a few British imported remakes that worked and worked very well, like The Office, American Idol and even as far back as All in the Family. But this remake went by way of shows like Coupling and Skating with Celebrities. So, why I am even bothering? I have my reasons. Let's get to the point of this series.
My Guide to Becoming a Rock Star centered around a guy named Jason Darnell who was played by Oliver Hudson, brother of Kate Hudson, son of Goldie Hawn and Bill Hudson. That's right, Ollie. The world does know that Bill Hudson is your father despite your, and especially, your sister's attempts to convince us otherwise. But if I am being completely honest, I must say his good looks are one of the things that attracted me to the show. Sorry. Anyway, do not get used to calling his character Jason because he liked everyone to call him Jace, because, hey, it was the nineties. Okay, it technically wasn't the nineties, but the feeling I got from this show was that it was supposed to be made in the nineties and somehow got shelved until 2002 without a single change being made to it. Give me another explanation for this guy's band being called Slipdog. Could you have a more nineties name for your pseudo grunge rock band? Oh, yeah, he has a band in case you couldn't figure that out from the show's title.
So Jace is this guy in his twenties who still lives with his parents and is unemployed. And he has a band? Again. In creeps the nineties with this blatant attempt to make a new but not improved version of Ethan Hawke's character from Reality Bites. Why? Oh, and his parents were played by Michael Des Barres and Shannon Tweed. I guess they were there to provide some rock star life cred to the show, since one of them was once married to a groupie and the other was often considered something of a groupie until she finally married Gene Simmons. Interestingly enough, they were kind of the funniest people on the show.
Anyway, let's get to the band, such as it was. They had a guitarist named Doc (Kevin Rankin), because . . . why they heck not? He is apparently Jace's best friend, though he's one of those best friends of the main character that you cannot figure out why he is that. Then, they had a girl bass player named Joe (Lauren Hodges), who was actually the toughest of all of them. Couldn't have seen that one coming. And they had a drummer, of course, named Danny (James Debello), but don't get too attached to him, because he bites it within the first two episodes. It's okay, though. As they tell us here "All the great bands lose a drummer." Yes, short-lived TV show, some great bands have lost a drummer, but what does that have to do with Slipdog?
Okay, the plot, I guess, of the first two introductory episodes is that the band loses their drummer, as I said, but also that Jace meets a girl named Sarah, who works at the unemployment agency to which he goes begging and who is also a popular and skilled club DJ. He soon realizes that it is she who his band truly needs to become great. True enough. She's also helpful because she introduces them to Lucas (Kris Lemche) the guy who will become their new drummer. And I should point out that Sarah is played by Emmanuelle Vaugier, who has since built herself an impressive acting resume, including being part of the Saw franchise, and appearances on CSI:NY and Smallville. Not bad. Finally, the band also got themselves a manager named Dole, (Rick Overton), albeit through a bit of blackmail on his part. Oh, look at that, a skeezy manager. And the cliches just keep piling up.
So all that happens in the first couple of episodes, and then more stuff happens in the next three, and then the show got cancelled. Yep, only five little episodes were given the privilege of airing. Well, it should consider itself fortunate, I guess. Had it been owned by any network besides the WB I wager it would not have made it to air at all.
Okay, did it deserve a second season? That is so hard to make a decision about based on a mere five episodes. I suppose I was slightly entertained by this show, and it did have an original style to it, what with these fun captions and quick flashbacks used to move the stories forward. It would be easier to decide if I had seen all thirteen episodes, but the kindest thing I can say is that it did have a bit of potential. There is a chance that this thing could have become a fairly decent series. We'll never know, though. So, I can't say that it deserved a second season, but it definitely deserved to, at least, have those remaining episodes air. Oh, maybe someday.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Friday, January 25, 2013
Madea's Class Reunion - Play Review
Greetings,
So I'm doing another play review and another one by Tyler Perry. This is most likely because, outside of Broadway, I don't think people do the play thing very often anymore. And they don't DVD them either. But Mr. Perry does, so when it comes to reviewing them, he is probably always going to be my go to guy. I have already done a review of The Marriage Counselor, but this one has something which that one did not - Madea, of course. So let's get down to business.
Alright, in case you can't figure this out from the title, Madea's Class Reunion is about Madea's class reunion, her fiftieth to be exact. Actually, though we do see the reunion in the play, it's more of a foundation on which a lot subplots are built. The whole show takes place at a hotel, and Madea doesn't really show up until well into the play. Mostly because Tyler Perry spends this time playing a bartender/bellhop named Willie, who obviously does not keep his job for long. That's not a spoiler, because, even though he can do it in the movies, Tyler Perry cannot play multiple characters on stage. Well, I certainly couldn't, and it makes me feel better to think that other people can't either. Moving on. Of course, the hotel has other employees. First, we get Madea's daughter, Cora, played by the wonderful Tamela Mann, as well as Emma played by Chandra Currelley, also fabulous. And, not to worry. These two great ladies most assuredly do their singing thing. Church, anyone! Then, there's the hotel manager, Ann, played by Chantell Christopher. Here's the thing about Chantell Christopher. She has been in a few of these Tyler Perry productions, and she always plays the . . . well, let's be nice and say the antagonist. And why does she always get these parts even though I am sure she is a lovely person in real life? Well, that's an easy question to answer. Because she's awesome at it! Yeah, she really nails playing the grown up mean girl, and I love her for that.
Next, let's discuss the guests. There's a woman name Stephanie, played by Cheryl "Pepsii" Riley, who just happens to be Emma's daughter and is running from her abusive husband. Then, there's Diana who is visiting the hotel with her husband, and she just happens to be friends with Cora. Also, Diana and her husband just happen to have a connection to Ann. Wow, this thing has coincidences on the level of Les Miserables, but I can let it be, since it is kind of necessary. There's also a side plot involving a couple going through some tough times. It's pretty good and we get some great singing out of it, but it doesn't connect much to the other stories. And, finally, we get, the man himself, Mr. Brown, played by Miss Tamela's real life husband, David Mann. I really can't even put into my own words how much I enjoy Mr. Brown, so I will simply repeat one of his lines, which happens to be what I want to utter each time he comes into view. And that is, "Let the church say, YEAH!!" Or something. And that's all I have to say about that.
Now I can't really get much into the whole plot more than I already have, but that's mostly because, as I said, there are many subplots that create the whole picture. It's not exactly complicated, but there would be too much to say, because telling one thing would just lead to my telling you the next, until I explained that whole story. I don't want to do that, since that would be spoiling it. Still, that's not what's important.
The bottom line question is this. Is it good? Well, of course, I would say yes, because I love Tyler Perry. If you don't like him, they you will probably not be a huge fan of this. However, I have met several people who have only seen his movies, so I guess this review would mostly be for them. Especially since this is one of his plays that has not made it to the big screen - yet. So, if you are a fan of his and have not seen this, I say check it out. It's funny where it should be and serious where it should be, which is something I've always thought Tyler Perry has done well, and it has a good message. Yeah, God bless Mr. Perry for including a reference to one of my favorite Bible verses, Psalms 105:15, especially since it's in regards to a woman dealing with a less than supportive employer. Oh, mercy, can I relate to that? Anyway, I found this production just plain entertaining. For what more can one ask.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
So I'm doing another play review and another one by Tyler Perry. This is most likely because, outside of Broadway, I don't think people do the play thing very often anymore. And they don't DVD them either. But Mr. Perry does, so when it comes to reviewing them, he is probably always going to be my go to guy. I have already done a review of The Marriage Counselor, but this one has something which that one did not - Madea, of course. So let's get down to business.
Alright, in case you can't figure this out from the title, Madea's Class Reunion is about Madea's class reunion, her fiftieth to be exact. Actually, though we do see the reunion in the play, it's more of a foundation on which a lot subplots are built. The whole show takes place at a hotel, and Madea doesn't really show up until well into the play. Mostly because Tyler Perry spends this time playing a bartender/bellhop named Willie, who obviously does not keep his job for long. That's not a spoiler, because, even though he can do it in the movies, Tyler Perry cannot play multiple characters on stage. Well, I certainly couldn't, and it makes me feel better to think that other people can't either. Moving on. Of course, the hotel has other employees. First, we get Madea's daughter, Cora, played by the wonderful Tamela Mann, as well as Emma played by Chandra Currelley, also fabulous. And, not to worry. These two great ladies most assuredly do their singing thing. Church, anyone! Then, there's the hotel manager, Ann, played by Chantell Christopher. Here's the thing about Chantell Christopher. She has been in a few of these Tyler Perry productions, and she always plays the . . . well, let's be nice and say the antagonist. And why does she always get these parts even though I am sure she is a lovely person in real life? Well, that's an easy question to answer. Because she's awesome at it! Yeah, she really nails playing the grown up mean girl, and I love her for that.
Next, let's discuss the guests. There's a woman name Stephanie, played by Cheryl "Pepsii" Riley, who just happens to be Emma's daughter and is running from her abusive husband. Then, there's Diana who is visiting the hotel with her husband, and she just happens to be friends with Cora. Also, Diana and her husband just happen to have a connection to Ann. Wow, this thing has coincidences on the level of Les Miserables, but I can let it be, since it is kind of necessary. There's also a side plot involving a couple going through some tough times. It's pretty good and we get some great singing out of it, but it doesn't connect much to the other stories. And, finally, we get, the man himself, Mr. Brown, played by Miss Tamela's real life husband, David Mann. I really can't even put into my own words how much I enjoy Mr. Brown, so I will simply repeat one of his lines, which happens to be what I want to utter each time he comes into view. And that is, "Let the church say, YEAH!!" Or something. And that's all I have to say about that.
Now I can't really get much into the whole plot more than I already have, but that's mostly because, as I said, there are many subplots that create the whole picture. It's not exactly complicated, but there would be too much to say, because telling one thing would just lead to my telling you the next, until I explained that whole story. I don't want to do that, since that would be spoiling it. Still, that's not what's important.
The bottom line question is this. Is it good? Well, of course, I would say yes, because I love Tyler Perry. If you don't like him, they you will probably not be a huge fan of this. However, I have met several people who have only seen his movies, so I guess this review would mostly be for them. Especially since this is one of his plays that has not made it to the big screen - yet. So, if you are a fan of his and have not seen this, I say check it out. It's funny where it should be and serious where it should be, which is something I've always thought Tyler Perry has done well, and it has a good message. Yeah, God bless Mr. Perry for including a reference to one of my favorite Bible verses, Psalms 105:15, especially since it's in regards to a woman dealing with a less than supportive employer. Oh, mercy, can I relate to that? Anyway, I found this production just plain entertaining. For what more can one ask.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)