Every once in a while a film comes along based on an inspiring true story. That film touches your heart and makes you care about the people involved in the story. The 5th Quarter tries to be one of these films. Unfortunately, it is lacking in any true inspiration and instead leaves the viewer with an overly sappy narrative.
Continue reading ‘The 5th Quarter: Good intentions but lacking follow-through’
If you’re looking for a light-hearted comedy with a plethora of laughs you’re going to be extremely disappointed by Young Adult. But if you’re willing to put up with a generally unlikable main character as she fumbles through her disaster of a life in a highly realistic and sadly relatable way, you’ll be rewarded. I sold you on it, didn’t I?
Continue reading ‘Young Adult: darkly comedic and challenging drama’
What’s the most important part of a Television show when you’re trying to get new viewers? Storyline? Names attached? Network the show is on? Apparently, it’s none of these, and Bill Lawrence has learned that the hard way.
Are you watching Cougar Town? No? Well you’re not alone, but you are foolish. The show, now in its third season on ABC is, in my opinion, one of the smartest and wittiest comedies on television today (the only other show I can think of that matches the comedy is the equally underrated Happy Endings, but we’ll save that for another post).
Friday Night Lights was a critically acclaimed, Emmy award winning drama that desperately struggled to stay on the air. Why? The world may never know. But regardless of the ratings, it was arguably one of the best television dramas of all time. The acting is superb of course, but it is the brilliant creator, Jason Katims, that is largely responsible for bringing the fictional town of Dillon, Texas and all of the freakishly realistic story lines to life. FNL came to a poignant end in 2010, but Katims’ career did not. He is also the creator of NBC’s Parenthood. The show centers around the eccentric Braverman family and, like FNL, the relatable challenges they face that resonate so deeply with viewers, you almost have to remind yourself that you are watching a scripted television program and not a documentary (with the exception of the high quality lighting and unrealistically attractive people). The show’s third season came to an end in February. As a die hard Parenthood fan, I could not help but feel that the season finale was all too final. All of the loose ends were tied, leaving almost nothing for viewers to question…and that terrifies me.
I’d venture to say I’m somewhat of an “adaptation snob”. Whenever I hear a book, especially a personal favorite, is being made into a major motion picture, I get a bit wary. They often don’t get the best parts right, or they cut a memorable character. That’s not the case with The Hunger Games. Based on the first book of Suzanne Collins’s best-selling trilogy, the movie stays true to its source.
Continue reading ‘The Hunger Games: Are the Odds in This Adaptation’s Favor?’
Its no secret that NBC hasn’t been the strongest network as of late. But the newest addition to their lineup, Awake, aims to put a little life back the tired landscape of shows. Is it going to turn out to be the network’s saving grace? Its far too early to tell but I suggest you get on board for the ride.
This past Sunday, the 2012 Academy Awards took place. Aside from the usual glitz and glamour, the show was relatively mundane. With host Billy Crystal back at the helm, the show felt even more familiar. A number of categories didn’t have a clear favorite and other winners were somewhat of a surprise. We break down the show after the jump.
