Top 10 TV shows of 2009

Yes, I know this is a little late.. but whatcha gonna do? I'm gonna make this one quick and painless. If you've been following this blog these picks should come as no surprise to you. So here goes:


1. "Lost"
Without a doubt the best show of the past year. I recently rewatched the entire fifth season on blu-ray during the holidays. That final scene in the finale -- it's a doozy. I can't wait to see how it all turns out. Less that two weeks to go!!

2. "Dollhouse"
This show has really come into it's own.. now that it's been canceled. The twists and turns have been crazy good (although some better than others). The actors on this show are some of the best I've seen. I can't say enough about them. Still one episode to go and I hope it's awesome.

3. "Fringe"
Perhaps you've been noticing a theme. Yes I love sci-fi... and this show is just starting to hit its stride. The "mythology" shows are my favorite. I wish they had more of those and less of the "monster of the week" episodes... With the two shows at the top of this list being put to rest this season, I imagine this may end up at the top of the list next year.

4. "Chuck"
Last year's last batch of episodes were great (the Scott Bakula ones). And this season has started off with a bang. Sometimes it feels like not enough is at stake in the show... but when things get serious, I'm all on board. That's not to say I don't like the humor.. I definitely do... but maybe the show should kill off a character so the stakes can be a little higher. One other thing... you can't really go wrong if Adam Baldwin is in the cast.

5. "Supernatural"
Another good sci/fi horror show. I love it when this show tries to be funny. They recently did an episode where the characters got stuck inside of TV shows. Hilarious. The dark stuff is also good. (Satan is loose this season, and the apocalypse is around the corner). The show finds a good balance between mythology and standalone stories.

6. "Friday Night Lights"
I know you guys still aren't watching this show. But you should be. One of the most realistic shows I've ever seen. These feel like real people that you could actually meet in Texas. They lost and added a number of characters and the show hasn't suffered. That's a hard thing to do. This show needs an Emmy.

I will now rate my favorite comedies of last year. I don't think they should compete against dramas... so you can think of this as a new list if you want.

7. "Modern Family"
I tried not to watch this series. I didn't need to add another show to the rotation... but I kept hearing so many rave reviews that I finally gave in and tried it out... and it was worth it. This show is hilarious. I laugh out loud in every episode. The crazy thing? It's also a ratings winner.. so it won't likely end up like "Arrested Development" or "Andy Richter Controls the Universe" (now on DVD). If you haven't seen this, you should. You won't regret it.

8. "Parks and Recreation"
The first season of this show was good but not great. The current season is superb. I know it's a good show when I can't decide who my favorite character is. They've really fleshed the characters out and made them funny. I know a lot of people who gave up on this show after the first season.. To you I say: "Come Back." The show is on hulu... start at the beginning of the season and find the charms of Ron Swanson.



9. "How I Met Your Mother"
Another great cast... particularly my favorite characters Barney Stinson and Marshall Erickson. I particularly like it when they have they're own storylines. The show has made a few mistakes... but the laughs outweigh some of the dumb decisions the writers have made. Plus, they have some cool guest stars.

10. tie "30 Rock" and "The Office"
I really like both of these shows... but the reason they are at the bottom of the list is because this season has been hit or miss with me. Particularly "30 Rock".. I don't know what's happened but it's not as funny as it used to be. I still love Liz and Jack and the rest of the game but they aren't as funny as they were the past few years. "The Office" on the other hand is about the same quality as it has been the past few years. Not as funny as the first few, but still worth putting on your DVR because when they're on they're on. Now if they can just make Jim funny again.

All right your turn, what shows did you like this past year?

The 10 Best Movies of 2009

Top Ten Movies of 2009

Okay, I promised a top ten list and here it is. Let me first say my criteria for this list is which movies I enjoyed watching the most. Not which one had deep ideas, or which one had the best special effects. Simply which ones I enjoyed the most. Okay here goes:

1.(tie) Star Trek/(500 Days of Summer)

It was really hard for me to choose between these two movies. So they will share the top spot. Anyone that's read this blog knows of my love for J.J. Abrams and "Star Trek." Combine the two and you get a great movie. I hope people who say they don't like sci-fi or "Star Trek" will give this movie a try. The writers did a great job of appealing to hard core trekkies and those who don't know what a "mind meld" is. I loved this movie.

"(500) Days of Summer" on the other hand, came out of the blue. I had heard a few good things.. but went in not knowing what to expect. What I found was a charming, true to life, taste of modern day relationships. Not only is it a great look at the highs and lows of relationships, it's also one of the funniest movies of the year. I probably laughed more in this movie than any other movie this year. The film doesn't follow a linear narrative, which is fun, but I think even if it did, it would still be a great movie. The thought that went through my head the most as I watched this movie was: "I've been there." I think that's a great compliment.

3. Fantastic Mr. Fox

The second funniest film of the year came to us from the mind of Wes Anderson. I loved this movie. I'm not sure it's a movie for everyone. But I know I've found a kindred spirit when I hear someone use the words: cluster cuss. The old school animation technique is fun and beautiful to look at. It's not as bright and shiny as Pixar.. but it's cool and quirky. The voice cast is also superb. One of the best Roald Dahl adaptations yet.

4. "Up"

Speaking of Pixar... they did it again. I've read and listened to numerous accounts of the way Pixar makes their movies... and it makes me wish Hollywood would adopt their techniques. These guys are so original and so talented, I don't expect that they will produce many duds. This movie is funny, touching, and exciting. The creative team behind this film has found a great way to balance all of it. Buy it on blu-ray... it looks amazing!

5. "Inglourious Basterds"

This movie was really cool. I love not knowing where a movie is going... and Tarantino is very good at keeping me guessing. I had no idea what was going to happen next in this movie. The acting was great.. the set pieces great.. the dialogue great. Just a great movie.

6. (tie) "Drag Me To Hell"/"Paranormal Activity"

Two horror films tie for fifth place. Sam Raimi redeemed himself for the sadness that was "Spiderman 3" with this fun little film. It was intensely gross in many places... and I thought that was great. The parking lot scene is scarred in my brain.

I recently reviewed "Paranormal Activity," so I won't discuss it too much, but I will just say how impressed I was that the filmmaker made a movie with less money than I have in my bank account. He made this scary little movie for around $11,000. And it made millions and millions of dollars. I don't know how much of that money he ended up getting. But, way to go.

8. "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince"

I've always enjoyed the Harry Potter movies, but this one may be my favorite. I found the movie to be funny, exciting, and, yes, magical. I did have a few problems with the movie. I'm not sure what the scene at the Weasley house was all about. And the end battle sequence could've been a lot cooler if they'd stuck to the battle from the book. But I'm hoping we'll see a really cool battle sequence in "The Deathly Hallows." If you're not a Harry Potter fan I'm not sure how much you can enjoy this movie, but if you are one I think it's definitely worth your time.

9."The Princess and the Frog "

I know some people who thought this movie wasn't very good. But they are wrong. I went to the movie with some children... but in the end I think I enjoyed it more than they did. I left the movie in a good mood and talking about how much I liked it. That doesn't happen too often, so I have to put it in my list. Here's hoping Disney's next traditionally animated film, "Rapunzel" is as good.

10. I am going to leave this spot open because I haven't seen every movie made in 2009. I still haven't seen "The Hurt Locker," or "Up in the Air".... and a number of other buzzy movies. So here's hoping I can put something in here that I can be passionate about.

On a completely unrelated note... I had a commenter ask about my take on the whole NBC late night fiasco. Here it is: Jay Leno sucks!!! Jay Leno hasn't been funny since the 80's. Long live Conan O'Brian! I will follow him wherever he ends up. (hopefully with Andy Richter intact).

A Few Movie Reviews

Okay, I know I promised to write my top ten lists. But I've seen a few movies over the past month or so that I am obligated to review. So you can look forward to seeing the top ten lists a little later.

The first movie I'd like to review is "Avatar." By now you probably have seen "Avatar" or you haven't and you don't plan to. I think everyone should see "Avatar"... just for the visual feast factor. And you definitely have to see it in 3-D. I have a friend who was invited to go see it and when he arrived he realized his friend hadn't known there was a 3-D option. Unbelievable. Poor guy had to watch the movie in regular 2-D... what's the point of that.

I saw the movie a few days after it opened at the IMAX in 3-D. I enjoyed the movie. The special effects are quite amazing... but I thought the plot was only okay. I'm so tired of military cliches. Does every military leader have to be bloodthirsty. Can we have one that's conflicted? That'd be nice... maybe something like Kiefer Sutherland's character in "Monsters and Aliens." Yes I'm saying a cartoon character had more dimensions than Colonel Miles Quaritch. Oh well. And yes as "South Park" put it... the movie is pretty much "Dances with Smurfs." My favorite part was the final battle sequence. It was crazy good. I've heard of a few people who have proclaimed this movie, "The best movie ever." I think they're crazy. It may be the best visual effects movie ever... but best movie ever? No way. Not even close. So I am recommending the movie... but don't expect an original plot. For another good review check out the comments section of the "I'm Back" post.

Grade:B

Next I'll be reviewing "Sherlock Holmes." Robert Downey Jr. is quickly becoming one of my favorite actors. He just brings so much fun to every role. And his take on Sherlock Holmes is no exception. Jude Law is also great as Watson. The interplay between the two is the heart of the movie. This is a hyperstylized version of "Holmes" and I'm okay with it. I read most of the books when I was in Junior High and enjoyed them a lot. I don't think this movie strays too far from the original Conan Doyle books. Sure it's filled with action scenes... but I think that the stuffy version of Holmes has been done to death and I enjoyed this fresh take. Having said all that it isn't a perfect movie... and I would've enjoyed more classic Holmes deductions. But a fun two hour adventure.

Grade B+

I finally saw "Inglourious Basterds" on DVD a few weeks ago... and it was a great movie. I've enjoyed most of Quentin Tarantino's films and this was no exception. The best part of the movie was the first twenty minutes or so. I won't give too much a way... but the entire scene is just one conversation between two men... it's one of the most intense scenes I've ever seen. My wife also agrees. Christoph Waltz plays Col. Hans Landa and you can expect he'll be nominated and probably win for the role. Every time he's on screen you can't take your eyes off his crazy character. Brad Pitt and his cohorts are also a lot of fun. Their story line wasn't as big as I'd thought it would be from the trailers but they were perfect for the parts. There's also a plot about the owner of a French cinema that I really enjoyed. Obviously this movie isn't for everyone but for those who think they may enjoy this fictional version of WWII.. you probably will.

Grade: A

I watched the sci-fi film "District 9" a few days ago. I realized when I put in the DVD that I didn't know what the plot was. I knew it took place is South Africa and that there were aliens... but that was about it. So I went in not knowing much. A lot of sci-fi geeks are calling this the best sci-fi movie of the year. I wouldn't go that far, but it was a lot of fun. I would definitely recommend it for fans of the genre. But I wasn't as engaged as I thought I should be. I probably need to watch it again to gain a full appreciation for the film...

Grade for now: B+

Finally... I also saw "Paranormal Activity." I'd heard all the buzz back when it came out and was glad to finally form my own opinion of the horror film. It was great. It was scary and real and also fun. It's this decade's "Blair Witch Project." It also has a little in common with the great "Open Water." The movie basically follows a man and his girlfriend as they try to figure out why she's being haunted. Sure, the guy acts like an idiot.. but that's probably what most guys would do in the same situation. It's all videotaped on a consumer camera ala "Cloverfield." I didn't have any nightmares after watching the movie... but if I was the type of person who was bothered by scary movies, I'm sure I would have.

Grade: A

One more thing of note... I'm thinking about creating a Twitter account where I will give quick reviews of films, books, music, and TV episodes. If that is something you think you'd like to subscribe to, let me know. Until next time...

I'm Back!!

So, this past month and a half has been quite busy.. and as you may hove noticed the blog has suffered as a result. Job hunting can take up a lot of time. But now that I have a new job I hope that I'll be able to write here more often. Anyway.. it's almost the end of the year so that means a top ten list of my favorite TV shows and movies of the year... but before that, I would like to review two animated movies that have come out in the past month or so... Both of them very good.


First off is "Fantastic Mr. Fox." The film is an adaptation of the children's book by Roald Dahl. As a kid Dahl was one of my very favorite authors... but I didn't remember the book very well. It didn't really matter. The film is directed by Wes Anderson of "Rushmore," and "The Royal Tenenbaums" fame. So if you like that quirky type of humor you'll enjoy this movie. I would say it's probably my favorite Anderson film. I laughed throughout the movie. It's just so hilarious. So if you like either Dahl or Anderson... this movie is for you... PS.. in case you didn't know, this film is stop-motion animation.. but don't let that scare you... it only adds to the charm.


I also saw "The Princess and the Frog" which is Disney's first traditionally animated film in sometime... and the film is gorgeous. John Lassetter the man behind Pixar is now running Disney's entire animation department.. so we can all thank him for the return of hand drawn cartoons. I really enjoyed "The Princess and the Frog," I thought the music was good and the story fun. If you like films like "The Little Mermaid," "Aladdin," or "Beauty and the Beast," you'll probably like this movie. Now I don't know if "Frog" will stand the test of time like those other films but.. it's definitely worth seeing now.

Both films get an A from me... but I probably liked "Fox" better just because it's funnier... and quirkier. Has anyone else seen these movies?

I hated her... so... much...

So it's Halloween today. I'm up at 2:30 in the morning... and I thought what better time than to write about one of my favorite Halloween movies. It may not be what you expect. My favorite Halloween movies actually aren't horror flicks. They're comedies. And since I've already written a blog about the greatness that is "Ghostbusters," I've decided to write about my other favorite Halloween comedy, "Clue."

I'm amazed at how many people can quote this movie. I thought it was a little gem that only I knew about. But I was wrong. It seems like everybody I know is fond of "Clue." Of course, there are exceptions but for the most part people like "Clue." I can think of numerous times I've bonded over "Clue." Here are a few that come to mind:

My best friend when I was a kid, Trevor, and I used to borrow this movie from our neighbors all the time and watch it. (This is when I discovered "Clue.")

On my mission when one of my companions told me it was his favorite movie. He said he wasn't a movie person but that he'd watched "Clue" dozens of times.. and planned to watch it dozens more.. Ahh Elder Howard... you sure were disobedient.

The first girl I kissed loved "Clue" and her brother loved it even more. We watched it at her house and they both kept saying how much they loved the movie.

Two weeks ago, at work, I mentioned this was one of my favorite movies.. and everybody in the room agreed that the movie was great and everyone decided they were going to go rent it that weekend and watch it.. (most of them did, including myself)

There are other stories but those are the ones that come to mind tonight.

The other thing I've found is everyone seems to agree that the best quote from the film comes from Mrs. White.



They don't make madcap comedies like this anymore. I heard another movie based on the game "Clue" is in the works. I don't know if it'll be any good, but it'll be hard for it to be more memorable or fun than the 1985 film.

IMHO, this is Tim Curry's best role. How he was able to remember all those lines.. I don't know.



So that's my love letter to "Clue." On related note, can I tell you how unhappy I am that they've changed the original game.. and I read somewhere they are no longer selling the old one (although I've seen them online, I don't know if they're only old copies)...
Anywhoo, they've made Colonel Mustard a football player, and Professor Plum a video game designer.. I don't have a problem with having a different version of the game, ( I would like to play the "24" version) I do have a problem with it replacing the original. And who knows, maybe what I read was wrong.. but if not.. Hasbro needs some talking to.

PS. Even if you were right, that would be one plus one plus two plus one, not one plus *two* plus one plus one.

Attention Nielsen households!

Attention Nielsen households, I would like a moment of your time. It's true I've never met anyone who said they belong to the mysterious group of people who decide what it is Americans watch on TV. To be honest I'm not entirely sure that you exist... or that if you do exist you are not a bunch of funny monkeys.

But for whatever reason, the gods have decided that you are the people that matter. You are the ones that tell the networks what is popular and what people are watching... despite the fact that technology has improved so much in the past ten years... that we probably don't need a random sampling of TV "viewers." I'm sure there's probably a way that the "powers that be" could create a system where almost everyone's viewing habits mattered... but apparently society would rather stay put in the 80's.

Now I know we've had a difficult relationship in the past. It's because of you "Arrested Development" is no longer on the air. It's your fault "Firefly" no longer charms sci-fi audiences. "Andy Richter Controls the Universe" would be in it's 8th season without you.. It's your fault that "American Idol" is the top rated show on television. I won't lie. I am bitter. But you have done a few good things... somehow "Lost" is still on the air... Okay, so you've really only done one good thing.

But I'm willing to put all problems aside if you will please watch "Dollhouse." The rumor mill is suggesting that the show may not be long for this world. DON'T LET THAT HAPPEN. Make a difference. Watch a show that is different. That is fun. That is challenging. Don't let another "Firefly" happen.


Yes, "Dollhouse" isn't the best show on TV.. but it one day could be. Don't let this show die before it's had a chance to become great. Stop watching "Dancing with the Stars." Please.

I will send you money.

Thanks for your time.

PS. Please also watch "Good Morning Utah"

Thursday Overload

So, as soon as you guys start commenting more, I'll start posting more. That's a promise...


Anywhoo. So the new TV season has started and almost everything I watch is on Thursday night. If I didn't have the Internet and Tivo I don't know what I'd do. I'm giving "Flashforward" a chance right now. The first episode was pretty good.. I love the premise but I'm not sure I love the characters. Maybe after a few weeks there will be some character development. If not I may have to re-evaluate.

On NBC it's all comedy, all the time. I've been enjoying the oddly titled "Weekend Update" Thursday edition. It's good to see Seth and Amy back at the desk. And the opening sketches have been great. The same cannot be said for the actual Saturday night show which I didn't think was very good at all on Saturday.

That's followed by "Parks and Recreation" which I think is getting better all the time. I love all of the actors in the show and I think they're starting to understand their characters better. My favorite character is Andy who is played by the always excellent Chris Pratt. I hope this show gets the chance to mature and be great. Remember, "The Office" and "30 Rock" weren't awesome at the beginning of their runs. Shows, particularly sitcoms can get better with age.

Speaking of "The Office" I've been enjoying this season. I've heard some people tell me it's not as funny as it used to be. And sure some episodes aren't that great.. but compared to most other sitcoms this stuff is gold.. so lay off people and enjoy the show. I hear the wedding episode is supposed to be good. Although, I hear it's an hour long and some of those hour long episodes aren't as good as the half hour ones... so we'll see.

I watched the first episode of "Community" and wasn't that impressed... and since my plate is full right now I'm not going back... But if the show's still around in the summer I'm open to giving it another chance. I do love some Joel McHale, John Oliver, and Chevy Chase.

"Fringe" is also on Thursday nights. I didn't love last week's episode. It felt familiar and not all that interesting. I'm all for the continuity stuff and last week just felt like filler. Here's hoping they get back to the alternate universe stuff. I really like this show and hope it doesn't start losing it's charm.

"Supernatural" has been pretty good so far. The brothers are fighting right now and so they are separated... hopefully that will get fixed soon and we can get back to some of the more silly episodes which are my favorite. Ben Edlund rules.

"30 Rock" has not premiered yet. I'm counting the days.

So that's Thursday night for you. I'm going to have to spread the shows throughout the week so as to not be overwhelmed. I don't have any shows on Tuesday and the rest of the week is pretty slim. These TV programmers need to get on their game.

So what have you thought of the TV season so far? Any new shows you love? Any old ones that aren't good anymore? What's the verdict?

PS I think you should all watch "Good Morning Utah" I hear that show's amazing!