October 2007 Entries
The Joker virus continues to spread. That is to say the viral marketing campaign for Christopher Nolen’s upcoming Batman sequel, THE DARK KNIGHT, continues to set new precedence for what movie marketing can do.
For those not familiar with the site WhySoSerious.com, it is the viral website for the DARK KNIGHT film. For some weeks now the site had offered nothing but a pic of a Jack-O-Lantern with a half-marred face (a hint at Two-Face appearing in the film?) However as of today that has all changed.
According to comicbookmovie.com, WhySoSerious unveiled a Halloween game involving 49 clues “the Joker” had left in 21 cities, instructing people to travel to a certain location, in order to take a picture of a certain alphabetical letter. Viewers then uploaded their photos to the WhySoSerious site, and each photo was assigned a number. Put into numerical order, the pictures would spell out a message and unlock a “prize.” As of a few hours ago, the good people of Slashfilm.com cracked the message, which reads:
“The only sensible way to live in this world is without rules.”
Oh yeah, that’s Joker mentality all right. And the “prize?” A new Joker pic from the DARK KNIGHT film, as well as a bit of dialogue: “And tonight you’re gonna break your one rule.” Ominous, yes, but was the juice worth the squeeze? You be the judge, my fellow fanboy.
For once, faithful viewers, we don’t have to wait for most of the episode to go by before Sam (Bret Harrison) and the boys snag a soul. Within the first few minutes, nutjob and former Presidential assassin Leon (guest star Patton Oswalt) is in the can, and the boys are congratulating themselves on a job well-done. Unfortunately, it’s going to have to be a job postponed, as their usual vessel-taking demon at the DMV is on vacation. It’s not just her, as Sam finds out when he talks to a surprisingly subdued Satan (Ray Wise); the Devil hates Halloween, seeing it as a crass commercialization of evil, and so lets Hell take a break over All Hallows Eve.
Wrap your mind around that for a moment while we continue. Anyway, the Devil decides to take his mind off his issues by giving Sam a nasty job. There’s a serial killer back on patrol after sixty years known as the Butcher (not the most original moniker, true), and he’s a mean motor scooter. Sam gets right on the job, in part to get his mind off the total debacle that is his relationship with Andi (Missy Peregrym). Meanwhile, Sock (Tyler Labine) forms a bond with the soul in the vessel, playing nasty jokes on Ted the managerial douche bag and other socially redeeming activ
Tonight on BOSTON LEGAL, Alan (James Spader) is asked to do something he’s never done, which is saying a lot considering Alan’s vast and strange experiences in life. When a woman whose daughter was murdered comes into the office, she seeks Alan’s advice on how to murder the man who killed her. Unfortunately, the man in question was acquitted of the murder by reason of insanity. Doesn’t the fact that he killed a human being already tell us he’s insane? Why would he be able to walk away a free man because of that? I’m sure this is not a new argument, but whether or not the mother of the victim should be allowed to kill him is. Let’s face it, we all know Alan is usually a sucker for a sob story, but helping out in this circumstance is really pushing the envelope, even for him. Meanwhile, Katie (Tara Summers) and Jerry (Christian Clemenson) have been paired up on yet another case.
The way the office keeps pushing these two together is very cruel, since we know how smitten poor Jerry is with the newest associate. Still, they have had some major success as a team. Unfortunately, Katie doesn’t share Jerry’s romantic interest, which is so sad because this is the first time we’ve seen Jerry go after a living, breathing woman. The last time he was so taken with a female she was a blow-up doll; and I’m not talking about the one Denny (William Shatner) so lovingly drags around, whom he named Shirley Schmidtho. But something tells me if Jerry is patient and just bides his time, he may get a chance with the fair lady at some point in time, at least I’m rooting for him. But, back to the case the two are working on. This one is a doozy, because it involves trying to overturn a child-molester-registry law to save a falsely accused client. That’s a very slippery slope and could lead to many problems down the line. But, I guess they have to stay focused on the case at hand
If you’ve followed these pages on THE BIGGEST LOSER you know that I have been vexed continually by the deep voiced announcer. With Neil water loading last week and throwing strategy back into this feel-good love fest, my announcer buddy took the subdued route. Think hushed tones and music indicating “A Very Special BIGGEST LOSER,” and you get the idea. It was almost enough to make one hope for extra “BEE MOVIE” promos. But then I might be suffering from a Helsinki-type Syndrome and have fallen in love with my tormentor. On the other hand, based on the relentless ads from NBC I’m fully prepared to revoke Seinfeld title as comic genius.
Back to the show. Neil wasn’t the only one who was messing with the scales. Ryan remains suspect to me for gaining a pound and Amy confessed to Jillian that she had been “pressured” to throw last week’s weigh-in. “Who pressured you?” Jillian asked, with her over-dramatic after-school special emoting. Through a few extra forced tears, Amy confessed, “Neil.” I was expecting Jillian to ask her to show her on the doll where the bad thing happened.
This week on a very special BONES, Brennan (Emily Deschanel) dresses up as Wonder Woman. Booth (David Boreanaz) dresses up as a squint, and they both have to face their phobias.
Even the deaths have a Halloween theme this week. Two mummified girls are found in a Halloween maze and an amusement haunted house. Both girls were literally scared to death. When a couple comes to Booth’s office saying their little girl has gone missing, Booth and Brennan are afraid they may have a serial killer on their hands. Well, it’s good to know that the writers of BONES know how to play up a holiday.
While attempting to figure out how each girl was killed and where, the team starts to uncover some pretty creepy stuff. The first mummified body was killed nearly a year ago, and Zack (Eric Millegan), who never jumps to conclusions, says it looks as if she were buried alive. Not too big of a surprise to learn the girl was extremely claustrophobic. The other girl is covered in spider bites. I wonder what she was most afraid of. The third girl has a fear of snakes. When Booth discovers that all the pet stores in town have just sold out of snakes, he’s hopeful she may still be alive.
My favorite thing about BONES is the nice balance of serious crime fighting and dry humor. The past couple of weeks on the show have been lacking in this balance, focusing more on the will-they-or-won’t-they relationship Booth and Brennan have going, but this week gave us relationship stuff, gooey bodies, and the funny.
Dr. Eric Foreman (Omar Epps) is back. And this episode of HOUSE M.D. focuses on misery. Add to that a decidedly underrated actor, Frank Whaley, as the patient of the week and we have an episode that makes House fans very, very happy.
Dr. Cuddy hired Foreman last week, at his previous salary with no more authority because he is damaged goods. Despite leaving before he became too much like House, the rest of the medical community thinks he is already there and they want nothing to do with him. He can’t get a job. House would say he’s “Blackballed,” and then hold the moment to make sure the racial entendre sunk in.
Cuddy introduces Foreman to the six remaining contestants vying for a place on “House Island” as her eyes and ears of the team. Foreman will act on Cuddy’s behalf and sign off, or not, on all unorthodox plans House wants to implement. House seems fine with this, so long as he can have his “balls” back when the charade is over. It’s probably immaturity on my part but I enjoy it when smart men discuss their testicles. It makes me laugh.
Frank Whaley, very good in movies like PULP FICTION and FIELD OF DREAMS, is admitted and diagnosed with a mirroring disorder. He takes on the personality and symptoms of the dominant person around him. As each aspiring doctor spends time administering tests and reading results, they get an unbiased reflection of who they are. A clever writers’ trick but done sparely enough and with deftness on Whaley’s part that it was a forgivable device. Whaley showed an even hand in balancing mimicry with drive to render a clear picture of the character being dissected.
Darth Vader won at least a temporary victory on WEEDS – and he wasn’t even on the show.
Pretty much up until now, Nancy Botwin (Mary-Louise Parker) has been a middle class entrepreneur who just happens to sell marijuana to pay the bills. In The Dark Time, however, she goes over to the Dark Side.
Celia Hodes (Elizabeth Perkins) re-discovers what Nancy’s been up to. She’s ticked off because Nancy did the nasty with the guy she believed was her boyfriend. As bad, she’s in bad financial straits. So, Celia threatens Nancy with exposure unless she, Celia, gets a piece of the pie. But Nancy is in no mood to be shaken down. She grabs Celia, pulls her down and holds a knife to her throat. And concedes that in the past is she’s been susceptible to blackmail. But Celia is too late. “Call it bad timing, call it karma. But I’ve reached a tipping point.”
Ironically, as she threatens to kill her, Nancy caresses Celia’s hair, speaks softly to her, their faces just inches apart. Except for the knife, the moment is almost hot. (Although that could just be me.) But the moment is interrupted when Nancy’s young son Shane (Alexander Gould). “Say hello to Mrs. Hodes,” Nancy tells her bewildered son. “Were you really going to kill her,” he wonders.
Some people are just never satisfied.
As we all know – that is, as all of us fans of WEEDS know -- shortly before he died, crooked DEA agent Peter Scottson married drug dealer Nancy Botwin (Mary-Louise Parker). So, naturally, when his body was discovered, it is Nancy, the second and current Mrs. Scottson, who gets the insurance money and pension.
However, Nancy befriended Valerie (Brook Smith), the first Mrs. Scottson, and offers to pass along the insurance money to her -- though she’s entitled to zilch, zero, nada. But there’s a mishap, a slight problem that requires a slower rate of payment. Under the circumstances, do you think Valerie would be kind and understanding? Do you think she’d tell Nancy, I appreciate what you’re doing? I know you’ll pay me.
No, that doesn’t make for good TV. Instead, Valerie hires a private eye to follow Nancy. Sadly, the shamus is a crook. (As an aside, what a sad commentary on society when even private eyes are shady. Who do you trust if you can no longer believe in heroes created by the likes of Chandler and Parker and others?)
CALIFORNICATION has been one of the great pleasures of the last three months, principally because of Hank Moody (David Duchovny). Sure, he has a tendency toward violence and beds anything with large breasts. But his heart is pure. And so is his love for his now former girlfriend Karen (Natascha McElhone) and their daughter, Becca (Madeleine Martin).
But it all seems for naught. Things go awry from the beginning of The Last Waltz, the season finale. It is the day that Karen will marry Bill (Damian Young) and Becca gets her first visit from, as she put it, “It.” What’s a good daddy to do? All dressed up and prepared to go to a wedding, they rush to a convenience store where a woman grabs the last package of Tampons. Bill argues her, gets into a fight with her husband, but all ends well when the lady provides Becca with a quick tutorial. But it seems that’s the last thing that will end well on this day.
Off to the wedding. Hank promises to be on his best behavior. “I’m not going to make some quick romantic gesture,” he reassures Karen. When the minister asks if anyone has any objection to this marriage, he stays mum, as promised.
However, Mia (Madeline Zima), Bill’s 16-year-old (and every inebriated) daughter gets up and urges them not to knot. She tells her dad that he’s still grieving over his dead wife and Karen that she still longs for Hank. Hank tries to quiet her down. Even though Mia stole the manuscript of Hank’s new novel -- and is claiming credit for it -- he doesn’t want her to embarrass herself and ruin Karen’s wedding. But trying to shush her only makes it worse. Instead of shutting up, Mia blurts out that she and Hank had slept together. You can see the shock on everyone’s face, including Karen and Becca. Hank’s whole world starts falling apart.
Poor Hank Moody (David Duchovny). As CALIFORNCATION’S excellent first season comes to a close – this is the penultimate episode (and I mention that only because I like to use the word “penultimate” every chance I get) -- Hank is back in the doldrums.
To start with, 16-year-old Mia (Madeline Zima) has the only copy of his new book – and she’s claiming she wrote it. (He lost the original in a carjacking.) Mia’s agent Dani (Rachel Miner) loves the book and so do the publishers she’s offered it to. It’s about a 16-year-old girl who has an affair with an older writer.
Nothing Hank says convinces Mia to tell the truth. He can’t push too hard, because he is in fact the older writer and Mia is the very mature looking 16-year-old on which the novel is based. That he didn’t know she was 16 and that she came on to him doesn’t matter. What matters is that he doesn’t want to get arrested. And he doesn’t want his former girl friend Karen (Natascha) to find out. Karen is currently engaged to Bill (Damian Young), who also happens to be Mia’s father.
Which brings about another complication. Hank still loves Karen. She probably still loves him, but is going through with the wedding anyway – or at least so it seems. This speeds up Hank’s downward spiral, something their super bright daughter Becca (Madeleine Martin) senses.