Every fall dozens of new shows are placed on the television schedule. Some find success and others last barely a month before being canceled. It takes something new, creative and entertaining to make it past the first season. This year the show that is destined to find success is “Chuck.”
Chuck (Zachary Levi) is a member of the Nerd Heard at the local electronics store. One night he receives an e-mail form his college roommate containing thousands of pictures. When he opens it, he unwittingly learns all the government secrets that were embedded in the images. He begins to realize that he is starting to know things he should not and recognizes people he has never seen before.
CIA agent Sarah (Yvonne Strzechowski) is sent to retrieve Chuck’s hard drive in order to get the e-mail, but when it is destroyed, she has to find out what he knows and if he has a backup. The NSA, unhappy with the CIA’s progress, sends in John (Adam Baldwin) to do the job that Sarah could not and bring Chuck in.
What this show has going for it is the prefect blend of comedy, drama and action. No joke is forced, no drama over done and not action sequence over blown. Each part works and enhances the others.
The stand out performance would have to be Levi. He balances the comedic and the dramatic elements with great ease. Chuck is a guy who is content with his job and lack of a social life. He is more than happy to work with computers and play videogames all day. When the has the government secrets thrust upon him, he is taken out of his element and discovers that there is more to like than work and videogames.
Some of the funniest moments come when Chuck is out of his element. When John is perusing him and Sarah, Chuck is freaking out while she remains calm. She is driving backwards in his company car and not even looking where she is going. She tries to get him to calm down and tell her when to turn, but he is so confused by this that she takes charge and ends up turning before he can say anything.
“Chuck” separates itself from the abundance of new shows, by being as funny and original as it is interesting. There are no great mysteries to be solved or detailed storylines that will require a week-to-week viewing. It is an enjoyable show that is worth the time to watch.
“Chuck” airs Monday night at 8 pm on NBC
If you just came out of a yearlong coma, here is what you missed; “Heroes” took the television world by storm. It gave NBC its highest ratings for a series premiere ever. It even took on and beat Jack Bauer and the rest of the cast of “24” in the ratings week after week and it became a television phenomenon. This past Monday, “Heroes” returned for the second season and continued to amaze.
Season two picks up four months after the events of the finale. The indestructible cheerleader Claire (Hayden Panettiere) and her family have moved from Texas to California to keep Claire safe from the mysterious “company” Mind reading police officer Matt Parkman (Greg Grunburg) has moved to New York City and has adopted Molly Walker (Adair Tishler), the little girl who has the ability to find those with special powers. Everyone’s favorite time-traveling Japanese office worker, Hiro (Masi Oka), is still stuck in 1671 Japan and comes face to face with his childhood hero Takezo Kensei (David Anders) and discovers he is not who the legends say he is. Other character’s fates were reveled while others still remain a mystery.
With great success come high expectations. The sophomore season of a show is very critical, especially one with this much hype. “Lost” got hammered in its second season when it dove too much into the mystery and asked more questions than it answered. I do not foresee the same problem for “Heroes.” They have learned from other shows and are quick to give the viewers what they want.
The second season premiere gave viewers a glimpse at what to expect for the new season. New heroes Maya (Diana Ramirez) and Alejandro (Shalim Ortiz) were introduced as they made their way from Honduras to America to find a cure for what is happening to Maya. She has the ability to give people a deadly disease that causes a black substance to ooze from their eyes. The new villain was introduced, but not much is known about who they are or what they can do. The new season looks to keep the pace set by the first season. They are quick to give answers as well as set up more for season two.
The key to “Heroes” is the strong storytelling. Yes, it is about people with powers, but it is not just for comic book fans. These are people you can care about and root for. They represent every race, religion, economic background and gender. These characters have a depth that few other shows can even hope to achieve.
“Heroes” returned strong for the second season. If they keep it up they will find the same success they had last year. Time will only tell where this show will go.
“Heroes” airs Monday at 9 p.m. on NBC.
The western is a genre that has been around as long as the film medium itself. Starting back in the silent era with movies like “The Great Train Robbery” in 1903, the western has been a staple of the movie industry. There was a time when westerns were the most successful and most abundant movies made. Now it is a genre that has been ignored and overlooked. Action movies or romantic comedies seem to be all that grace the silver screen most weekends in America. Once every few years, a western makes it to the local theaters and this appears to be one of those years.
In “3:10 to Yuma,” Dan Evans (Christian Bale) is a struggling rancher who lost part of his leg in the Civil War. He is in debt and one night has his barn burned and cattle let loose, as punishment for not paying on time. The following morning he and his sons go in search of the lost cattle and come upon a wagon robbery. Ben Wade (Russell Crowe) and his gang have been robbing the rail companies for years, but this time the rail company was ready, they has the wagon was armed. After a ferocious gunfight, Wade once again gets the upper hand and the rail company is once again robbed. Evans finds Byron McElroy (Peter Fonda), a man who works for the railroad to protect the shipments, as the only survivor of the gunfight. Evans takes him to the nearest town, the same town where Wade holds up after the robbery. When Wade is caught, Evans is one of the men who volunteer to escort him to the train station to catch the 3:10 to Yuma.
When you get two actors the caliber of Bale and Crowe in a movie, it is bound to be good. These two could make “Gigli” an Oscar contender. This movie is another example of just how good these two can be. They play characters who are complete opposites.
Crowe makes Wade a bad guy that, no matter hard you try, is impossible to hate. He is very likable even though he is a killer and has no remorse for anything he does. When he is captured, he does what he is told without giving them too much trouble. He seems to know when to sit back and let things happen and wait until he has the upper hand. Even though he has been captured and is handcuffed, he remains upbeat and never feels like he is a prisoner. He remains talkative and is almost friendly to certain people who are escorting him to the train station. He and Evans become close and develop a respect and appreciation for one another. 
Bale is an actor who always seems to succeed no matter what role he is in. He does it again in “3:10” to Yuma.” Evans is a man driven by what is best for his family. He takes the job as escort because the money is good and will help the family get out of finical trouble. He also wants to prove himself to his sons. He sees himself as a failure because they are in debt and are struggling to pay it back. He is determined to get Wade onto the Yuma train so that his sons have a reason to be proud of him. He did something that no one else wanted to do.
I have always wondered why westerns are so few and far between. They have the action that many movies sent in present day have and sometimes have much better story lines. “Yuma” shows that westerns are still relevant and can be as exciting as any other movies released
8 out of 10
Rated R for violence and some language
1 hr 57 mins
When I found myself with nothing to do on Sunday night, I decided to watch the “Oscars of television;” the Emmys. The pageantry. The upsets. The drama. The…Ryan Seacrest? Here is a little break down of what you may or may not have missed.
The Host
Ryan Seacrest was the best that they could find? The man who was smacked with the lucky stick and landed the American Idol gig? Only on Fox could he pass as the one to host a major awards show. True, he does have some “hosting” experience, but that does not mean he is a good choice. I will give him credit; he did try to be funny. He even made a few jokes at his own expense, but his forced energy just makes me want to throw my television through the window.
“In the round”
While good in theory, having a round stage and placing the audience around it is horrible in practice. Half the audience got to stare at the presenters/winners butts all night. Maybe they should have stuck with the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” philosophy.
Family Guy Emmy Opening Song
The show opened with Brian and Stewie Griffin singing a song where they ripped on all major networks except Fox…wonder why that is?
Ray Romano
The “Everybody Loves Raymond” star came out of his post show coma and put on a little comedy act about how life sucks after you show is off the air. Sounds like somebody is regretting that decision.
The Winners
Comedy Series-“30 Rock”
Seen it and it is not the funny. “ “Entourage” or “The Office” should have won
Drama Series-The Sopranos
There is nothing like ending your television show to get the pity Emmy.
Lead actor in a comedy-Ricky Gervais-“Extras”
If Steve Carell was not going to win for “The Office,” Gervais was the next best choice.
Lead actor in a drama-James Spader-“Boston Legal,”
I guess “Boston Legal” is still on the air. I am pretty sure I lost a bet to someone.
Lead actress in a comedy-America Ferrera-“Ugly Betty”
“Weeds” is a much better show and Mary Louise Parker is a much better actress.
Lead actress in a drama-Sally Field-“Brothers and Sisters”
You have to love it when as soon as the winner starts talking about the war, Fox shuts off the sound and shows a shot of a decoration on the ceiling.
Supporting actor in a comedy-Jeremy Piven-Entourage
Face it; the other nominees did not stand a chance against Ari Gold.
Supporting actor in a drama-Terry O’Quinn-“Lost”
At least “Lost” won for something this year.
Supporting actress in a comedy-Jamie Pressly-“My Name is Earl”
Not the best choice, but at least “Two and a Half Men” got shut out despite having two of the six nominations.
Supporting actress in a drama-Katherine Heigl-Grey’s Anatomy
When three of the six nominees come from the same show, one of them has to win.
There are probably better ways to waste three hours on a Sunday night than watching an industry toot their own horns, but when there is nothing else on, you are limited in your choices. The new television season begins this week and maybe among the multitude of shows there will be one worthy of an Emmy next year.
I have seen a lot of movies, more then should be allowed by law, but something happened to me this past weekend that has never happened before; I was speechless. Usually, good or bad, there is something to say. Yet, as I walked out of the theater, I could find no words to express what I had just seen. I was absolutely blown away by “The Kingdom.” It comes on Sept. 28, but I was lucky enough to attend a sneak preview this past Saturday.
In an American compound in Saudi Arabia, American oil workers and their families are enjoying a picnic when a suicide bomber attacks. Dozens are killed in the initial attack and a few hours later when the ambulances arrive, another bomb goes off killing even more. FBI agent Ronald Fluery (Jamie Foxx) and his team Janet Mayes (Jennifer Garner), Adam Leavitt (Jason Bateman) and Grant Sykes (Chris Cooper) are determined to get over there and find those responsible. After being told “no” by the U.S Government at every turn, they get permission from one of the Saudi princes to land in his kingdom. Once there they receive very little help from the Saudi soldiers and are even prevented from doing their job. They are strangers in a dangerous country and are instantly targets for the Saudi terrorists. They will not let that stop them from making sure that the man behind the attacks is caught.
With big stars come great performances. Chris Cooper again shows why he is the “best actor you do not know” and Jamie Foxx redeems his less then stellar post-Oscar roles. Jennifer Garner shows that despite past movies, she is a good actress and even Jason Bateman shows that he not only has comedic chops, but is also a very good dramatic actor. 
Even with all the big names, the one performance that stood was Ali Suliman. He plays Sgt. Haytham, the Saudi soldier who is put in charge of overseeing the Americans. He starts out being very cold toward the team and gives them very little help and many restrictions as to when and what they can do. He wanted to lead the investigation, but the prince put another soldier, one who is more about beating the truth out of a suspect then looking for clues and finding answers, in charge. It is not until Fluery asks the prince if Haytham could be put in charge of the Saudi side of the investigation that he begins to warm up to the Americans. When he is given more power, Haytham takes a more active role in the investigation and helps the FBI. He presents the view of the majority of the Saudis. He is against the extremists and wants to stop them. Despite his initial coldness, he joins forces with the Americans when the terrorist group responsible for the attacks, captures Leavitt. There are multiple scenes where he expresses his outrage and says that a man who can plan mass killings scares him.
What struck me most about “The Kingdom” were the different perspectives shown. Where it would be easy to just show the American or even the Saudi soldier viewpoint, they decided to also showed a few scenes from the terrorist perspective. They are shown in meetings, praying and making bombs. We see the belief and resolve they have and that is juxtaposed with the belief and resolve of the FBI in finding those responsible.
If there is one downside it is the slow beginning. It takes a while before the movie gets to the real meat of the plot, but once they get over to Saudi Arabia, the story picks up. The claim that the last 30 minuets are so intense you will not be able to move is scarily accurate. It is one extended action scene as the team tries to rescue their captured comrade. It is filled with shootouts, explosions and lots on tension.
It takes a lot for me to have such a strong reaction to a movie these days. Most of the new releases are a waste of time and never amount too much 10 dollars down the drain. This is one of those few exceptions that show how good a movie can be.
9 out of 10
Rated R for intense sequences of graphic brutal violence, and for language.
1 hr 50 mins
You know what I hate? People who just do not get it. People who think that all movies have to be taken seriously and must be taken at face value. That is why movies like “Grindhouse” have failed in the past, because people just do not get it. Maybe the concepts were too unusual for the general public to follow. I can only hope that a good old-fashioned action movie will be enough to become a box office success, but if this past weekend’s box office is any indication, America still does not get it.
“Shoot ‘Em Up” is the story of a man named Smith (Clive Owen) who witnesses a pregnant woman being chased by an armed man and goes to save her. He ends up in the middle of a shoot out during which he has to deliver the baby. When the woman is killed, Smith takes the baby to save it from the other gunmen and their boss Hertz (Paul Giamatti). Smith gets Donna Quintano (Monica Bellucci), a “lady of the night,” to help him keep the baby safe. Shoot out after shoot out Smith begins to piece together more about why Hertz wants the baby dead.
As I left the theater after “Shoot ‘Em Up” I heard one man say, “That was the second stupidest movie I have ever seen. It is supposed to be stupid, ripe with clichés and over the top. That is what this man missed. This movie is ridiculous and it knows it. How else do you explain how a bullet hits the hero only once and even then it is a superficial graze? After all the shootouts it is well over an hour into the movie before the hero is injured in any way. Even the circumstances of the various shootouts are out of the ordinary; Smith delivers a baby, has sex and is even skydiving during the multitude of shootouts.
Clive Owen is the man. He makes every movie he is in better and this movie is no exception. Smith is a mystery. We never get to find out anything about him, not even his first name. Hertz hypothesizes about who he thinks Smith is, but he is never give any indication if he is right or not. Owen plays Smith a lot like Dwight from “Sin City,” as a guy who is virtually emotionless. It is obvious he cares for the baby and wants to save him, but he never shows any real emotion. He is angry at the world and it shows. He only begrudgingly helps the pregnant woman and even almost leaves the baby alone when the mother is dead. He is constantly listing his pet peeves and correcting them, mostly with bullets.
He is given some of the best one-liners in the movie. In one car chase scene Smith shoots out his front windshield, unbuckles his seatbelt and crashes into an oncoming van. He flies through the window to the back of the van then he kills the bad guys inside and says, “So much for wearing your seat belt.”
Hertz is the exact opposite of Smith. He always seems to be angry or yelling. He is continually frustrated by Smith’s amazing ability to kill every man sent after him. He becomes obsessed with finding out who Smith is and to make sure he is killed. Hertz is very good at what he does. He can read people and seems to know what Smith is going to do. Of all the abandoned buildings in the city, he is able to pick out the one that Smith lives in.
Seeing “Shoot ‘Em Up” is a movie going experience. It is fun to watch and easy to enjoy. The action scenes are so over the top it is good. Some of the fun elements include the carrots Smith always seems to have on him. A few times it becomes a weapon or used to assist in doing as much damage as possible. In one scene he takes a bite of the carrot and jams the rest in the trigger of a gun and throws it at the bad guys. It is scenes like this that make this movie so much fun. The plot is secondary to the action, but it is done intentionally and makes the movie easy to watch. 
I think that most people are going to see this movie like the man I overheard. It will be bashed because those who see it are going to think like he did. “Shoot ‘Em Up” is satire and nothing more than that. It is not supposed to be taken seriously. You are supposed to laugh at the ridiculousness of it. As a viewer all you are asked to do is sit back and enjoy the wild ride.
8/10
Rated R
87 mins
The end of August is a black hole for movies. The summer movies have all been released and the movies with hopes of Oscar nominations are still a few weeks away. Most of the movies here are forgettable and are released for the sake of being released. It is a horrible time to be a moviegoer.
Bring on “Balls of Fury.” Former child pingpong prodigy Randy Daytona (Dan Fogler) has fallen far since he made a fool of himself at the 1988 Olympics. He is stuck doing variety shows in a Reno restaurant. The FBI asks him to compete in an underground pingpong tournament with the best players in the world being hosted by Feng (Christopher Walken). Feng is a known evildoer (no idea exactly what he does) and the FBI wants to know what Feng is up to. Randy has not competed in many years and is not ready. He goes to see Master Wong (James Hong) and his sexy pingpong playing niece Maggie Wong (Maggie Q) to get him ready to take on the best Feng can throw at him.
“Balls of Fury” is an unfunny version of “Dodgeball.” With the exception of Christopher Walken and two or three lines from Diedrich Bader (of “The Drew Carey Show” fame), there is nothing funny about this movie. It tries so hard to be funny and smart, but just ends up stupid and sad. This is all compounded by the “Matrix-type” camera shots of the pingpong games. The action stops with the ball in mid-air as one player is about to hit the ball and then the camera rotates to the opposing player. Gee, that has not been used in every movie since “The Matrix.” Use all the fancy camera tricks you want, there is no way to make pingpong cinematically interesting.
The main characters are so unfunny and so uninteresting you just cannot care about them. Randy is just another in a long line of fat, stupid slacker types. Maggie Q plays the generic attractive woman who is tougher than the hero and falls in love with him despite the fact that he is a moron. All has been done before and done better.
The only saving grace is Walken. He is funny without even trying to be. He has adapted this strange and quirky persona and run with it in most of the movies he has done. The odd voice fluctuations and emphasis on just about every other work has become synonymous with the name Christopher Walken. I do not even think he was trying to really act in this movie. He kept all the mannerisms that have made him famous and simply put on a costume and waited for the camera to roll.
How many times can Randy get hit in the “family jewels” before it gets old? The answer, in this case, is only once. After that you can tell when it is coming. It gets old really fast and does nothing to make the movie any funnier. Granted, the same was done in “Dodgeball,” but it was a much funnier crutch to lean on and was a part of the plot. In “Balls of Fury” it is just overkill.
This movie is so boring, so unoriginal and so unfunny that it comes off as a pathetic attempt at entertainment. The only thing it does is waste time and makes this review that much harder to write.
5/10
Rated PG-13 for crude and sex-related humor, and for language.
90 mins
