Nov 28 2010
Amazing Race
There’s a Lot of Nuts and Bullets
This is the race where it seems Amy got her wish. One team gets so far ahead of everyone else, we got to watch them go through it all with no tension about them winning. At least some teams were bunched up together in the back to make it more exciting.
Nov 27 2010
This week has a lot of Christmas specials because the networks didn’t want to waste any time after Thanksgiving ended before moving onto the next big holiday. The only decent premiere this week will be Top Chef. I’m not sure why it is premiering in December when most shows go into reruns, but it does feature more contestants than a typical season so maybe they needed to start earlier to whittle it down to a manageable about of people.
Top Chef: All-Stars
Channel: Bravo
Time: 10/9c
Starring: Tom Colicchio, Padma Lakshmi, Anthony Bourdain
Premieres: Wednesday, December 1
Trailer
Synopsis: Previous contestants that didn’t win before are back to compete again.
My Take: Some of these contestants froze up at the very end or had one really bad night when they seemed so promising before, so it is nice to see them get another shot to see if they do really have it or if they like to sabotage themselves after a while.
Nov 24 2010
The two Certified Fresh movies are the latest Disney movie, Tangled, and the limited release The King’s Speech. The rest of the wide releases seem like goofy fun, but nothing too great.
Tangled
Burlesque
Faster
Love and Other Drugs
Tangled
Directed: Byron Howard, Nathan Greno
Starring: Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi, Donna Murphy, Ron Perlman, M.C. Gainey, Jeffrey Tambor, Brad Garrett, Paul F. Tompkins
Trailer
Synopsis: A take on Rapunzel where a guy who is wanted by many bad guys hides in a tower where he is then taken hostage by a girl with super long hair.
My Take: It seems pretty standard Disney fare that I quit watching years ago, unless it is Pixar.
RT Score: 88%
RT Consensus: While far from Disney’s greatest film, Tangled is a visually stunning, thoroughly entertaining addition to the studio’s classic animated canon.
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Nov 21 2010
Amazing Race
Ali Baba In a Suit
This entire leg had the teams separated up so much that they had no idea who was in first and who was in last. It seemed like each team only knew they were racing against one other team, but they didn’t know if they were racing for first or last place. It was weird, but at least two of them were together instead of one lonely team out there clueless about what anyone else was doing.
Nov 20 2010
Amazing Race
I Want to Be in the Circus, That’s Where I Belong
At the end of the last race, the tattoo couple came in last place, but it was a non-elimination leg. They should have had a speed bump during this leg, but apparently during the Russia leg, they turned in the correct sheet music to the judge much earlier than anyone else but he said they were wrong. To make up for that goof, they didn’t have an extra task to do in this leg. No clue why the producers or Phil didn’t explain any of this during the show. Did they hope no one would notice? Continue reading “Amazing Race: Penalty Leg”
Nov 19 2010
The alternative for Harry Potter should be a movie for grown ups, but it seems less plausible than the plot involving a wizard boy attacking an evil mastermind.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I
The Next Three Days
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I
Directed: David Yates
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Tom Felton, Ralph Fiennes, Brendan Gleeson, Richard Griffiths, John Hurt, Jason Isaacs, Helen McCrory, Bill Nighy, Miranda Richardson, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, Timothy Spall, Imelda Staunton, David Thewlis, Julie Walters, Bonnie Wright
Trailer
Synopsis: The beginning of the end for Harry Potter where he goes out on the world’s longest camping trip in search of Voldemort.
My Take: Of course, I need to see it. I’ve read the book!
RT Score: 79%
RT Consensus: It can’t help but feel like the prelude it is, but Deathly Hallows: Part I is a beautifully filmed, emotionally satisfying penultimate installment for the Harry Potter series.
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Nov 14 2010
Amazing Race
Run, Babushka, Run
At the end of the this leg, the contestants interacted with some locals in a small town. They were pretty friendly for the most part and that always intrigues me. I’m wondering if there are people that are annoyed by the camera crew invading on their space and the show doesn’t show it or if everyone is excited to have the show in their part of the world for a bit.
Nov 12 2010
Out of the two Certified Fresh movies, Unstoppable looks like a fun time. The other one looks like an indie movie that is too indie for its own good.
Unstoppable
Morning Glory
Skyline
Unstoppable
Directed: Tony Scott
Starring: Denzel Washington, Chris Pine, Rosario Dawson
Trailer
Synopsis: An unmanned out-of-control train carrying chemicals can only be stopped by Denzel Washington.
My Take: Remember when all movies were Speed but with a <fill in the blank>. Well, this looks like Speed but with a train.
RT Score: 86%
RT Consensus: As fast, loud, and relentless as the train at the center of the story,Unstoppable is perfect popcorn entertainment — and director Tony Scott’s best movie in years.
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Nov 07 2010
Amazing Race
Tastes Like a Million Dollars
This leg reminded me what I first thought when I started watching the show. I really thought that if people did well early on, their times they got to the pit stop would make a big difference in future legs. Then, I came to find that wasn’t true when you had to wait for airplane flights or places that were closed when you arrived. I found there were many equalizers to the game, which makes it more interesting to watch. This leg involved a lot of driving around not too far from where they started, which makes it somewhat not as exciting to watch. There were opportunities for teams to get seriously lost or make huge mistakes, but if that doesn’t happen, then there isn’t a lot of tension about who will win and who will lose.
Nov 05 2010
Megamind looks like fun in the wide releases. Due Date does not look like fun, even though it should be. There are tons of Certified Fresh movies in limited releases, including Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer, 127 Hours, Four Lions and Fair Game.
Megamind
Due Date
For Colored Girl
Megamind
Directed: Tom McGrath
Starring: Will Ferrell, Brad Pitt, Tina Fey, Jonah Hill
Trailer
Synopsis: Two aliens were sent to Earth as babies–one to become a savior of humans and the other to be his archnemesis.
My Take: It looks harmlessly goofy, but I would hope it is funnier than the trailer.
RT Score: 72%
RT Consensus: It regurgitates plot points from earlier animated efforts, and isn’t quite as funny as it should be, but a top-shelf voice cast and strong visuals help make Megaminda pleasant, if unspectacular, diversion.
