Disclaimer: Neither the author of this post, nor the owners of the blog it is posted on, received any form of compensation for the following content. Frankly, if a large fast food chain is stooping to purchase the content of this blog and its tens of monthly page views, they are probably in a lot of trouble. I can assure you this came to the author while she was enjoying Arby's seasonal special of two fish sandwiches for $5. We felt it prudent to preempt any concerns our faithful commenters may have. Feel free to criticize the gross violation of scope of this post, or our willingness to lump brand names and marketing into the morass that is pop culture.
"I'm so hungry, I could eat at Arby's"
"If I can keep down Arby's, I can keep down you..."
"A possum drowned in the pool. You have any garbage bags?"
"Just throw it over the fence. Let Arby's worry about it."
These are all quotes from The Simpsons. Clearly, someone on the writing staff of the show has a problem with the fast food restaurant chain. Although the jokes are funny in the context of the episodes, I've never understood the hate for Arby's from that show.
Frankly, I've often enjoyed eating there. When they are well made, their Beef and Cheddar sandwiches are probably my favorite fast food sandwich. Occasionally I think of one of their standard roast beef sandwiches with both Arby's and Horsey sauce on it, and my mouth will almost start to water.
Now perhaps my fondness for Arby's comes from my midwestern upbringing. After all, when you have to drive a half hour to get more than one fast food choice, and one of them is Arby's, maybe you learn to love what may very well be subpar foodstuffs. Perhaps the dull midwestern diet of bland dishes made of meat and potatoes makes you appreciate any spiciness, even if it comes in a vague horseradish form. Perhaps it is just nostalgia, warm, happy thoughts of eating roast beef and curly fries after losing another match at the weekly East Central Illinois Chess League contests.
Perhaps the writer(s) had a bad experience at Arby's. Sometimes they aren't the most consistent of restaurants. On more than one occasion they've been out of insignificant things such as roast beef, curly fries, or jamocha shakes. And as much as I love them, Beef and Cheddars can be down right disgusting if not prepared right. Frankly, they've been disappointing enough recently that I've pretty much switched over to the regular roast beef, or the fish sandwiches when they are in season. Perhaps they just need to give the place another shot.
All I know is that after I bit off more than I could chew on the Appalachian and Benton MacKaye trails last December, the roast beef and seasonal peppermint shake from the Arby's in Ellijay, GA helped bring me back from the land of weary hikers. I mean, where else was I going to go, Hardee's? I wasn't THAT desperate*.
*This only applies to Hardee's after breakfast. I'm still not certain why they don't just serve breakfast all day there. Those biscuits are delicious.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Movies I'd Like to see Made #1: Harding
At the end of each year (well, 2012 and 2010) I write about my favorite movies of the year. I like every movie on those lists, and am looking forward to what's coming in 2013. However, I have a list of movie ideas that have yet to be brought forth by any studio, either major or independent, which I will be revealing to you, dear readers, over the next few weeks. I doubt these ideas will see the bright lights of the studio, as they are far too busy creating more sequels to comic book movies. Feel free to use any of these ideas, or hire me to write the script. Either way is good.
Harding
Have you seen the box office receipts for Lincoln? That's a lot of money for a historical film. Of course, now that we've seen a film starring our greatest President, it's appropriate we get one about one of our worst. Yes, folks, it's time for a picture about Warren G. Harding, the George W. Bush of his time. Relive the glory days of the Teapot Dome scandal, and then lament as President Harding succumbs to congestive heart failure. What's more, it sets up a potential sequel with the swearing in of that talkative fellow Calvin Coolidge. If you really work at it, you can throw Herbert Hoover in for a trilogy, kind of as The Hobbit to the Depression and World War Two's Lord of the Rings.
Harding
Have you seen the box office receipts for Lincoln? That's a lot of money for a historical film. Of course, now that we've seen a film starring our greatest President, it's appropriate we get one about one of our worst. Yes, folks, it's time for a picture about Warren G. Harding, the George W. Bush of his time. Relive the glory days of the Teapot Dome scandal, and then lament as President Harding succumbs to congestive heart failure. What's more, it sets up a potential sequel with the swearing in of that talkative fellow Calvin Coolidge. If you really work at it, you can throw Herbert Hoover in for a trilogy, kind of as The Hobbit to the Depression and World War Two's Lord of the Rings.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Oscar Nominations 2013
It's Oscar time, everybody! Normally, I don't really follow the Oscars - this has been due to a mixture of being busy (college, internships, etc) and thus not making it to the movies a lot and the fact that I rarely care for awards shows in general.
However, looking upon the list of nominees this year, I thought I'd give my two cents since I've broken some sort of personal record and seen like 8 movies in theaters this year. (And yes, spare me the glaring looks...I'm well aware that for someone so in to pop culture I don't seem to get out much.)
The Best Picture category is not a surprise in the least to me, despite the fact I've never heard of Amour. Beasts of the Southern Wild, Les Miserables, Life of Pi, and Silver Linings Playbook are all films I've been wanting to see but, other than knowing they've been getting rave reviews, I don't have a whole lot to say about.
Lincoln has swept the categories this year and I feel no other film is deserving of as many nominations as this picture, which details the struggle of passing the 13th Amendment during the beginning (and, spoilers, end) of President Lincoln's second term in the White House. The film, I think, accomplished the rare blend of being in-depth, poignant, and significantly aware and delicate with the historical events while at the same time making it possible for a viewer unfamiliar with said events to follow along with ease. The film therefore was a historical biopic that was also immensely entertaining (unless, of course, you are the 900 year old woman in the row behind us who fell asleep and was snoring in the middle of the movie).
My major disappointment was that Moonrise Kingdom was only nominated in one category, albeit a major category (in my humble opinion); best original screenplay. I think it has a lot of contention this year but I feel like its major threat is Zero Dark Thirty. The film detailing the events behind Osama bin Laden's compound raid is another one I'd like to see at my earliest convenience, but truth be told as a Parks and Recreation fan I have a hard time with Chris Pratt being anyone other than Andy Dwyer, or, perhaps only slightly more appropriately, Bert Macklin.
I feel as though Brave will probably win Best Animated Feature but, not having seen ParaNorman, I think Wreck-It Ralph is much more deserving of the award. Brave was beautifully done and very entertaining to watch, but oddly enough for a category where Pixar usually sweeps Ralph felt like the more Pixar-ish film of the nominees. And yes, I say that knowing that at this point its basically semantics seeing as Disney-Pixar is practically one in the same now...which isn't a bad thing. What it comes down to is individual teams working on pictures - the writers and directors are really bringing the film to life and everything else is level playing field. By those merits, Ralph came out stronger and felt like a return to form on the whole innovative-but-still-emotionally-touching front. So that's what I mean when I say the non-Pixar Disney film felt more like Pixar than the Pixar film, I guess. And if Paperman doesn't take Best Animated Short I will flip tables. No lie.
Am I a bit disappointed that the Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey didn't get more nominations, especially with Howard Shore's beautiful soundtrack? Yes. Am I surprised? Not really. A lot of people couldn't get past the different tone of the film and found fault with the pacing. I understand those complaints, but the film was beautiful and faithful enough to have deserved at least Best Adapted Screenplay. It did take a nomination in Best Visual Effects, so I can be happy with that...albeit Snow White and the Huntsman also took a nomination there, so...
On the other hand, it shares a category with its only true contender, Marvel's the Avengers. I know, I know, Summer Blockbusters have no place on Oscar lists, but I cannot express how much I love this movie. I'm a complete Marvel fangirl to begin with, but Joss Whedon (my geeky overlord) deserved a spot for Best Adapted Screenplay or Best Direction. Because he's Joss-Friggin-Whedon and he deserves ALL the awards, and the Avengers was definitely a labor of love for him. If loving your work was criteria for awards, though, I'm sure the ceremony would run several hours longer.
I'm not sure how I feel about Adele's song from Skyfall being nominated for Best Original Song. I mean, I understand the politics behind it - she's Adele and the music industry it-girl, and it's a James Bond movie so duh, but the song wasn't good enough to win this category...so, for the sake of bluntness, I hope it doesn't. Then again, I'm just not a big James Bond song person. They all sound so cheesy and horrible to me. Except the Wings' "Live and Let Die". I love that song...and that probably says a lot about me.
Other than that, I do believe Skyfall earned the rest of its nominations. This was definitely the most engaging of the James Bond films of my lifetime and the cinematography played a large role in it. The film was brilliantly shot, and I guess the sound editing and mixing were good, too...I can't really say I pay attention to a film and say "wow! that sound editing is GENIUS!" but I wouldn't be too surprised if it was. I'm sure there's some politics involved where the sound categories can be seen as ones that have to be recognized (or the sound engineers union would pitch a fit), but hey, a nomination is a nomination.
So, as always, I may add to this list of observations at a later time, but right now Return of the King is on tv and, you know, priorities. What were your favorite movies of the year? What are your thoughts about the nominations? Let us know in the comments, on twitter, or on facebook!
However, looking upon the list of nominees this year, I thought I'd give my two cents since I've broken some sort of personal record and seen like 8 movies in theaters this year. (And yes, spare me the glaring looks...I'm well aware that for someone so in to pop culture I don't seem to get out much.)
The Best Picture category is not a surprise in the least to me, despite the fact I've never heard of Amour. Beasts of the Southern Wild, Les Miserables, Life of Pi, and Silver Linings Playbook are all films I've been wanting to see but, other than knowing they've been getting rave reviews, I don't have a whole lot to say about.
Lincoln has swept the categories this year and I feel no other film is deserving of as many nominations as this picture, which details the struggle of passing the 13th Amendment during the beginning (and, spoilers, end) of President Lincoln's second term in the White House. The film, I think, accomplished the rare blend of being in-depth, poignant, and significantly aware and delicate with the historical events while at the same time making it possible for a viewer unfamiliar with said events to follow along with ease. The film therefore was a historical biopic that was also immensely entertaining (unless, of course, you are the 900 year old woman in the row behind us who fell asleep and was snoring in the middle of the movie).
My major disappointment was that Moonrise Kingdom was only nominated in one category, albeit a major category (in my humble opinion); best original screenplay. I think it has a lot of contention this year but I feel like its major threat is Zero Dark Thirty. The film detailing the events behind Osama bin Laden's compound raid is another one I'd like to see at my earliest convenience, but truth be told as a Parks and Recreation fan I have a hard time with Chris Pratt being anyone other than Andy Dwyer, or, perhaps only slightly more appropriately, Bert Macklin.
I feel as though Brave will probably win Best Animated Feature but, not having seen ParaNorman, I think Wreck-It Ralph is much more deserving of the award. Brave was beautifully done and very entertaining to watch, but oddly enough for a category where Pixar usually sweeps Ralph felt like the more Pixar-ish film of the nominees. And yes, I say that knowing that at this point its basically semantics seeing as Disney-Pixar is practically one in the same now...which isn't a bad thing. What it comes down to is individual teams working on pictures - the writers and directors are really bringing the film to life and everything else is level playing field. By those merits, Ralph came out stronger and felt like a return to form on the whole innovative-but-still-emotionally-touching front. So that's what I mean when I say the non-Pixar Disney film felt more like Pixar than the Pixar film, I guess. And if Paperman doesn't take Best Animated Short I will flip tables. No lie.
Am I a bit disappointed that the Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey didn't get more nominations, especially with Howard Shore's beautiful soundtrack? Yes. Am I surprised? Not really. A lot of people couldn't get past the different tone of the film and found fault with the pacing. I understand those complaints, but the film was beautiful and faithful enough to have deserved at least Best Adapted Screenplay. It did take a nomination in Best Visual Effects, so I can be happy with that...albeit Snow White and the Huntsman also took a nomination there, so...
On the other hand, it shares a category with its only true contender, Marvel's the Avengers. I know, I know, Summer Blockbusters have no place on Oscar lists, but I cannot express how much I love this movie. I'm a complete Marvel fangirl to begin with, but Joss Whedon (my geeky overlord) deserved a spot for Best Adapted Screenplay or Best Direction. Because he's Joss-Friggin-Whedon and he deserves ALL the awards, and the Avengers was definitely a labor of love for him. If loving your work was criteria for awards, though, I'm sure the ceremony would run several hours longer.
I'm not sure how I feel about Adele's song from Skyfall being nominated for Best Original Song. I mean, I understand the politics behind it - she's Adele and the music industry it-girl, and it's a James Bond movie so duh, but the song wasn't good enough to win this category...so, for the sake of bluntness, I hope it doesn't. Then again, I'm just not a big James Bond song person. They all sound so cheesy and horrible to me. Except the Wings' "Live and Let Die". I love that song...and that probably says a lot about me.
Other than that, I do believe Skyfall earned the rest of its nominations. This was definitely the most engaging of the James Bond films of my lifetime and the cinematography played a large role in it. The film was brilliantly shot, and I guess the sound editing and mixing were good, too...I can't really say I pay attention to a film and say "wow! that sound editing is GENIUS!" but I wouldn't be too surprised if it was. I'm sure there's some politics involved where the sound categories can be seen as ones that have to be recognized (or the sound engineers union would pitch a fit), but hey, a nomination is a nomination.
So, as always, I may add to this list of observations at a later time, but right now Return of the King is on tv and, you know, priorities. What were your favorite movies of the year? What are your thoughts about the nominations? Let us know in the comments, on twitter, or on facebook!
Looking Ahead in 2013: Television
For several of my favorite shows, 2013 will be a year of goodbyes. 30 Rock will be wrapping up in a few weeks, while The Office will end its run in May. Odds are this will be the final lap for Community as well. And of course, later this year we'll be getting the last eight episodes of Breaking Bad. For a while at least my viewing mix will get a bit smaller.
However, for many other shows it will be business as usual, and one show will be coming back, this time in Netflix form! Starting here in early January, and going on throughout the rest of the year it'll be an interesting ride.
The show I am looking forward the most to is Game of Thrones, which will begin it's third season on March 31. I've read all of the books that currently are out there, and have watched both seasons of the TV show, and I'm really excited. Sure, A Storm of Swords is split between two seasons, but that is because it is the most action filled of the books. I'm curious exactly what we'll be seeing in the season, and how they'll have to change it around to fit the constraints of television. Apparently they've added extra minutes to each episode, so there will almost be eleven episodes, once you consider the sum total of running time. I'm especially curious to see where they'll cut off the episode. I've got my theory of what will be the end of the tenth episode, although I wouldn't be surprised if that ends up at the end of episode nine, considering how they've done the first two seasons.
Of course, Game of Thrones is not the only HBO show I'm looking forward to seeing come back. Enlightened and Girls are coming back this month, and The Newsroom comes back in June, warts and all. Also at some point Veep may be coming back, so that's good.
Outside the world of HBO, another thing I'm cautiously looking forward to is the return of Arrested Development, as it makes its Netflix exclusive debut later this year. Perhaps it will be a disappointment, an affirmation that sometimes the end of a series isn't a bad thing. Hopefully it won't be, and will be something worth watching.
As for shows that aren't yet ending, but aren't beginning (or are not on HBO), there is a lot to look forward to. Archer premieres a week from today, the same day as Parks and Recreation comes back from the holiday break*. Mad Men will build upon it's great season five, coming back sometime later this year. Futurama will be starting the back half of season seven this summer. Although not as great as it's initial run, the show is still good for many good episodes, and a couple great ones each season.
It's too early to tell what new series might show up next Fall, at least in regards to the usual broadcast networks. As it stands, I've not followed any of the shows that premiered last fall, and only occasionally watch ones such as New Girl that are in their second season. Part of it is because the new shows are rather dire, but part is there is just too much good TV to watch. Especially since It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and The West Wing are on Netlix now. Man, I need to really catch up on Bob's Burgers. You know what, I'll get back to you in...oh...December.
*Hmmm...do you think there might be a regular Thursday night wrap-up feature starting in a week? Perhaps.
However, for many other shows it will be business as usual, and one show will be coming back, this time in Netflix form! Starting here in early January, and going on throughout the rest of the year it'll be an interesting ride.
The show I am looking forward the most to is Game of Thrones, which will begin it's third season on March 31. I've read all of the books that currently are out there, and have watched both seasons of the TV show, and I'm really excited. Sure, A Storm of Swords is split between two seasons, but that is because it is the most action filled of the books. I'm curious exactly what we'll be seeing in the season, and how they'll have to change it around to fit the constraints of television. Apparently they've added extra minutes to each episode, so there will almost be eleven episodes, once you consider the sum total of running time. I'm especially curious to see where they'll cut off the episode. I've got my theory of what will be the end of the tenth episode, although I wouldn't be surprised if that ends up at the end of episode nine, considering how they've done the first two seasons.
Of course, Game of Thrones is not the only HBO show I'm looking forward to seeing come back. Enlightened and Girls are coming back this month, and The Newsroom comes back in June, warts and all. Also at some point Veep may be coming back, so that's good.
Outside the world of HBO, another thing I'm cautiously looking forward to is the return of Arrested Development, as it makes its Netflix exclusive debut later this year. Perhaps it will be a disappointment, an affirmation that sometimes the end of a series isn't a bad thing. Hopefully it won't be, and will be something worth watching.
As for shows that aren't yet ending, but aren't beginning (or are not on HBO), there is a lot to look forward to. Archer premieres a week from today, the same day as Parks and Recreation comes back from the holiday break*. Mad Men will build upon it's great season five, coming back sometime later this year. Futurama will be starting the back half of season seven this summer. Although not as great as it's initial run, the show is still good for many good episodes, and a couple great ones each season.
It's too early to tell what new series might show up next Fall, at least in regards to the usual broadcast networks. As it stands, I've not followed any of the shows that premiered last fall, and only occasionally watch ones such as New Girl that are in their second season. Part of it is because the new shows are rather dire, but part is there is just too much good TV to watch. Especially since It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and The West Wing are on Netlix now. Man, I need to really catch up on Bob's Burgers. You know what, I'll get back to you in...oh...December.
*Hmmm...do you think there might be a regular Thursday night wrap-up feature starting in a week? Perhaps.
Monday, January 7, 2013
In Defense Of: The West Wing Season Five
There is no accounting for taste. Everyone has a favorite movie or TV show that they like despite the general consensus being otherwise. Sometimes we come to this opinion upon a revisiting, as perhaps our new experiences and perspective opens up new ways to be entertained. Other times we've enjoyed it from the first time we saw it, and we still love it, damnit. We begin with season five of The West Wing, considered the weakest of the entire series.
There is no denying that The West Wing was weaker after Aaron Sorkin left. Even when the show rebounded during the Santos vs. Vinick election storyline, it was still missing something, that "Good Sorkin"* element that seemed to tie together the show so well. This can be best felt in the Zoey Bartlet kidnapping arc, half of which was under Sorkin, half of which was not. "Commencement" and "25" are tight, well written, and balance the drama with the tension really well. The juxtaposition of Toby's joy at the birth of his twins and the President and First Lady going through the utter hell of their daughter being kidnapped is spot on. Although the fourth season had some of the troubles of later seasons, it certainly ended with a bang.
"7A WF 83429" and "The Dogs of War", on the other hand, aren't bad, but they just aren't great. Instead of having that focus on the interpersonal drama surrounding the kidnapping and Bartlet's subsequent temporary recusal from the Presidency, it seemed far more concerned with the political aspects of the situation. That isn't to say there isn't a place for that, just that it wasn't as well balanced. The end of "7A WF 83429" tries to go for the emotion of "Two Cathedrals" or "Commencement", but it just feels overblown. To top it off, the conclusion of the kidnapping just seemed a bit perfunctory, like they forgot they needed to end it and just stuck it in there. They were pretty good television, and would have been great for many shows. But for a show like The West Wing, they just weren't good enough.
The other twenty episodes are about the same. They are nowhere near the awfulness some people seem to claim, but they are also nowhere near the heights of Bartlet's first term. Martin Sheen is great as always as President Bartlet, as is most of the rest of the cast. Season five marks a big step in Donna's development as a character, as she tries to become more than just Josh's faithful assistant.
My two biggest problems with the season are what they did to Leo and Will. In the first four seasons, Leo was the President's right hand man. He was powerful, he was wise, and he was competent. Sure, he often tempered the President's more quixotic side, but he knew when to slow things down, and when to let Bartlet be Bartlet. However, in season five, he becomes Mr. No. I suppose in the early part of the season it was because Bartlet wasn't quite back in the game from Zoey's kidnapping, and his subsequent estrangement from the First Lady. By the end of the season, his attitude veered between reticent gatekeeper and deluded warmonger. I suppose it was done to show the President's growth in self-confidence at being able to do the job, but it just makes Leo look terrible. On top of it all, it sets up what happens at the beginning of season six, the true nadir of the series.**
As for Will, why bring him on to be Sam 2.0 when you turn around and marginalize him by making him Bingo Bob's chief of staff? I suppose they felt it would create "drama" between Toby and Will, and also it would set up the election storyline in later seasons, but that assumes they were thinking that far ahead. Will vs. Josh works fairly well, particularly with Donna in there, but that didn't happen until season six, and Will could have conceivably jumped over to Bingo Bob's campaign a season later.
Those complaints aside, I still enjoyed the season. "Shutdown" and "The Supremes" are two of my favorite episodes, perhaps because the West Wing staff actually accomplishes something. "Han" was a surprisingly good episode, although much more somber than most of my favorite episodes. Finally, the show is astute in showing the dynamics of how dysfunctional the government can be when you have a far right wing Congress mixed with a centrist liberal White House. I was surprised how similar some of the situations were to our current mess.
In the end, I don't think season five deserves the scorn often heaped upon it. True, it had some hard to swallow stuff such as Toby saving Social Security in one day, and it had problems with some of the characters. Sure, none of the new characters in the season made an impact, or even lasted beyond the season***. But it still was The West Wing, which meant it was one of the best dramas on broadcast TV at the time. Now that the entire run is up on Netflix, I suggest you give it a shot if you've never seen it, or a second chance if you have.
*To me, Aaron Sorkin has two sides to his writing. Good Sorkin is some of the best writing found in TV or films. Good Sorkin can be found in movies like The Social Network or most of season two of The West Wing. Bad Sorkin can be absolutely awful. He can be misanthropic, smug, and just downright wrong. For this, see most of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, good portions of The Newsroom, and any time he trolls Internet users in The West Wing.
**Good lord is the first part of season six terrible. Between the hatchet job they do to Bartlet and Leo's relationship and Leo's subsequent heart attack, it's just not good. Only once Santos and Vinick show up does it get better, with "King Corn" and "Freedonia" being the start of a much stronger portion of the season.
***Other than Elizabeth Bartlet, who shows up during the Santos/Vinick arc.
There is no denying that The West Wing was weaker after Aaron Sorkin left. Even when the show rebounded during the Santos vs. Vinick election storyline, it was still missing something, that "Good Sorkin"* element that seemed to tie together the show so well. This can be best felt in the Zoey Bartlet kidnapping arc, half of which was under Sorkin, half of which was not. "Commencement" and "25" are tight, well written, and balance the drama with the tension really well. The juxtaposition of Toby's joy at the birth of his twins and the President and First Lady going through the utter hell of their daughter being kidnapped is spot on. Although the fourth season had some of the troubles of later seasons, it certainly ended with a bang.
"7A WF 83429" and "The Dogs of War", on the other hand, aren't bad, but they just aren't great. Instead of having that focus on the interpersonal drama surrounding the kidnapping and Bartlet's subsequent temporary recusal from the Presidency, it seemed far more concerned with the political aspects of the situation. That isn't to say there isn't a place for that, just that it wasn't as well balanced. The end of "7A WF 83429" tries to go for the emotion of "Two Cathedrals" or "Commencement", but it just feels overblown. To top it off, the conclusion of the kidnapping just seemed a bit perfunctory, like they forgot they needed to end it and just stuck it in there. They were pretty good television, and would have been great for many shows. But for a show like The West Wing, they just weren't good enough.
The other twenty episodes are about the same. They are nowhere near the awfulness some people seem to claim, but they are also nowhere near the heights of Bartlet's first term. Martin Sheen is great as always as President Bartlet, as is most of the rest of the cast. Season five marks a big step in Donna's development as a character, as she tries to become more than just Josh's faithful assistant.
My two biggest problems with the season are what they did to Leo and Will. In the first four seasons, Leo was the President's right hand man. He was powerful, he was wise, and he was competent. Sure, he often tempered the President's more quixotic side, but he knew when to slow things down, and when to let Bartlet be Bartlet. However, in season five, he becomes Mr. No. I suppose in the early part of the season it was because Bartlet wasn't quite back in the game from Zoey's kidnapping, and his subsequent estrangement from the First Lady. By the end of the season, his attitude veered between reticent gatekeeper and deluded warmonger. I suppose it was done to show the President's growth in self-confidence at being able to do the job, but it just makes Leo look terrible. On top of it all, it sets up what happens at the beginning of season six, the true nadir of the series.**
As for Will, why bring him on to be Sam 2.0 when you turn around and marginalize him by making him Bingo Bob's chief of staff? I suppose they felt it would create "drama" between Toby and Will, and also it would set up the election storyline in later seasons, but that assumes they were thinking that far ahead. Will vs. Josh works fairly well, particularly with Donna in there, but that didn't happen until season six, and Will could have conceivably jumped over to Bingo Bob's campaign a season later.
Those complaints aside, I still enjoyed the season. "Shutdown" and "The Supremes" are two of my favorite episodes, perhaps because the West Wing staff actually accomplishes something. "Han" was a surprisingly good episode, although much more somber than most of my favorite episodes. Finally, the show is astute in showing the dynamics of how dysfunctional the government can be when you have a far right wing Congress mixed with a centrist liberal White House. I was surprised how similar some of the situations were to our current mess.
In the end, I don't think season five deserves the scorn often heaped upon it. True, it had some hard to swallow stuff such as Toby saving Social Security in one day, and it had problems with some of the characters. Sure, none of the new characters in the season made an impact, or even lasted beyond the season***. But it still was The West Wing, which meant it was one of the best dramas on broadcast TV at the time. Now that the entire run is up on Netflix, I suggest you give it a shot if you've never seen it, or a second chance if you have.
*To me, Aaron Sorkin has two sides to his writing. Good Sorkin is some of the best writing found in TV or films. Good Sorkin can be found in movies like The Social Network or most of season two of The West Wing. Bad Sorkin can be absolutely awful. He can be misanthropic, smug, and just downright wrong. For this, see most of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, good portions of The Newsroom, and any time he trolls Internet users in The West Wing.
**Good lord is the first part of season six terrible. Between the hatchet job they do to Bartlet and Leo's relationship and Leo's subsequent heart attack, it's just not good. Only once Santos and Vinick show up does it get better, with "King Corn" and "Freedonia" being the start of a much stronger portion of the season.
***Other than Elizabeth Bartlet, who shows up during the Santos/Vinick arc.
Friday, January 4, 2013
Secondary in Name Only: Milhouse Van Houten
I spent a long time \trying to figure out how to start this piece about Milhouse Van Houten, Bart's perpetual sidekick on The Simpsons. I considered going deep into the social hierarchies and niches of Springfield Elementary School. I envisioned going through each layer, from the bullies at the top, all the way down to the perpetual victims like Ralph and Martin Prince. I would have used this to point to where Bart and Milhouse sit, which is somewhere towards the lower middle of the hierarchy. It would have taken several paragraphs, but it would have left you with a very accurate picture of who exactly Milhouse is.
Instead of doing all of that puffed up nonsense about a fictional schoolyard, I found this clip.
Besides giving me one of my favorite quotes, that clip from "Mom and Pop Art" totally shows what kind of character Milhouse is. My work here is done.
...Oh wait, you mean I need to write a bit more? Well, crap.
From that clip, you can tell that Milhouse is both eternally optimistic, choosing to focus on the appropriateness of his pants rather than the disaster of his house flooding and a big dork, as only big dorks would have flood pants. All you need to round out his character is toadying up to Bart and swooning over Lisa.
My favorite episode involving Milhouse likely has to be "Lemon of Troy". I was't able to find my favorite Milhouse clip from the episode, where he imagines his camouflage working much better than it actually does. However, my second favorite Milhouse does have a clip.
I love how angry he gets about the "Shelbyville Milhouse", who clearly is just stealing his personality from Milhouse. Of course, what makes that so much better is how when they finally confront each other, they fight at first, until discovering how similar they each are, and commiserate in their shared troubles.
Another great episode for Milhouse is season seven's "Radioactive Man". In this episode, Milhouse becomes the ultimate sidekick, playing the role of Fallout Boy in the movie version of Radioactive Man. Of course, he ends up hating acting and abandons the set, leading to one of the greatest (often-misquoted) lines of the show ever.
Sure, he's not part of that scene, but it all happens that way because he wasn't there. In the end, in part because Springfield robs the production blind, and in part because Milhouse decides not to act, the movie is a total disaster.
Of course, I could continue going for many more paragraphs about my favorite episodes, showing clips which may or may not have a damn thing to do with Milhouse. But as this is not the "Let's endlessly talk about The Simpsons" feature, I will spare you that.
If the character of Milhouse did not exist, The Simpsons would still be a great show. However, there is little doubt it would be as great as a show as it is if he weren't there. Making a good show great, while not being essential to making it good, is the hallmark of secondary characters. Milhouse fits this idea perfectly.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
2012 in Review: Films
All in all, I thought 2012 was a pretty great year for films. I enjoyed all twenty-one films I saw in the theater, and at least three of the films are likely to be in my all time favorites list. Below is my annual list of my five favorite films, plus a few other notable "awards". As usual, note that this is a list of my favorites, not necessarily the five films I think are technically best.
#5 The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Sure, the pacing is slow. Yeah, it's questionable why this is being stretched to multiple movies. And yeah, it's not as great as the Lord of The Rings trilogy. You know what? It was a joy to be back in middle earth, and there were plenty of great moments amongst all of the trekking. As mentioned in my review, this movie gets extra points for all of the hiking and camping.
#4 Lincoln
Without a doubt, the best part of Steven Spielberg's film about the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment by the U.S. House of Representatives are the performances. I was expecting it to be full of historical goodness, and David Strathairn, Tommy Lee Jones, and Daniel Day-Lewis didn't disappoint. What I didn't expect was how funny parts of it would be, most of which is due to James Spader. If only more historical films were this much fun.
#3 Wreck-It Ralph
I have to say I was not sold on this one after watching the trailer for the film. Sure, the support group scene with all of the recognizable villains was fun, but it seemed very played out. How wrong I was, as this much more than its concept of "video game villain gets tired of being bad". I loved how energetic the film was, while never losing heart or a sense of fun. Besides, it's a blast looking for all of the video game references.
#2 The Avengers
This could have been a total mess. Bringing together multiple superheroes is a risky gamble in any situation, but putting together ones as beloved as Iron Man, the Hulk, Thor, and Captain America added a special layer of potential disappointment. Fortunately, Marvel made the inspired choice of Joss Whedon. He was able balance all of the oversized characters, while keeping the story moving and fun. The Avengers showed that comic book movies don't have to be "gritty" to be good, and it can be fun to root for the good guys.
#1 Moonrise Kingdom
Growing up can be hard even for the kids who fit in. For those who don't fit in, it can be almost Sisyphean. And even when you do finally become an adult, it doesn't mean things get any better. Sometimes, the only way to deal with it is find somebody to run away from all the crap with you. Still, it helps to have people looking out for you. This was my favorite Wes Anderson film since The Royal Tenenbaums, and yeah, part of that is because of the hiking.
Needs a 2nd Viewing: The Master
I wasn't able to put this any place on my list, as I'm not entirely sure what I think of it. I enjoyed Joaquin Phoenix's performance, and Philip Seymour Hoffman was great as an L. Ron Hubbard surrogate. P.T. Anderson is one of my favorite directors, and the movie is very well shot. It's just...I don't know, it didn't reach me as much as some of the other movies on this list. I think it might take me another shot before I can be quite sure where I stand on this.
Biggest Surprise: The Campaign
The trailers for this film made it look like total pug crap. And yea, the stuff that looked stupid in the trailers was stupid, but it was just a fraction of the film. The rest of the film was a fairly funny, sometimes poignant exploration of a modern Congressional campaign. I suppose I should have had more faith in Zach Galifianakis.
Easy A award for film I Wanted to See in Theater, but Didn't Get A Chance: Django Unchained and Looper (tie)
Unfortunately I wasn't able to see all of the films I wanted to this year. I may yet get out to the theater to see Tarantino's latest film, but for Looper I'll have to wait until it's out on DVD.
Honorable Mentions: Flight, This is 40, The Dark Knight Rises, Skyfall, Argo, Brave
Best Expected Performances: Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln) and Joaquin Phoenix (The Master)
Best Unexpected Performance: James Spader (Lincoln)
Best Performance with an Intentional or Unintentional Bad Wig: Tommy Lee Jones (Lincoln)
#5 The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Sure, the pacing is slow. Yeah, it's questionable why this is being stretched to multiple movies. And yeah, it's not as great as the Lord of The Rings trilogy. You know what? It was a joy to be back in middle earth, and there were plenty of great moments amongst all of the trekking. As mentioned in my review, this movie gets extra points for all of the hiking and camping.
#4 Lincoln
Without a doubt, the best part of Steven Spielberg's film about the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment by the U.S. House of Representatives are the performances. I was expecting it to be full of historical goodness, and David Strathairn, Tommy Lee Jones, and Daniel Day-Lewis didn't disappoint. What I didn't expect was how funny parts of it would be, most of which is due to James Spader. If only more historical films were this much fun.
#3 Wreck-It Ralph
I have to say I was not sold on this one after watching the trailer for the film. Sure, the support group scene with all of the recognizable villains was fun, but it seemed very played out. How wrong I was, as this much more than its concept of "video game villain gets tired of being bad". I loved how energetic the film was, while never losing heart or a sense of fun. Besides, it's a blast looking for all of the video game references.
#2 The Avengers
#1 Moonrise Kingdom
Growing up can be hard even for the kids who fit in. For those who don't fit in, it can be almost Sisyphean. And even when you do finally become an adult, it doesn't mean things get any better. Sometimes, the only way to deal with it is find somebody to run away from all the crap with you. Still, it helps to have people looking out for you. This was my favorite Wes Anderson film since The Royal Tenenbaums, and yeah, part of that is because of the hiking.
Needs a 2nd Viewing: The Master
I wasn't able to put this any place on my list, as I'm not entirely sure what I think of it. I enjoyed Joaquin Phoenix's performance, and Philip Seymour Hoffman was great as an L. Ron Hubbard surrogate. P.T. Anderson is one of my favorite directors, and the movie is very well shot. It's just...I don't know, it didn't reach me as much as some of the other movies on this list. I think it might take me another shot before I can be quite sure where I stand on this.
Biggest Surprise: The Campaign
The trailers for this film made it look like total pug crap. And yea, the stuff that looked stupid in the trailers was stupid, but it was just a fraction of the film. The rest of the film was a fairly funny, sometimes poignant exploration of a modern Congressional campaign. I suppose I should have had more faith in Zach Galifianakis.
Easy A award for film I Wanted to See in Theater, but Didn't Get A Chance: Django Unchained and Looper (tie)
Unfortunately I wasn't able to see all of the films I wanted to this year. I may yet get out to the theater to see Tarantino's latest film, but for Looper I'll have to wait until it's out on DVD.
Honorable Mentions: Flight, This is 40, The Dark Knight Rises, Skyfall, Argo, Brave
Best Expected Performances: Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln) and Joaquin Phoenix (The Master)
Best Unexpected Performance: James Spader (Lincoln)
Best Performance with an Intentional or Unintentional Bad Wig: Tommy Lee Jones (Lincoln)
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