I Am Legend

She Said:

Every Christmas, HE and I go to the movies. It's our tradition. Another tradition, unfortunately, is that the movies don't always live up to my expectations. The Last Samurai, King Kong, Night At the Museum are all movies we seen in the past. EH, nothing spectacular. HE was VERY excited to see I AM LEGEND so I went along with it even though I wanted to see about 3-4 other movies before seeing that one. I AM LEGEND is 100 minutes of a suspenseful yet sometimes boring and attempt at a message film. I understand that it was based on a book, but its not lacking story potential. I feel like there was a LOT of film left on the cutting room floor that may have helped the film a great deal. A lot was crammed into the last half hour and brought the film to a whole new place. It was definitely NOT legendary! I hate horror movies, I hate being scared. Disturbing images and acts stay with me for DAYS. This movie had some scary imagery, but I still left the movie feeling very BLAH. Trust me, that is saying a lot.




HE Said:

First, I should say I am a fan of action/horror or anything post-apocolyptic. Though I really don't get the opportunity to see much of it because as SHE said, she doesn't like being scared. SHE is right in her assessment that our Christmas movies do not live up to expectations. This one did fall a bit short of my expectations but I was not disappointed at all. I do feel that it should have been at least another 30 minutes longer in the end, as I was not completely satisfied with the conclusion. That said, I loved the concept and the imagery was kick ass in this movie. There were some inconsistencies throughout the movie that bothered me a bit. One thing that confused me was when Dr. Robert Neville stated that the "dark seekers" lacked any human characteristics anymore. This was inconsistent because there was a 'Leader' that had pet attack dogs, organized an assault on Neville's shelter and sought revenge on him. If you ask me, those are definitely characteristics of a human mind. Anyhow, the movie did keep me in suspense and there were some jump-out of your seat scary scenes. I did enjoy the movie and would say it is worth seeing in the theater.

On a side but related note, this movie has been made a couple times before. Most notably, in 1971 with Charlton Heston playing Dr. Neville. That movie is called The Omega Man, it is actually next on my Blockbuster Que. Based on what I have heard so far, I am really looking forward to this one.

Freaks and Geeks

She Said:

Due to the writer's strike and no good reality shows being on right now, we aren't watching as much TV together as normal. Plus with the business of the holidays, TV just isn't the top thing right now. Plus, we live in Boston and all our teams are doing well so HE is focusing on the Patriots and Celtics!

However, what we ARE doing is using our television viewing time wisely and back tracking a little. Using our BLOCKBUSTER mail in or store in rental powers, we are watching the entire series of FREAKS AND GEEKS (1999-2000). We were both in High School at the time and saw a few episodes here and there, thought it was good, but didn't commit. Unfortch, the show was canceled after one season but has lived on as a cult classic. Almost all the actors have remained strong on television and movies....Kim Kelly (Busy Phillips) and Lindsey Weir (Linda Cardellini) were both on ER together for a few seasons!

While we are enjoying our 80's nostalgia, I'm REALLY hoping that HE will allow us to next watch the ENTIRE season of ALIAS. I watched 3 seasons (somewhere in the middle) and want to watch from START to finish!

I'm Not There

She Said:

If you are a Bob Dylan aficionado and know every album, song, rumor, quote of Bob Dylan, you will probably thoroughly enjoy this movie. You will enjoy finding all the associations to Dylan-esque things and following the "plot" along with his "life." If you are are a Bob Dylan fan and enjoy his music and know a little bit about him, you may enjoy this movie. I am a fan BUT much more of a traditionalist when it comes to movie storytelling. This movie is not a bio-pic. This is an abstract compilation of very good actors doing some very good acting with ALMOST no transitional relation to each other.

There is no beginning, middle, or end. However there is somewhat of a conflict resolution which could be seen as an "end." Stylistically, it kinda sucked. Jumping back and forth from grainy black and white, to High Def. black and white. I'm not talking about sequences here either, I'm talking shot for shot back and forth in one of the opening scenes. Almost all of the outdoor shots had terrible color as well. Also it pissed me off that the last shot of the film is Bob Dylan playing the harmonica with a looooong fade to black. What does that have anything to do with anything related to the actual film itself?? Um, I didn't realize this was a tribute to Bob Dylan--did he die? no. is he done with music forever, no? Is he still writing, touring, and his normal shenanigans? YES.

Overall, it was a good concept that I personally think the director/writer/baby daddy over did in some areas and thoroughly lacked in others. It seemed to me he tried too hard to show/present too much and didn't do it well enough. The music was the best part and is why I think this would make a wonderful play. Having it on stage would make it more bare bones and get the viewer more involved. It would also prevent the director from overindulging TOO much and hopefully minimize the pretentiousness.

Also, there was WAY TOO LITTLE Christian Bale on the screen. If you're going put Christian Bale in a movie, f*king use him for all he is WORTH artistically. RARR!!!



He Said:

I agree with HER. I cannot dissect and analyze this movie nearly as well as SHE already did. I consider myself a pretty big fan of Dylan and I do know a decent amount of information about him and know a good amount of his songs. That said, I still found myself lost at times in the movie. All the jumping in and out of the "lives" of Dylan was ultimately too much for me to handle. I too loved the concept of it but the director/writer/obsessive Dylan fan was far too ambiguous and ambitious with this film. I have even seen Don't Look Back a couple times and still was unable to connect all of the Dylanisms. My first thought when the movie opened with the scenic forest/countryside was...Shit, did the movie theater F*ck up the projector? The color was horrible and made my head spin. The end of the movie really confused me as well. I thought the film ended with a motorcycle crash but then dragged on for an unfortunate 15 more minutes. I was saddened walking out of the theater. I really, really wanted to enjoy it but was mixed in my emotions that I found very little to like. My recommendation is to wait until it comes out on DVD and watch Don't Look Back a few times first, then listen to Dylans first album "Bob Dylan" and the subsequent albums until Blood on the Tracks. THEN watch I'm Not There like 3 times, you then might fully understand the movie. However, I don't think I am going to go through that trouble to unlock the mystery of this movie. Dylan is mysterious enough as is, I don't need this movie to beat a dead horse.

The Amazing Race

She Said:

I have watched 3 non-consecutive seasons of The Amazing Race. Every year at the Emmy's I am not shocked that The Amazing Race wins best competitive reality show EACH YEAR. This show is awesome. It's a great game--a competition around the world. As VIEWERS, we learn about cultures, we learn about relationships between the teammates, we might even learn about ourselves and how we communicate with others or how our behaviors may be viewed or judged by others. This show is ultimate entertainment. "I can do that" is OFTEN spouted from viewers of The Race. These stunts, (Road Blocks, Detours) are tasks that are common in this part of the world and the teams need to complete them. They also need to use the modes of travel that the residents of these countries use. Not to mention NO GPS system and Language barriers!!

This show , to me, is the ultimate test of compatibility, endurance and mental & physical strength. Also, there are 11 teams. That is 22 contestants that we get to know and learn and watch them at their truest most completive selves. It's just the best! The last time I watched this show was when the hippies won. I was rooting for the hippies from day ONE. Without them, I may have lost hope as the AMAZING RACE FAMILY, the previous season, was a great CONCEPT, but honestly was not as exciting or competitive as any other seasons.

With the GOTHS, SIBLINGS, BLONDES, and really badly paired couples who REALLY need to break up, this season looks good so far!!! Not to mention the over-bearing father/daughter team or the grandpa/teenager teams. I'm going to have to go with the Brother/Sister team of Azaria and Hendekea. They are intelligent, competitive, and most importantly--focused and not catty.

I'm so excited for next Sunday to relax and spend the last bit of my weekend with Phil Keogan around the world! :)



He Said:

I have also watched the Amazing Race for 3 non-consecutive seasons. This is a fun show to watch because we all THINK we can easily beat the other teams. I remember back in college my buddy and I would often say that we would dominate the field. We were going to make a tape and send it in but we were held back because I was not yet 21. Why did we think we could win? Well...we were both ultra-competitive, intelligent and knew we could push ourselves mentally and physically. My buddy was great with directions(my downfall) and I am a quick learner who would be able to adapt to the different cultures and be able to set up a strategy for us. Anyway, by the time I was 21 it was senior year and we were getting ready for graduation so that dream kind of fell apart. Who knows maybe I will try to get on in the future...

The RACE is usually filled with a very diverse group of contestants and ALWAYS brings out the worst in people. Probably because of the limits they push(mentally and physically). There really aren't too many people who have those two attributes perfectly balanced. This season I too saw something in the brother-sister team that made them obvious favorites. For some reason I root more for others to fail than for people to win. I think it's just the part of me that feels I could win with my team if I got on. This season has been pretty entertaining so far so keep watching and rooting for your team to win or fail!

American Gangster

She Said:

American Gangster opens and closes with the same imagery--a large steel door opening or closing. This door leads us into the life of Frank Lucas, and then at the end opens to let Frank Lucas back into the word while leading us out. He served his time--is his slate wiped clean? Will that same story repeat it self once he is released from jail?

For those of us who know its a true story and look things up on the internet--we know what will happen. But the film does not go there--it lets you decide what YOU want Franks life to end up as.

Frank Lucas, as played by Denzel Washington, is a cool, down to earth, intelligent gangster. His calm demeanor and non-threatening appearance makes him different than any other gangster or black man in Harlem during this time period in the film. Denzel is EXCELLENT as always and I believe he IS Frank Lucas. As for Russell Crow's character, whose time on screen was equal or more than Denzel's, Richie Roberts was a "honest" cop who is really trying to connect with the audience. I thought Russell Crow did a pretty good job acting, but I certainly did not connect with his character and I am one extremely empathetic film viewer. As for Josh Brolin (who I didn't even know was in it) he was scary and hot and sexy at the same time per usual.

This was a good movie, not a fantastic movie, but a good one. It was pushing 3 hours, but I bet the original cut was much longer--they pushed A LOT of information and characters and plot development into those 2 hours and 45 minutes. The BEST part in my opinion of those minutes were the shots and scenes of the drug addicts who were addicted to Frank Lucas' product, Blue Magic. Being a gangster and doing drugs seems so glamorous in most movies. We see Frank Lucas and his multi-million dollar dynasty--and the next SHOT we see is the junkies who are buying this 100 % pure heroin product, becoming addicted and OD'ing. We see the injections, we see the dead bodies, we see the blood and bodily fluids that come out of their bodies. It was pretty intense.

We also get some pretty graphic violence, mainly shootings. There isn't much sex, but there are naked ladies chopping up the heroin. This is not really a couples movie, unless the girl doesn't mind strong violence and drug use--there is not much BLATANT degradation of women so that is always good.





He said:



I thought this movie was really good. I guess I was expecting it to be great but I wouldn't say it disappointed me at all. Denzel played Frank Lucas, an innovative, intelligent and hardened gangster. I too did not connect with Russell Crowe's character. There was just something about him that didn't make him that appealing. Now to sum up the movie without spoiling it for you. It was based on a true story about Frank Lucas, who became the biggest heroin dealer in New York and maybe the U.S. in the late 60s-early 70s. We see him rise to the top and then see it all topple down in an instant. The movie had some pretty graphic drug-use scenes and some graphic violence as well. I don't think it really pushed the limit though (not saying it should have either). Denzel pulled off another stellar performance and though it ran fairly long, it got the job done, at least in my eyes. I would recommend you see this movie, maybe not on a date but at least when it comes out on DVD.

The Contender and The Ultimate Fighter

The Contender:


He Said:

Well Tuesday was the finale and it was the best Contender fight EVER and maybe one of the fights of the year. Sakio knocked Jaedon down about 20-30 seconds into the 1st round but Jaedon came right back less than 1 minute later and caught Sakio with a vicious upper cut and dropped him. The rest of the round was a total slugfest. This proceded into the next 8 rounds and into the 9Th, until Jaedon lost his legs and ultimately succumbed to Sakio's power and aggression. The fight ended with a TKO after Jaedon couldn't defend himself and was out on his feet. This was a great season and probably my favorite thus far. Looking forward I don't really see Sakio going much further because age and his wide and wild punches are working against him. However, I see Jaedon becoming a real contender in the coming years. He has great technique and is very explosive. I think under the right trainer and tutelage he can make it to a title fight.

She Said:

Although there was no slow motion or music scored to the fight, I did enjoy the finale of The Contender. I liked the way it was going back and forth and back and forth and of course HE had a lot of commentary to do. I did not like how they kept showing Jaedon's girlfriend and her deodorant ridden arm pits. Just show the fight dammit! I also loved Sugar Ray and his cute scarf--that man is a doll!



The Ultimate Fighter:



Tommy Speer V. Jon Kopenhaver(War Machine)



I knew this was going to be an explosive fight. Mathing up a great wrestler with an all around Lion's Den fighter. We got to look more into these two guys heads going into the fight. Both dudes are kind of out there. Tommy is kind of that robotic, emotionless fighter who you really can't get a read on what is going through his mind sometimes. War Machine is...as Matt Serra said.."Ah..uh...he..well...ah..I don..hmmm....he is just kind of a nutso." War is the classic fighter who has the physical tools to make it far but can't keep his own mental state stable. From we got on the show, he has had a really rough life and has nobody that is "waiting" for him. Tommy is a farm boy from MN. When the bell rang War came out swingin' and caught Tommy right in between the eyes and opened him up right away. He then shot in with the double(leg) take down and was able to get his hooks in. Most of us who are somewhat versed in the MMA game knows that the majority of wrestlers who wind up on their backs are very uncomfortable. We definitely saw that with Tommy, he was struggling and eventually gave up his back. War locked in the rear naked and just couldn't get off the fence to straighten him out. War tried everything to get him to tapout but ultimately, in his own words "blew his wad" trying to get the choke. After War got tired Tommy reversed the mount and pounded War for the next 2 min. 30secs. Tommy won the round with the vicious ground and pound. Round 2 started with War leading in with a weak leg kick and Tommy shot in with the single, getting him to the mat and then ground and pound the rest of the round. It was a good fight but Tommy had the better conditioning and overpowered War on the mat. I just hope that War is able to keep his head straight and take the loss with a grain of salt because it could have easily gone the other way. I think more ring experience would really make a big difference with him. That was fight 8 and next week we start the semi-finals. Serra leads 6-2 and has complete control of the Semis. I'm very excited because with only 8 fighters left we are now able to get a better look at what the final will look like. I am going to go with my gut and say Mac Danzig will fight George Sarotopolous in the final. Both guys are the most well-rounded and seem to have the right attitude and drive to make it all the way. Who really knows though? This is an explosive sport and even less predictative than all other sports. Everybody has a punchers chance. Just look at coach Serra who knocked off the seemingly unbeatable Georges St. Pierre. The rest of the season looks to be very entertaining so KEEP WATCHING! Weds. at 10:00PM EST on Spike TV.

House, M.D.

She Said:

There are tons of "hospital shows" out there--E.R. is the oldest and most respected, Scrubs is the funniest and least hospital-esque, Grey's Anatomy is somewhere in the middle. Then there is HOUSE. It doesn't seem to fit in does it? it's not REALLY a hospital show--even though it takes place in a hospital, in the Diagnostics Department and only has doctors as main characters. The key word there is characters. HOUSE is the only character driven hospital show out there. Hugh Laurie, the Brit who plays Dr. Gregory House, is absolutely brilliant in his portrayal. The writing is also impeccable and you have to be somewhat intelligent to watch the show--otherwise you miss half the jokes. The tone, the set up and delivery--everything in this show is great. It always starts with the patient--who is the patient and what happens to them to get them House. There again--character driven. The reality factor is a bit slighted because everyone who goes to see Dr. House has some crazy-ass diseases or something simple that no one can figure out, except House. This season is better than last because we have all these new characters vying for a spot on House's team (both on and off screen). House's former team is now split up in the hospital yet all on the show--last season was getting very old as these three supporting actors were not holding their own next to house. The romance between the real life engaged couple had NO chemistry---maybe thats why they are no longer engaged. House, in my opinion, is also the BEST show on FOX. And yes, that definitely counts American Idol, too!

He Said:

I'll spare you guys the background on HOUSE. SHE pretty much covered it already. I do agree that House is the best show on FOX right now. I was a huge Prison Break fan but the past 2 seasons were sub-par and often times boring. I finally decided to stop watching, as it was not able to keep my attention and seemed to take the route of LOST(the writers had to come up with anything to keep it going). I was a fan of 24 until last season. I saw a couple shows and again, lack of creativity from the writers. Soooo....House is excellent because it keeps me very interested in the development of the mysterious illness or disease that is afflicting the patient but also blends in witty humor that makes me LOL. I think this season really kicks a** with the whole game House is playing to get his new team. I'm hoping that the hottie and Kal Penn will be part of the team but really it's such a tough call because I can't see who the best chemistry would be with at this point. Hugh Laurie(House) is really a one of a kind and is my favorite character on TV. Let's see how this season unfolds and which characters make it to the end of House's own twisted reality show.

Nip/Tuck

This show is on FX Tuesdays at 10. It's a very unique show that pretty much revolves around sex, drama and feeding the male ego. We have Dr. Christian Troy and Dr. Sean McNamara who are both plastic surgeons with their own firm. The back story of these two is very interesting and you have to rent the previous seasons to find out what the issues are. The two had to get out of South Beach because they were on self-destructing paths dealing with their own seperate issues. So they packed up and headed to Hollywood, which is even MORE filled with plastic people. I don't really figure how they could assume how moving to Hollywood would be a better life for them but hey its a TV show and this sets up a great direction for the show.

The first show starts off with the firm struggling financially because of a lack of clients. Ultimately, they decide to hire a PR agent to get their names out there. They find themselves as consultants and special guest stars on a show called Hearts and Scalpels which is a cheezy ER-ish, soap-opera like show. It turns out Sean is the one who gets the screen time while Dr. Troy is cut out of the scene. Obviously, this is a blow to Dr. Troy's HUGE ego and he wants out. Setting up more fireworks between the two doctors. It seems like Sean is finally going to get his due in the spotlight.

We are also introduced to a couple new characters including: Tia Carrere who plays a dominatrix and Oliver Platt who plays the director of Hearts and Scalpels. Keep watching and catch up on the prior seasons before even attempting to watch!

The Contender and Ultimate Fighter

The Contender:

He Said:

Sakio Bika V. Sam Solamon

This was a great fight that took place. Sakio and Sam previously fought years ago, with Sam coming away with a close decision. This time around Sakio got his revenge. This sets up a great final fight between Sakio and Jaedon Codrington. It will be a close fight that will most likely be a slugfest. I am going to go with Jaedon with a win via majority decision. He just seems like the hungrier fighter, with tremendous power and is much younger. This is a live finale next Tuesday and is actually being fought in Boston at the Garden.

She Said:

This season of The Contender flew by once the semi-fnals came around. Paul Smith was my favorite, and he probably could have gone on to the finals if the eliminations were made differently. Anyways, since the finale is going to be in Boston HE suggested we go. At first I thougth oOOoo exciting. Then I remembered there would be no music, no slow motion punches and no close ups. I would have to decipher the boxing match all by myself from way up in the bleacher stands. Hmm.... I think I'll save my $40 dollars and watch it on replay!



The Ultimate Fighter:He Said:

Last week we had a great fight between Dan Barrera and Ben Saunders with Saunders winning a decision. Tonight, J-Rock took on George and it was a good fight that ended in a TKO. The first couple minutes was basically a feeling out process but George was basically just picking and choosing when to land a jab. George was pretty much in control and landed a clean uppercut to J-Rocks chin dropping him instantly and then pouncing on him until the ref stepped in. No real drama this week, except Hughes being Hughes. He is such a prick! Go team Serra! 6-1 so far. Keep watching because this season is ultra-competitive because most are amatuers, so it's hard to pick a clear cut favorite.

She Siad:

Before watching this season of the Ultimate Fighter, I knew very little about Matt Hughes, only that he was a big time UFC fighter. I'm very excited to see if Matt Hughes will watch the episodes and see what a jack ass he is. Possibly though, he might be up to high on his horse to even notice what he really is. The first episode I thought Sera was going to be annoying, but his personality and coaching skills allow me to disregard his annoying little swagger and comments. I am excited for it to whittle down to the finals so I can chose a favorite.....right now they all kind of blend in with their egos.

Grey's Anatomy

She Said:

Grey's Anatomy has had it all in the past--Crazy plots, crazy characters, comedy, sex, death, love. Grey's is the type of show that leaves you with your mouth open at least once a show right at the commercial break. Whether its a patient using a chain saw to cut his own leg off, or Mark coming out of Addison hotel bathroom literally "steaming" from the shower, it keeps you turning back.

I've never liked the character Meredith Grey. In all three seasons I've been watching, I can't stand her and wished it wasn't called Grey's Anatomy because she will always inevitably be a part of it. George, Izzie, Alex and of course Christina are the main characters despite the title of the show and I had never been more excited than the TWO times they let another character besides Meredith do the narration. Unfortch, they did not stick with that, and she has been doing them since.

What makes me VERY excited is the introduction of two new actors whom I like from other television shows. Meredith's sis and Christina's intern, Lexi, played by Chyler Leigh was in REUNION, a short lived WB show that I watched RELIGIOUSLY. They shut down production and we never knew who killed who!!! It was one of those flashback shows when each episode was a new year--it was a pretty damn good premise.
Also, the addition of Brooke Smith, as Dr. Hahn, will definitely give the show a little more fiesty-ness. Smith is ALSO on WEEDS, so I'm happy for her!

This season of Grey's is a bit of a Snooze-fest despite the jaw dropping sequences that don't usually have a pivotal role in the plot. The whole Meredith/McDreamy thing is just way to overplayed and no one cares!! The introduction of the new characters will bring more life into the show as character development has kind of sloped a WHOLE LOT during the past two seasons.

Running out of ideas and how to develop your characters--well add some new ones! At least that is what it appears the Grey's crew is trying to do. Fresh new interns and surgeons however MIGHT not equal fresh new story lines.

I haven't given up yet...


HE said:


I haven't watched Grey's this week!

Weeds

She Said:

How is it possible we are already on episode 12 of season 3 of WEEDS?? Well, its extremely addicting ( no pun intended) well written, well performed and hilarious. The dialog and character development have improved each season and watching Mary-Louise Parker's character go from up to down to wayyy down is somewhat similar to watching a train wreck---but the train never wrecks in this case...more like a wobbly rocking chair that eventually settles down only to get all riled up again.

HE and I actually CANCELED HBO for Weeds. We tried to wait it out as we knew all episodes would be available ON DEMAND. However, once we watched Episode 1 on showtime.com we KNEW we had to start watching ASAP. If you aren't watching WEEDS, check it out on DVD or ON DEMAND. HE watched all of Season 1 online to get prepped for Season 2 last year. I suggest you do the same.

This show attempts to show the darker side of drug dealing--but it sort of skims the surface. This unrealistic aspect makes it much more enjoyable because it doesn't take the Law & Order drug dealing approach. The suburbia aspect also kills me every time. Yes, people in Suburbia act like this, Yes, city councilmen are like Doug Wilson (kevin nealon at his best).

I can't believe the season is almost over---with 10-14 episodes a season each at 22 minutes a pop, WEEDS could have all of suburbia hooked on Nancy's MILF WEED for many years to come!


HE said:

Yes, it's true I cancelled HBO for SHO to get Weeds. The first time I saw this show SHE was watching it on demand a little over a year ago. I thought it looked OK at first but then decided to watch the entire season over a couple nights online. I was instantly hooked on Weeds. There was just something about the show that made it soo different from anything else on television. Each character brings out a certain emotion in me and I love it. One of my favorites is Doug(Kevin Nealon), this guy makes me laugh out loud everytime he says or does something. It's certainly a side of Kevin Nealon that you haven't seen before. I only remember seeing him on SNLs Weekend Update when I was like 8. This show gives us a different look into modern suburbia and it's twisted view of reality. It seems unrealistic at times but if you stop to think, you realize that there are many,many people that ARE this f*cked up. At this point in season 2 it would be pointless for me to try and catch you up. So I'm not going to give you a recap, I will just tell you to rent season 1 on DVD and then wait until season 2 comes out on DVD. It's one of the best shows on TV right now.

World Series

She Said:

Because its the Sox, this is what we will be watching for the next 4-6 days. THANK GOD FOR DVR! Look for HOUSE, WEEDS, GREY'S ANATOMY, and ULTIMATE FIGHTER next week.

The Office

She Said:

Our first post about The Office (Comedy, Drama, Violence!) is below--so read that first!

As for this past week's episode, it was fantastic. Not only is there the ever present Michael Scott stupidity, but all the main characters have some sort of emotional turmoil/conviction. Plus, Jim and Pam's stay at the Shrute Farm was just TOO much. Pam looking out the window to see the door flapping in the outhouse..with the inhabitant staring at her. LOVE IT!

I love seeing Dwight show his feelings and Jim showing HIS feelings to Dwight and realizing the deep love he has for Pam. Oh the beauty of the office!

I was thinking of Seinfeld the other day because Jerry Seinfeld was quoted as saying no other sit com has come close to what his sitcom did. The thing about Seinfeld is there was never an OUNCE of honesty or emotion. Which is funny to a point--but to me The Office is so much better--Yes it is a different type of comedy but it is outrageous behavior similar to Seinfeld yet so real.

The thing that makes a comedy stand out is its different approach and its relationship to the viewers. Everyone who watches The Office most likely has a connection with one or more of these characters--whether its a self-identifying connection or an office mate, ex girlfriend, cousin relationship. Whatever it is, it's working and just because The Office is on Thursday nights on NBC, does NOT mean it is trying to take Seinfeld's place as the comedy of the decade--it has its own place and own path.



He Said:

This episode was beautifully done. We all know from last season that Michael is not the wisest when it comes to finances. For example, he put his condo on ebay for a pretty steep discount. He thought he was getting the great end of the deal because the condo was "used". So this week reminded us of how bad he is with money. He had to take a second job as a tele-marketer to cover his unusual spending habits and lavish lifestyle of Jan. Needless to say, he was funny as hell, as usual.
Jim and Pam also spent some time at Shrute Farms and we learned more about why and how dwight developed into the person he is now. Dwight and Angela are officially done, now that Andy's courting was finally granted with a date. I can't wait for the next episode!

Gone Baby Gone

She Said:

Ben Affleck. His first screenplay he wrote--won an Oscar. His first movie directed--hmmm? Could be! After seeing Gone Baby Gone on Friday night I am trying to think of what other movies are Oscar-worthy this year. I'm having a hard time finding a better one than this.

I may be bias on two parts: 1. I love Ben Affleck and when I was high school had not one, but TWO AIM screen names with his name or character in it. 2. I am from Boston and this movie was so natural, so representative of the RESIDENTS of Boston.

So beyond Ben Affleck, beyond Boston--dramatic, comedic and beautifully shot. At some points my heart was beating out of my chest. The sequence of shots cutting to black back and forth with the rhythm of a heart beat made it even MORE suspenseful. I was so excited that the movie kept going on--it tends to make you think its over--then you (along with the Jimmy Stewart like Casey Affleck) find out there is more!

I don't want to babble on about Casey Affleck, but his performance was tremendous! He is SO a modern day Jimmy Stewart. As for the Boston aspect as mentioned before...the accents, the culture--everything was there. The language and violence were not as intense as other recent awesome Boston movies (The Departed) but that made it even better. As much as I loved seeing Alec Baldwin and Mark Whalberg say c*cksucker 50 times each.....Gone Baby Gone's intensity is more inferred, not blatantly thrown at you. The quiet calm gets me every time.

So seriously, go see this movie. I did not read the book, but after seeing the movie I can see why so many people enjoyed it. You won't be disappointed!


He Said:

Gone Baby, Gone is the most authentic "Boston" movie ever made in my opinion. The accents were there, the verbiage and the auro all screamed Beantown to me. I heard they really knocked on people's doors, dragged them off the street and in some cases stumbled into people from the area who made it into this movie and it seemed it. This movie was intense from start to finish. Not intense like a Tom Clancy movie/book but intense in a more intimate way. You feel violated at times and that is what makes this movie so interesting and well done. I usually have a gigantic Coke at the movies which makes me run to the bathroom at least once. I held it in for about an hr so I didn't miss anything. If I remember right I even got up during Transformers to relieve myself, so that is saying something. SEE THIS MOVIE!

EXTREME DISAPPOINTMENT!

He Said:

SHOCKED! That's the only word that describes how I feel as my Boston Red Sox are down 3-1 to the Indians. How the hell can we tear apart Sabathia and Carmona but not do shit to Westbrook and Byrd. These guys are bums and yet we are making them look like ACES! WTF! There have been 65 instances in the MLB playoffs that teams were up 3-1, out of those only 10 have come back to win that series. The last being the Red Sox in '04. So, if any team can do it, it is the Sox. Unfortunately, this is a completely different team than that one. We need to be perfect the next 3 games, otherwise they have done it again to us! I think the Sox made two mistakes tonight. Number 1, they didn't start Beckett and Number 2 they didn't play Ellsbury. It is true that Beckett would not have been 100% but I would take Beckett at 75% any day over Wakefield at 100%. Wake has been a mainstay and consistent contributor to the Sox over his career. But his biggest downfall is his greatest success. The Knuckler is basically a timebomb waiting to explode, and tonight that is what happened. He looked untouchable for the first 4 innings, then in that 5th the knuck stayed high. They say when its high let it fly and low let it go. Well the Indians certainly let it fly tonight. Now, we are in this 3-1 ditch and must somehow wake up out of this funk and get it the f*ck together!

She Said:

I had to go to bed early last night as I was afraid HE might have a heart attack due to the extreme intensity and language he was throwing at the television. I had to relax with my TV GUIDE and read about AVA's upcoming return on Grey's. As for the Sox, we'll see what happens tomorrow.

Heroes

She Said:

Yes, as the photo implies throwing Milo Ventimiglia and John Krazinski together is quite intense. HE and I are both avid followers of HEROES. HE will be sure to tell you how I poked fun of the preview when we saw it months ahead of the series premiere. Oh well, I can admit when I'm wrong (sometimes)!

After Episode one of this season premiered I was excited! Unlike other first season hits (ahem Lost ahem Desperate Housewives) Heroes did not come back wimpy and fluff-filled...it came back with some serious shiz-nit! OoOoOo seeing Milo handcuffed and shirtless --LOVE IT! Also love that he got rid of his Adam Sandler Little Nicky rip off hair cut!!

However.....the episode "LIZARD" got me a little nervous that they were going soft on us. How many times can we show poor Claire so upset that she can't be normal. OH get over it and go kick some Sylar butt! As for her new buddy WEST, I so liked him better when he played Jan's hottie assistant Hunter on The Office.

I can't even get stared on HIRO and his Ancient Japanese Adventures! LOVE THAT CHARACTER! Hiro brings sunshine into my television every Monday night! I am looking forward to the direction of HEROES this season and will definitely write more about it as the season progresses.

"FIGHT OR FLIGHT" had some crazy scenes (Nightmare Man goes to town on Parkman and Nathan) but also left me a little bored. It was one of those filler-type episodes were nothing really happens but we get a little bit more information.



He Said:

HEROES F 'n Rules. This is one of, if not my favorite show on TV. This season has been damn good so far and has not disappointed at all. From Peter, waking up in Ireland to Claire's new "Superboy" to the mysterious Godsend deaths, it has kept us wanting more and more. An hour never seemed so short. We have been introduced to several new characters including: a bro/sis. combo from Mexico, who hold a mysterious power that basically melts brains or something nuts like that. A cousin of Micah, who watches something and can copy it no matter what it is. Another character we just met is a cute blonde, with some crazy lightning bolt shit.

Private Practice

She Said:

Oh Addison how I love you! However, your new show is little more cheesy and unrealistic than Grey's....um I didn't know that was possible?

Don't get me wrong--I am a fan of Grey's Anatomy, but the humor, scenarios and ailments of patients are all a bit extreme. It's enjoyable because its not too real life. Private Practice is the same way. These doctors who own and operate a private practice within the community have bigger emotional problems than Dr.'s Grey and Yang. They also act like 5 year olds on many, many occasions.

I think the first two episodes were still trying to get viewers inside the characters and then hopefully we can focus more on Addison. So far I have forgot about Private Practice twice, and am very glad HE DVR'd it for me. I have a feeling that a lot of other people might forget about it too....Then this weekend I watched the third episode, "In Which Addison Finds the Magic"..HELLO, this is what I"m talking about! This episode was SO much better--better cases, better drama, better plot lines! YAH! I'm Finally EXCITED about this show!

He Said:

I'm sorry I just couldn't really get into this show. I watched the fist two episodes and was disappointed. I missed the last episode and couldn't care less. SHE said I should watch it because it goes more into Addison but I am going to have to really have nothing to do to watch it. I'm sorry but I think this show is more for HER than for HE!

Cavemen on ABC

She Said:

I watched the second episode of Caveman which HE said was much funnier than the first. That's not saying much. The dialog and characters were above average for sitcoms but I still can't get over the plot and the premise. To me it's just poking fun at racism. Why are the caveman suburban white smart asses? One is writing his dissertation, one is a momma's boy wino and the other is a neurotic furniture salesmen. Who does this show appeal to? I mean seriously. Yes we are all different, yes we must coexist. This show is stating that diversity and people who aren't white, are caveman? What barbarians? Yes I know they are trying to say "we are normal, no different than you" but the point they are trying to make doesn't even come close.

SORRY!

He Said:

This show SUCKED! I tuned in like many other millions of Americans to see how bad this really could be. It did not disappoint me in its lack of humor, plot and characters. Though episode two was far better than the first I was still left shaking my head asking for that 30 minutes of my life to come back. My overall impression was that the creators are trying to explore some kind of discriminatory basis for the show. I just don't get it. Like SHE said, why are they middle to upper-middle class suburbanites if they were really trying to make this about "that" why not have the cavemen be middle-class people in Compton or Long Beach. I think that would be funnier at least. We could at least make it a show about racism in places where it exists. I dunno, I am pretty sure I've evolved from Cavemen.

October 12--Friday Night!

He said:


You should tune into the ALCS tonight at 7 for the Sox and Indians. The first two games of the series will be Beckett V. Sabathia and then Schilling V. Carmona. Game 1 looks like it will be a memorable one. We have Josh Becket and Carston Charles Sabathia who will finish 1,2 in the Cy Young voting.

She said:

Or you can DVR the Sox game or watch the highlights and go to the movies with your girls and see INTO THE WILD with the DELIGHTFUL Emile Hirsch. This movie is LONG AWAITED, directed by Sean Penn based on the Jon Krauker novel of the same name. Vince Vaughn, Jena Malone, Catherine Keener, Marcia Gay Harden and William Hurt also star.

Plus, the Sox are on tomorrow night, too! :) (p.s. Sox are on FOX)

Comedy, Violence and Drama!

She Said:

Sit-coms generally have a laugh track to prompt you when to laugh. Even if it’s not funny, hearing others laughing tells your brain you should be laughing too. In The Office, there is no laugh track and absolutely NO need for it. The Office is so relatable, hilarious and character driven which makes it one of the best comedies on television today. Like most comedies, it doesn’t appeal to just ONE demographic, college kids, young adults and “office workers” are all very much into The Office.

Episode 2 of Season 4 was a one hour episode that was one of the best episodes I’ve seen yet. I could not keep it together. Watching the breakdown of Michael Scott and the relationship between Angela and Dwight mad me delirious in laughter. The docu-style of The Office lets the viewer see into the Scranton Branch of Dunder-Mifflin like a fly on the wall, but we also have the benefit of one –on-one “confessional” type interviews. We hear and see all that goes on while none of the workers do.

Steve Carell is one of the best out there. In Episode 2 (Dunder-Mifflin Infinity) we finally see the flipped out yelling crazy Steve Carrell we’ve seen in almost every other movie he’s been in. We see Michael Scott at his breaking point—and we love it!!!

If only ALL episodes of The Office were an hour….we’d have 22 minutes more television sin laugh track.



He Said:

The Office is one of my favorite shows on television. The major draw of the show is Steve Carrell, who plays an amazing character, Michael Scott. Scott is a dry, dim-witted goofball of a manager who is able to provide the audience with a big laugh no matter what situation he is in. However, all of the characters play an important role to the show, no matter how little screen time they get. Sometimes, even just the expressions on their faces are enough to send me busting out in laughter. I’m sure almost all of us can find a way to relate to several characters on the show and if you don’t watch I recommend that you do. You will see what we are talking about.

Episode 2 of Season 4 was another terrific episode. This was definitely one of the most memorable episodes for me. I laughed my ass when Michael and Dwight drove into a lake because of the confusion with his GPS device. ‘Nuff said.

She Said:

The Contender:

Do I watch Boxing matches on cable, NO? Do I enjoy watching grown men beat and punch the crap out of each other, NO? Do I watch The Contender on ESPN every ____WEDS? __ Evening, YES!

When a program takes a sport as violent as boxing, makes it into a televised competition and allows the viewer to get into the lives of the athletes it is extremely interesting and entertaining to me. By getting to know these boxers (aka characters) and their attitudes, values and background I feel a connection to them and want to see them perform well or lose badly.

Watching these boxers train is another aspect that shows their determination, athleticism, and of course work ethic. If I see a cocky fighter who is more of a natural fighter vs. the underdog who works hard and fights hard, there is no question that I’m rooting for.

For some reason this season on The Contender I’m also drawn to the three non-American fighters. Sam Solomon is always helping his fellow fighters, he kicked ass, and of course his accent is dreamy. I love Paul Smith because he has a "who gives a crap" attitude and is ANYTHING but pretentious. He also has the scruffy Liverpool feel going on.

In comparison to the Ultimate Fighter on SPIKE TV, the fighters are younger, angrier and crazier. I LOVED The Ultimate Fighter last season and was very connected to the fighters. The day I found myself screaming at Joe Lauzon to get off the ground I realized I had been turned into a fan. Since then when HE and his friends order UFC fights on Pay Per View, instead of going out with the girls, I sit down, have some wine and enjoy the barbaric ass kicking. I’ve also learned how much technique and strength goes into MMA fighting. It may be barbaric, but it takes a lot of skill, strength and confidence.

This season, I’m not quite hooked on the Ultimate Fighter. No one has stuck out to me, expect Joey who quit because he’s a wimp and he’ll never fight again—OH WELL, so we’ll have to check on that as the season progresses……




He Said:

The Contender:

I have been watching boxing since I was about 7, so I would consider myself a fan and amateur analyst. The Contender has been great for the sport in my opinion. By no means are these fighters capable of handling top-ranked fighters but I give credit to Sugar Ray and the rest of the producers who were able to get a nice pool of quality fighters. In past seasons, I was not too impressed with the talent brought onto the show. What is great about the contender is that it brings us into the lives of several fighters competing for a hefty contract.

This show allows those who do not have a love for boxing to basically pick their favorites based on what they see. As she said, she is not a fan of boxing but because this show essentially turns the fighter into a “character” she loves it. This year Sugar Ray brought in two of the best trainers in the world, in Pepe Correa and Buddy McGirt.

The last 15-20 minutes of the show is an edited version of the 5 round fights. It is edited of course to show the most damaging jabs, hooks and uppercuts. Also, there are added sound effects to really make a punch seem even more damaging. What I do like about these brief fights is that most of these guys do really lay it all on the line.

He Said:

The Ultimate Fighter

Simply put this is a great show, especially for those in that 18-34 male demographic. This show’s ratings even beat out game 5 of the World Series last year for that demo. This year is not a lot different from past years. Two coaches who absolutely hate each other or are huge rivals, a crazy cast of fighters and Dana White doing what he does best (being an absolute badass). What I love about this show aside from the fighting is getting an inside look at how these guys train, learn and have disagreements with coaches. Every year there is at least one dumbass, which blows his shot at the big time. This year it was Joey Scarola, who couldn’t hack it in his fight or in the house. He definitely did not represent his coach, mentor and good friend Matt Serra by his cowardly and selfish actions. This is one guy that I know will not get another shot. He simply does not have a fighter’s heart. Overall, most of the fights are pretty entertaining. While watching the show I am always able to pick out my favorites to win it all. This year is pretty difficult because I haven’t really seen anybody stand out but there are still many fights left. The past 3 seasons I made my picks early on and was right. In fact, I actually called Serra winning it and winning the title as well. He is just a great fighter with a lot of heart and will to win. I can’t wait until he meets Matt Hughes (the other coach) for the title fight. I think Serra will once again shock the world and take care of Hughes. So keep tuning in to see who your favorite fighters are and make your pick to win it all!


She Said:
Ugly Betty has it all: drama, humor, suspense, sarcasm and of course cheese. I knew this show was special when I would come home from work at 9 pm and instead of IMMEDIATELY watching Grey’s Anatomy per usual, I started watching Ugly Betty on my DVR ad watching Grey’s after or sometimes over the weekend.

The premiere episode of Season 2 had me balling at the end of the show. WHAT? Santos is dead? You made me believe he someone how miraculously was saved after Hilda was crying on the floor during the finale last year? You made me feel warm and fuzzy inside only to tell me it was a DREAM and he IS dead? See, usually I am smarter than this. I’m media savvy and know these tricks they like pull. I was so invested in their relationship that I did not even QUESTION whether this was a dream. I accepted it without thinking, because that is how I wanted it to be.

I love America Ferrera’s Betty Suarez but I have to say that Michael Urie’s Mark and Becki Newton’s Amanda are two of my favorite characters on television. They are mean, hilarious and shallow. BUT WE LOVE THEM. I was SO excited last night when Michael Indelicatos’ Justin had a major role in the episode. This kid is awesome and I hope he has a major storyline THROUGHOUT the season.


He Said:

Ugly Betty is a very entertaining and overall fun show to watch. Believe it or not my favorite characters are Mark and Amanda; they just bring that extra silly humor that I can’t get enough of. . I don’t want to go into a whole lot of details; I think she pretty much covered it all.

THE KINGDOM

She said:

The opening intro to The Kingdom really gets the viewer right into the situation. With clear graphic and oral explanation of The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, past and present, I felt very comfortable and confident after the intro heading into the opening scenes. Generally I don’t like watching violent or suspenseful films. I’m extremely empathetic when it comes to TV/films and get overly involved in the characters. However, for some reason when it comes to war/political movies, I love them! The aspect of truth in regards politics and history is something that makes me less “scared” and more interested.

The cast of The Kingdom is great-Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner, Chris Cooper and Jason Bateman all play serious yet cool characters. I was so excited to see Jennifer Garner kick ass again—she rocked on Alias for those who don’t know. Jamie Foxx is intense per usual and Chris Cooper gives a solid performance. It was refreshing to see Jason Bateman as an FBI Agent after seeing him in wacky comedies for the past few years. Ashraf Barhom, plays the Saudi “babysitter” of the agents and has a large role in the development and action of the film. I was very surprised to see that The Kingdom was only his fourth feature film. He has a great future in film ahead of him!

I would say this IS a good date movie per say, it has action, drama, slight comic relief and has great themes. Themes of family, tradition and pride are seen throughout the movie. These are all themes we all can relate to. It also shows how different The Kingdom may be from the U.S., but when it comes down to it…we have very similar wants and ideals.

He said:

This film just kicked ass from the very beginning. I am a pretty big history buff, so I know a good amount of all the conflicts and issues that have taken place in the Middle East in past years and recent years.

The cast was terrific in The Kingdom. All the characters had a lot of great chemistry and Jason Bateman was great with the one liners. The movie really had it all, insane action, a bit of comedy, drama and it hit hard on the political side. I highly recommend seeing this movie, regardless of your political beliefs. I don’t think it was one-sided at all. Enjoy!

Welcome!

Welcome to The Couples Critic! We have been in a relationship for six years and watch TONS of television and movies together. We agree AND disagree on it all and wanted to bring side by side comments, female and male, on what we view!

We watch everything from Ugly Betty to the Ultimate Fighter!

So, come back soon with updates and see what you and your significant other should be watching!