Showing posts with label MTV. Show all posts
Showing posts with label MTV. Show all posts

Saturday, August 08, 2009

57 Channels and Only This Is On vol. XCII


Quote of the Week: “The pasty, skinny kid who looks like one of those Twilight (expletive deleted)” (Maura Tierney, Rescue Me)

Song of the Week: I Got Messed Up – R.L. Burnside (Rescue Me)

Big News of the Week: MTV Video Music Award Nominees Announced: There is really nothing that makes me feel older the last five years than the VMA’s and this may be the first time I don’t watch the award show since I first got cable in 1989. The only category with any interesting nominees is the new one Best Video (That Should Have Won a Moonman). The network has long since avoided any nod to its history so it is surprising they would do so this year. The list includes:

Beastie Boys – Sabotage
Bjork – Human Behaviour
Dr. Dre – Nuthin’ but a “G” Thang
Foo Fighters – Everlong
George Michael – Freedom! ‘90
OK Go – Here it Goes Again
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers – Into the Great Wide Open
Radiohead – Karma Police
David Lee Roth – California Girls
U2 – Where the Streets Have no Name

Even though I think Sabotage should win (seriously, it features Cochise), I hope California Girls wins just for the potential David Lee Roth acceptance speech. I would actually tune in to see that.

Coalition Links of the Week:
One more month until Glee!!! Whee!!! Can you tell Vance is really excited? (Tapeworthy)

This week, Jace had an exclusive video interview with Doctor Who and Torchwood writer/executive producer Russell T. Davies and director Euros Lyn about what's coming up on the final David Tennant Doctor Who specials, a possible fourth season of Torchwood, the return of some familiar faces, and many, many other things. (Televisionary)

It's fun and it's quippy! Enter to win the first season of Leverage on DVD by e-mailing us with the last thing you stole. (TiFaux)

Matt can't wait to see Rachel Evan Wood on True Blood. As if this show could get any more fun/ridiculous! (TV Fanatic)

Kate wondered which oldie but goodie The CW will tackle next. (TV Filter)

This week, Sandie took at first look at Syfy's Alice, a re-imagining of "Alice in Wonderland." (Daemon's TV)


Rescue Me: They really went a long way just for a joke with Garrity’s, um, carrot. Maybe the best written episode of the season from an entertainment standpoint especially the discussion with Maura Tierney. But from a storyline stand point, the show seems to be coming off the rails again like it did last season. Hopefully they can pull it back in before the end of the season which only has three episodes left. You can stream current episodes over at Hulu.

Rescue Me on iTunes


The Philanthropist: Another great storytelling devise this week with Teddy defending himself to some Glen Beck type nutjob. You can stream current episodes over at NBC.com. You can also download The Philanthropist on iTunes.

Free Download of the Week: Defying Gravity (iTunes): I had a luke warm First Impression of Defying Gravity, but if you would like to check it out for yourself, you can download the two hour premiere for free and in HD.

Defying Gravity for free on iTunes


Deal of the Week: Comedy DVDs and More from $5.99! (Office Space, Spaceballs, UHF)

Video of the Week: I really need to get DirecTV because I don’t think I can wait until next summer to see the new season of Friday Night Lights. Here is an interview with Julie Taylor from the TCA’s.




Next Week Pick of the Week: I got nothing. For those that need some sort of TV fix this week, may I suggest going through The 100 Greatest Television Shows of the 00’s and add some of the shows you have missed to your queue.

Sunday, April 19, 2009

57 Channels and Only This Is On vol. LXXVI


The Big Bang Theory: Penny in a comic book store: it’s about time. But if she is going to slum it with a geek, why not have it be Sheldon? Maybe there is something there as he obvious was nerd blocking him with the Batman question. You know if the show lasts long enough it will happen. You can stream current episodes over at Innertube. You can also download The Big Bang Theory on iTunes.

Chuck: That was one of the more entertaining gun fights in recent memories. And I am down with any girl who can do a little double fisting. But how pathetic is Fulcrum that they would clear a whole building with two intruders? Seriously, you outnumber them 1000:1, you don’t need to retreat. You can stream current episodes over at NBC.com. You can also download Chuck on iTunes.

How I Met Your Mother: For the record, Scooter McGavin is better known as Stat Guy at work, the guy who plays with spreadsheets for fun. You can stream current episodes over at Innertube. You can also download How I Met Your Mother on iTunes.

Castle: So for an episode on voodoo they bring in Ray “Voodoo” Tatum. Now that is what I call great casting. You can stream current episodes over at ABC.com. You can also download Castle on iTunes.

Cupid: Nothing more entertaining than watching Republicans and Democrats go at it. But that took a back seat to the casting: holy Anna Chlumsky! And it really makes me feel old to find out she is pushing thirty. She’s the little kid from My Girl for goodness sake. You can stream current episodes over at ABC.com. You can also download Cupid on iTunes.

Lost: Well there goes my Sun is Candle’s kid theory. And of course Miles also has Daddy issues. But the big news of the week was Miles was once the star of Hook. The second biggest being is there may actually be another faction to keep track of with the What Lies Behind the Statue people. Or the Other, Other, Other. Yippie. You can stream current episodes over at ABC.com.

Lost on iTunes


Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Duel II: Why didn’t anyone tell me this show was starting up again? But the better question is why isn’t CT in jail by now? Or when is Congress going to call Bumin/Murray in for their own steroid investigation? Or do they really think that MJ and Nehemiah weren’t already in New Zealand knowing CT would be gone before they even started? You can also download Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Duel II on iTunes.

Survivor: This may have been the most depressing episode ever. I thought Coach was going but know we probably have at least another month of him and Tyson. I may have to stop watching. You can stream current episodes over at Innertube.

Survivor on iTunes


My Name Is Earl: The scene with Randy and the needle may be the most disturbing thing I have ever witnessed on television ever. Ever. You can stream current episodes over at NBC.com. You can also download My Name Is Earl on iTunes.

Also check out my season review of Friday Night Lights.



Saturday, September 20, 2008

57 Channels and Only This Is On vol. XLVII


Quote of the Week: If straight guys weren't so insensitive we wouldn't be left to clean up the pieces. (Deputy Leo, Greek)

Big New of the Week: RIP TRL: The music industry likes to blame illegal downloads and insiders say that the internet, video games, and DVD's have cut into the disposable income of music buying, but Total Request Live doesn't get enough credit for killing off the music industry. The show started modestly with band like Dave Matthews Band regularly appearing on the countdown. That was until the obsessive fans got involved. And by obsessive I mean teenagers who had nothing better to do with their time but sit in their bedrooms and vote for the latest Backstreet Boys video. Record executives caught on and spent most of their time and money catering to fans of the show and undoubtedly had interns themselves voting hoping to break new artist instead of actually cultivating fans the old fashion way of touring and actually play good music. Puddle of Mudd was even banned from the show for bribing people to vote for their videos. Thus the music industry only focused on acts that could get voted on the show and music that would appeal to anyone over twenty would not get any marketing push unless they were already a known commodity. That is when the music industry lost generations of previous loyal music fans who began content with filling their iPod's with golden oldies never to turn on the radio to be force fed the crap they tried to sell as music over the past decade. And soon an unwatchable show got even worse when they began only playing thirty second snippets for the videos. So goodbye TRL, you won't be missed.


Coalition Links of the Week:
Buzz wondered which TV shows made you feel the most emotionally attached. (BuzzSugar)

Marcia was thrilled to introduce a Pop Vultures spin-off site, The Spelling Bee, which is dedicated to the best of guilty pleasure TV. (Pop Vultures)

Vance makes a few casting suggestions for "Ryan" on Brothers & Sisters and has a slew of promotional and sneak peak photos from the new season. (Tapeworthy)

This week, Jace took an advance look at the first three episodes of Season Two of NBC's action comedy Chuck and loved every single second. (Televisionary)

Get it in gear LC, Spencer, Audrina and the rest of you guys on The Hills. At some point you're going to have to admit that you're on television for a living. No one is fooled. (TiFaux)

The TV Addict offers up five easy steps to fix Saturday Night Live. (The TV Addict)

Kate watched this week's episode of Gossip Girl with a drink and a candle. (TV Filter)


I Love Money: Poor Entertainer, first he has to stoop so low as to suck New York toes then he loses only because he cannot hold onto a poll. Big surprise at the vote off with Brandi C. quitting and there still being another elimination. Although everyone but one person is shown in the promo for next week so it is pretty easy to tell who gets voted in and voted out. Stupid promo moneys.

Greek: Two gay homosexuals doing the how I know you're gay bit: hilarious. Only funnier if they would have done that with a straight dude. But anyways. I am not sure how I feel about Casey hooking up with the RA. I still think it would have been better off if she stayed single for the rest of the semester. And I really hope Dale spills his heart out to Casey one of these days. You can download episodes of Greek on iTunes.

Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Island: How did I forget to talk about the premiere last week? So this time around they have some Survivor-light living quarters and no teams, but they still are voting people off. Two episodes in and I still don't quite understand the rules. When do they start building the boats? Shouldn't the people with keys start on that? And there is nothing more annoying in these reality show when people just quit. And just because Abram asked to be voted off doesn't make him that much noble than the other dude.


Free Download of the Week: NBC continues with their free stuff on iTunes with pre-airing episodes of Lipstick Jungle and the updated Knight Rider.

Promo of the Week:Two new CBS shows premiere this week, The Mentalist on Tuesday at 9:00 and My Worst Week on Monday at 9:30 and I have your first look at the two freshmen series. Unless of course you have seen this somewhere else making this your second look.







Pick for Next Week: Survivor: Gabon, Thursday at 8:00 on CBS: The granddaddy of reality shows is finally coming to HD with a two hour premiere. Well at least for you that have an HDTV. I will be sure to pick one up myself as soon as the government bails me out of my rising debt. Although come to think of it, maybe I should add said HDTV to my debt before they bail me out with the HDTV as part of the bailout.

Monday, September 08, 2008

We on Award Tour: 2008 Video Music Awards


What the frak happened to the Video Music Awards? Once the bastion of everything cool has turned into the most unwatchable thing on television. Even in the lean years, they were still able to line up legitimate stars. As much as I complained about last year’s show it still featured Kanye West, Alicia Keys, Linkin Park and Foo Fighters. This year is packed with groups that in past years would not have the resume to land them an opening show spot. Really only Kid Rock has actually sold multimillion albums. Seriously, who the frak is Tokyo Hotel? Danity Kane? Yeah, there was no blatant synergy there at all. MTV obviously knew the star power equaled that of your local public access begging to get Christina Aguilara and Kanye West to perform at the last minute pulling Kanye out of his MTV ban a year after promising never to go on the show again.

And it isn’t just the performers that were low star wattage because, the people handing out the moonmen were pretty sad too: Miley Cyrus, the cast of High School Music, the dude from Gossip Girl? You know what the VMA’s have turned into: the Teen Choice Awards. This may be my swan song for the VMA because they have decided that anyone older than fifteen and with male parts could possibly enjoy anything this crap. Here are other complaints with this year’s show:

- Instead of any music in the pre-show we get random people dancing. Um, yeah, okay. I guess that makes sense because all the pre-show quality artists were sadly invited to play on the big show. Yeah, that was the most worthless pre-show ever.

- Ooo, a new Survivor-style version of the Real World/Road Rules Challenge. Can’t wait. One thing I can wait for: another Paris Hilton reality show.

- Who invited Kobe Bryant? Aren’t there too many teenage white girls around for him to be invited to? If you invite Kobe Bryant, shouldn’t you invite Chris Hansen too?

- “Better luck next year T-Pain, if you’re still relevant,” I not sure who the dude who said that, but no truer words were spoken tonight. I bet less than half the people this year won’t warrant an invite next year.

- Britney Spears opening the VMA’s again. Yawn. Have we not learned from Crossroads that she cannot act.

- Wow, the place where the VMA’s took place looked about the size of the TRL set. This is really sad. The economy is really as bad as they say it is.

- I really dislike that Disturbia song, it is an obvious attempt at trying to recreate Thriller but it is no where near as catchy. But I did like the Seven Nation Army interlude. And can we keep the clippers away from Rihanna. It is like ever single she releases she cuts off even more hair.

- Congratulation Russell Brand, you went from hilarious to humongous tool even faster than Dane Cook. I guess I shouldn’t have expected much from a guy who dressed up like Osama bin Ladin the day after 9/11. If you can get on your knees to get Kanye West back, why can’t you do the same for Chris Rock?

- DJ AM and Travis Barker are the house band? Really? Since when is dating reality stars make you relevant?

- For those lucky enough to avoid the Jonas Brother phenomenon, they are basically Hanson but without legitimately catchy songs. That in no insult to Hanson who actually play all the instruments themselves when they play live.

- Luckily we only have to put with ten seconds of Katy Perry singing.

- Yeah, the Michael Phelps hosted Saturday Night Live isn’t going to be any good.

- Why invite Lil’ Wayne to perform if you are just going to censor every third word out of his mouth? Then you have T-Pain who didn’t bother to lip-sync half his performance.

- Did Lindsay Lohan said she had a dance off with AC/DC. When did this happen? Was Angus wearing his kilt? And is it on YouTube? And wasn’t Fannie Pack the people that did that horrible Camel Toe song from a few years ago.

- Paramore: best made for the pre-show.

- Wow, Russell Brand just got put on blast by Jordin Sparks. You go girl.

- Was T.I. just rapping over his song playing on the CD player? That’s some eighth grade talent show stuff.

- Add to my who are these guys list: Josh and Drake.

- I guess it is apropos that Brittany would win three awards at the biggest train wreck of the year.

- Kanye, don’t sing ever again. Ever.

- So there is another VMA, no big surprises and we are stuck at the watercooler again for the forth year in a row with nothing to talk about except about how bad it was.

Sunday, August 31, 2008

57 Channels and Only This Is On vol. XLIV


Quote of the Week: It was a bold choice, interesting background and a potential Hot for Teacher situation, don’t ya think? (Tony Kornheiser, Pardon the Interuption)

Big New of the Week: John McCain Picks for His Vice President, Wait, Who?: Just an addendum to yesterday’s post, the more I think about the more brilliant the pick of Sarah Palin is for John McCain. After a day of seeing talking heads blast her inexperience you can almost see the democratic strategist realize right after doing so that their candidate is not that much more experience. And having your inexperience at the bottom of the ticket is better than having it at the top. Granted Palin has more executive experience than Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and McCain combined.

And it didn’t take long for the liberal communist of the left to start their smear campaign hitting the internet to make people believe that Palin has had multiple affairs and that Palin faked her last pregnancy and that her eldest daughter is the real mother of her youngest (I even had a couple hits to yesterday searching for Bristol Palen pregnancy) like a bad plot line out of Desperate Housewives. Just because she lives in Juno doesn’t mean all the teenagers are pregnant. This rumor is as truthful as Obama being a Muslim, McCain fathering a black baby, and Biden, well Biden isn’t interesting enough to spread falsehoods about.

(Scooter's Update: More proof that Brisol is not the mother of Trig: she is five months pregnant accorfing to a press release from the Palen clan. Read more about it over at MSNBC.com. This makes my Juno crack a little less funny. Well, it still is pretty funny.)


Coalition Links of the Week:
Buzz chatted with 90210's Shenae Grimes about the responsibilities of being "The new Brenda." (BuzzSugar)

Marcia returned from the Edinburgh TV Festival with tales of Heroes and Doctor Who, straight from the showrunners' mouths. Also, new site design! (Pop Vultures)

Rae's spent the summer with her nose buried in a book and it's finally paying off for us with her review of the Burn Notice novel The Fix. (RTVW Online)

Vance loves Gavin & Stacey and insists that you all watch it too so that you too can fall in love. (Tapeworthy)

This week, Jace took an early look at the first three episodes of the new season of Gossip Girl and offered up which new and returning series he'll be watching this fall. (Televisionary)

Before the conventions started and we got all partisan, Sara got all "thinky" and discussed the optimistic nationalism of the Olympics. Never fear, we'll soon return to our guttural reactions on Project Runway. (TiFaux)

The TV Addict had the time of his life at Fox's Fantastic Fringe series premiere party in New York City. (The TV Addict)

Raoul got excited about the possibility of a (re)animated Buffy Summers. (TV Filter)


I Love Money: How can no one see that Megan is playing everyone. It doesn’t get more transparent than”backstabbing” people she is supposed to be aligned with right in front of them. Yet even with that blatant going aganst her alliance’s wishes, she was able to talk her alliance out of voting off White Boy even though they had just seen her align herself with him against their wishes hours before. I am begining to wonder if Megan is the smartest dumb person ever. You can download episodes of I Love Money on iTunes.


The Middleman: It seems like every week I throughly enjoy The Middleman, but for some reason when I sit down to write 57 Channels I rarely have anything interesting to say about the episode and that pretty much sums up the most recent one. And if I am not mistaken, next week s the season (series?) Finale. Hopefully it goes out with a bang. Literally and figuratively. You can download episodes of The Middleman on iTunes.


Busted: I typically do not flip through channels, but flipping through all the NBC networks during the Olympics had me do it a little lately, that is how I found this gem on MTV. For those that haven’t seen it, Busted is basically Cops for the college age set. So you get a lot of under age drunks and stoned morons. Man, I miss college. My personal favorite segment has to be the two girl who get pulled out of a club and when the cops say they were accused of solicitation, one of the girl, who had the most possible amount of clevage possible without being techincally naked, yells at the cop, “Do we look like prostitutes?” Sadly the cop didn’t say when everyone had to be thinking, yes. Nonetheless, highest of high comedy.


You can also check out my previews of Greek and Raising the Bar.

Free Download of the Week: Love Is Noise - The Verve (Amazon MP3)


Promo of the Week: Last year was a bit of a down year for My Name Is Earl. This could have been due to the writer’s strike, but Earl spent way too much time in jail or a coma and really didn’t cross much off his list. As the new season suggests, Earl is back to the list, but first, here is a recap for last year.



Pick for Next Week: Stand Up to Cancer, Friday at 8:00 on NBC, ABC, and CBS: It is cliched to say that we all know someone with Cancer, but sadly it is unavoidable with one presidential candidate a Cancer survivor with the other who lost his mother to the disease, granted one would rather give a speech to a bunch a Germans than to show up to Lance Armstrong’s LiveStrong Cancer forum. With that in mind it looks like Cancer may be overlooked in whoever is elected’s budget (not so fun fact, our government has spent more in a month on Iraq than all the years combinded since Nixon declared war on Cancer) on so it is again up to the individual to fund a cure. So the big three are banding together (Fox would rather air Guess the Lyrics) for a telethon which includes performance by Mariah Carey, Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, Rihanna, Fergie, Sheryl Crow, Miley Cyrus, Melissa Etheridge, Ashant, Natasha Bedingfield, Keyshia Cole, Ciara, Leona Lewis, LeAnn Rimes, and Carrie Underwood. And those are just the people who will be preforming together. Head over to StandUp2Cancer.com for more information and to donate or buy the charity single below.


Stand Up to Cancer Charity Single on iTunes


Monday, June 02, 2008

We on Award Tour: 2008 MTV Movie Awards


For the first time in a decade Mike Myers hosts the MTV Movie Awards and may be the last time the show was throughly entertaining. Here are my thoughts on this years show:

- Of course one of the reason even MTV’s Award Shows are no longer that much entertaining is all the shameless plugs, two of which made it in the first segment of the pre-show with the brunette from The Hills and The American Mall. And do teenagers even go to the mall anymore?

- Second segment and two more shameless plugs with The Search for Elle Woods and Rock Band. Yawn. And The House Bunny looks not at all watchable.

- Should I know what Twilight is? Wasn’t that a Reese Witherspoon movie? Is this a remake?

- Really, an American Gladiators sighting?

- MTV really needs to cut ties with Paris Hilton. Actually I need to cut ties with MTV.

- Now onto the big show. The last time Myers hosted TV Guide called it one of the funniest things ever on television. I don’t think if they updated the list that the 2008 version will make the list.

- Rainn Wilson, that dude next to you doesn’t even vaguely look like the dude from No Country for Old Men, he looked like Fabio with a nose job in a bad wig that vaguely looked like the bad guy’s hair from that movie.

- Holy Wallace Fennel sighting... as a cheerleader? In a crappy gum commercial. Ugg. And I thought the Hot Pockets was low.

- Should I know the dude with Will Ferrell?

- Huh, Spider-Man 3 lost to a movie I never heard of in the Best Fight? Has anyone else heard of the movie?

- FN’MTV indeed. Exactly what want to do on Friday nights, stay home and watch music videos.

- Ah, a Chewbacca winning the Lifetime Achievent Award, they should really bring that back.

- The food chick: also won’t be included in the next list of funniest things ever on television.

- Sweet, Wayne's World, complete with Garth. Naturally when talking about Garth’s nether regions, a shot of Paris Hilton, and talk of Tila Tequila going both ways, a shot of Lindsay Lohan.

- Nice of Johnny Depp to show up from back stage, too good for the common people like Will Smith. Which begs the question how did he get nominated let alone win?

- Tom Cruise presenting a Generation Award to Adam Sandler? Sure, makes sense to me. But his package looked like a highlight reel of my DVD collection.

- The Tropic Thunder thing is how you shamelessly promote something.

- Wow, presenters that are not all from the same movie. And Diddy and Lindsay Lohan doing political comedy, did that really just happen?

- Seriously, From G’s to Gents? Why?

- Brendon Frasier has reached present by himself tier? Alrighty.

- I’m getting a sense that the Johnny Depp fan club found a way to stuff the ballot. Did anyone actually see that movie.

- After hearing their new song, I guessing the Pussycat Dolls era is coming to a close. At least the Coldplay performance was decent even with the French army gear on.

- Another award to a movie I never heard of until tonight in the Best Kiss category.

- - Wait, was Robert Downey Jr. cleanly shaven when he accepted that stupid award earlier? And Transformers wins Best Movie. I really need to stop watching this crap.

Wednesday, May 07, 2008

We on Award Tour: 2008 MTV Movie Awards Nominations


It has been over a decade since the last time Mike Myers hosted the MTV Movie Awards and if I am not mistaken; his Riverdance spoof was one of TV Guide’s top ten funniest things on television ever. Granted it has been about that long since Myers has been consistently funny (I have the second Austin Powers being that specific date). No music performance announced yet, but last year they boasted both Rihanna and Amy Winehouse. I have the rundown of the nominees below and who I voted for. Vote for yourself over at MTV.com.


Best Movie
Juno
Transformers
Pirates of the Caribbean - At World's End
I Am Legend
Superbad
National Treasure 2 - Book of Secrets

Who Will Win: Transformers
Who I Voted For: Superbad

I would scoff at the inclusion of the Pirates movie because I and everyone I know panned it, but I thought that about the second one, but it won last year. But I still think the nerds will come out in force for Transformers, which I didn’t see because I didn’t want my childhood destroyed again by Michael Bruckheimer.


Best Male Performance
Will Smith - I Am Legend
Shia LaBeouf - Transformers
Denzel Washington - American Gangster
Matt Damon - The Bourne Ultimatum
Michael Cera - Juno

Who Will Win: Will Smith
Who I Voted For: Michael Cera

My vote for Michael Cera was more because I wanted to vote for his Superbad role, but Juno will have to do.


Best Female Performance
Ellen Page - Juno
Keira Knightley - Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Katherine Heigl - Knocked Up
Amy Adams - Enchanted
Jessica Biel - I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry

Who Will Win: Keira Knightley
Who I Voted For: Amy Adams

It is not a good sign about the fairer sex that two of the nominees (Heigl, Biel) were the least interesting part of their respected movies.


Best Villain
Johnny Depp - Sweeney Todd - The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Denzel Washington - American Gangster
Angelina Jolie - Beowulf
Topher Grace - Spider-Man 3
Javier Bardem - No Country for Old Men

Who Will Win: Javier Bardem
Who I Voted For: Javier Bardem

How is Venom nominated but no Sandman? That may be the biggest snub of the year. Not that anyone could beat the creepy dude from No Country for Old Men.


Best Comedic Performance
Johnny Depp - Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Adam Sandler - I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry
Jonah Hill - Superbad
Seth Rogen - Knocked Up
Amy Adams - Enchanted

Who Will Win: Seth Rogan
Who I Voted For: Adam Sandler

This may come down to the Apatow guys with Rogan edging it out thanks to Hill’s sub par job on Saturday Night Live. Granted with my name, I am required to vote for Sandler.


Best Fight
Matt Damon vs. Joey Ansah - The Bourne Ultimatum
Tobey Maguire vs. James Franco - Spider-Man 3
Hayden Christensen vs. Jamie Bell - Jumper
Sean Faris vs. Cam Gigandet - Never Back Down
Chris Tucker & Jackie Chan vs. Sun Ming Ming - Rush Hour 3
Alien vs. Predator - Aliens vs. Predator - Requiem

Who Will Win: The Bourne Ultimatum
Who I Voted For: Spiderman 3

In a measure of full discloser, the only fight here I saw was from Spiderman.


Best Kiss
Shia LaBeouf and Sarah Roemer - Disturbia
Amy Adams and Patrick Dempsey - Enchanted
Daniel Radcliffe and Katie Leung - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Ellen Page and Michael Cera - Juno
Briana Evigan and Robert Hoffman - Step Up 2 The Streets

Who Will Win: Amy Adams and Patrick Dempsey
Who I Voted For: Ellen Page and Michael Cera

I think I say this every year, but they need to kill this category.


Breakthrough Performance
Zac Efron - Hairspray
Seth Rogen - Knocked Up
Jonah Hill - Superbad
Michael Cera - Superbad
Chris Brown - This Christmas
Nikki Blonsky - Hairspray
Megan Fox - Transformers
Christopher Mintz-Plasse - Superbad

Who Will Win: Christopher Mintz-Plasse
Who I Voted For: Christopher Mintz-Plasse

Vote McLovin, if only for his PSA with Kristen Bell.




Best Summer Movie So Far
Iron Man
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Sex and the City: The Movie
Speed Racer
The Chronicles Of Narnia: Prince Caspian

Who Will Win: Iron Man
Who I Voted For: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

I guess this replaces last year’s lame Best Movie You Haven’t Seen, but the Studio’s are Paying Us Big Bucks to Promote Them. Of these, only one has actually been released so far, so this is still lame.

Monday, September 10, 2007

We on Award Tour: 2007 MTV Video Music Awards


Remember the catchphrase from what I think was the eighth installment of the Lethal Weapon franchise when Danny Glover (or was it Mel Gibson) said, “I’m getting too old for this (expletive deleted)!” Well that is how I have felt after ever Video Music Awards since, um, when was the last time Chris Rock hosted? But I thought this year was different when the show was announced thanks to scheduled performers Lily Allen and Amy Winehouse. Apparently MTV got word of this and since they have been trying very hard to keep anyone that is actually older than they are, both ended up not being able to make it to the show.

And so went the interest as most anyone who isn’t a fourteen year old white girl that still thinks Fall Out Boy are cool. But in the end I guess it is good that neither made it because they probably would have just been relegated to singing for thirty second with Mark Ronson before MTV cut to commercial. Seriously, if I wanted to hear less than a minute of a song I’d watch TRL. Eighteen different acts were featured but only five get to perform a full song. Why bother? Apparently you can watch all the suite performances at MTV.com but you might as well wait until someone rips the best to mp3. Here are some other thoughts on the show:

- We start off with the fairly worthless pre-show where they roll out John Norris again. Did this guy sign some sort of life-long contract? MTV has a stricter age limit than Menoudo yet he still gets rolled out every year with his boyband circa 1999 haircut. And there is something to say that even though T.I. was in the building, he didn’t bother to show up for the chick from the Pussycat Dolls performance, who relied heavily on guided vocals, even though he appeared on the song.

Britney Spears: Gimme Less- The big show started of with the much hyped Britney Spears performance and despite with expectations were so low she could walk over the bar, she still found a way to slither under it. Now I have never watched America’s Got Talent, but her performance is what I would imagine what a Britney impersonator’s that was let on the show just so the Hoff would have something to laugh at would look like. She didn’t bother to lip-sync half the time and was a half to full step behind her back up dancers half the time and looked lost half the time. But I guess it would be hard to remember the steps and to move your lips when you spent three minutes trying to hold in your gut. Note to Britney: fat people don’t walk around in their bra and panties. Yeah you could have pull that look off thirty pounds ago but you now either need to put some clothes on or work in a thousand sit ups a day.

- MTV seriously dropped the ball with the opening. They usher out a train wreck that hasn’t been musically relevant for half a decade for an embarrassing performance when they should have convinced Vanessa Hudgens open the show asking the crowd, “heard any good jokes lately?” (Thanks to everyone who pointed out why people she all the sudden became the most popular search to the 9th Green). Everyone would have talked around the watercooler today how great the opening was instead of how horrible it was. Well actually most of the watercooler talk today was, “wait, the VMA’s were last night?”

- Apparently MTV had a contingency plan in case the Brittney performance died like it did with Sarah Silverman coming out to make fun of her. Granted the best line was, “that’s not nice calling Madonna a python” as well as her backhanded comments to Paris Hilton who once again tried to look upset before breaking out laughing.

Rihanna: I'd stand underneath her Umbrella- Rihanna wins the Monster Single of the Year as well as the monster cleavage of the year award.

- Jennifer Hundson (as Alicia Keys calls her) comes out to give the most worthless award of the night, the quadruple threat award. Since when is having a clothing line a threat?

- Holy Pat Smear sighting!

Hopefully Kanye stands taller next week over 50 Cent- Kanye West and 50 Cent come out to hype their release date. I have said this before and I will say it again, for the love of hip-hop be sure to pick up Graduation this week so 50 retires for coming in second. Anyone find it interesting that no one even mentions Kenny Chesney who has a legitimate chance to outsell either of the rappers. Don’t underestimate the buying power of hillbillies. But any ways. Be sure to look out for my Kanye review tomorrow and 50 on Wednesday.

- Forty-five minutes into the award show and we get our first full performance by Chris Brown who did a much better job lip-syncing that Britney. But that really say much about it. But is does say something that Rihanna stole the show from him.

I'll take the one in the middle, do what you want with the other two- Justin Timberlake’s music sucks massively and acts like a complete tool ninety-five percent of the time but I like his blast at MTV and their reality programming while accepting an award from The Hills (but I’d like to state for the record that I would definitely stand underneath the brunette’s umbrella-ella-ella-eh-eh-eh). But then lost points when saying that The Simpsons were part of MTV’s reality programming.

- Seriously, Cee-Lo singing Prince while being backed by the Foo Fighters only gets thirty seconds of airtime?

- I must take this time to apologize to CBS for creating the most appalling reality show ever with Kids Nation. I didn’t realize MTV would counter with A Shot of Love with Tila Tequila (whoever that is), your token Bachelor rip-off but with sixteen lesbians and straight dudes. But there is something to say that both channels are owned by the same company (keep in mind this is also the same company that axed Veronica Mars).

- Are we really supposed to believe Shia LeBeouf didn’t really have express written consent to reveal the new Indiana Jones title (Kingdom of the Crystal Skull). That is just insulting our intelligence.

- Who keeps inviting Pamela Anderson to these things? She and Carmen Electra should be well into their begging to get on the Surreal Life point in their life but somehow they still get on big name events. What’s worst is supposedly she is the reason for the most interesting thing that happened all night (Kid Rock sucker punching Tommy Lee) and MTV didn’t even bother to air it.

- Speaking of overrated chicks, Megan Fox may be one of the few people that rival Anderson in that category. She announces Timbaland who does some weird thing before tossing it to Linkin Park. What was that? Why even bother? Why not just have Fox toss to Linkin Park. Timbaland is just completely worthless.

- During the pre-show Rihanna mentioned she was going to rock out tonight and I thought maybe she would be backed by New Order (Shut Up and Drive samples Blue Monday), but now it is just Fall Out Boy who just took home Best Group. Yawn.

Alicia Keys: Great Performance, Bad Outfit- Alicia Keys adds some class to program even if she was wearing that looked like Olivia Newton-John combined her wardrobe from the final scene from Grease and the Physical video. The new song was decent, but I’m not sure where I come down on Freedom ’90. I was hoping that maybe she would bring out George Michaels but alas no.

- Jamie Foxx comes out to show everyone how much he has had to drink while in Vegas then shuts ups just long enough for Jennifer Garner announce the Best New Award as Gym Class Fallout. Yeah, that seems just about right.

- MTV then rolls out a week old joke that really wasn’t that funny a week ago in the Miss Teen South Carolina who flubs while pretending to flubs. Nice. At least she gave the Wu-Tang Clan a shout out.

- The big surprise guest of the night is Dr. Dre (who is disturbingly showing his age). No he didn’t perform or even receive a Lifetime Achievement Award or anything interesting, no he is just relegated to handing out Video of the Year to Rihanna.

- The show ends with Nelly Furtado, Timberlake and Timbaland each performing a verse from their latest song before getting together as the song they did together start only for the track to stop so abruptly that Timbaland had to inform everyone five seconds later that that’s the end of the show. How apropos of an end.

- I’m really getting too old for this (expletive deleted).

Sunday, September 02, 2007

57 Channels and Only This Is On vol. XXXIV


Big News of the Week: You Can See the Latest NBC Shows at Blockbuster but not iTunes: Two big news items from NBC this week and I’ll start with the smaller item. Starting this Tuesday you can rent from Blockbuster stores as well as thru their online service a DVD that includes the first episodes of Chuck, Journeyman, and Life as well as a preview of Bionic Woman. If I am not mistaken, they did a similar thing last year on Netflix for Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and we all know how that turned out. I always found this an odd marketing strategies as it may decrease initial rating which may hurt on the fence viewers who may not turn into the second episode fearing it would be canceled.

The bigger news is that NBC Universal has decided not to renew their contract that ends at the end of this year. And since the contract ends in the middle of the television schedule NBC has decided not to have any more new shows added to the iTunes library. I can’t say I’m too surprised by this because it seemed a little odd that it cost the same, $1.99, to buy three minute music videos, twenty minute sitcoms, and forty minute dramas. But I won’t be at all surprised if Apple unveils a pricing plan before then as Universal Music Group (are they related to NBC), the biggest record company, said they are pulling out also.

But the biggest surprise for me in this news was that NBC accounted for forty percent of all television downloads considering how they are supposedly the fourth network interims of rating. This just goes to show how big a sham the Neilson Ratings are. You are trying to tell me that a network is by far has the biggest segment of downloads, which are based on actual numbers would be all the way down at fourth in a glorified poll that are the Neilson Ratings. Seriously, what is the Neilson’s margin of error, 10%? Actually, that is a good question; does anyone know what the actual margin of error is for the Neilson Ratings? It is pretty shady that they don’t have that listed anywhere.


I have had the 9th Green Reader’s Poll up on my sidebar for album a month so I think I am going to take it down at the end of the month. If you have not taken it yet, please do so in the next week. It should only take a minute or so. And a big thanks to everyone who as already taken. Also this is your last chance to join my fantasy Dillon Panthers Football league. The live draft will take part on Yahoo this Tuesday at 9:00 PM EST. Drop me an e-mail (see sidebar) if you are interested in participating and I will give you the league ID and password.


Greek: I don’t know way, but the line Ashleigh said about needing more sleep because she was growing out her bangs out had me laughing all week. And even though they weren’t as cool as Crucifictorious but Darwin Lied was a pretty ingenious band name for a religious band. Which brings me to the best part of the episode, a new courtship for Casey in Dale. Now I know longer had to decide to root for Tool #1 (Even) or Tool #2 (Cappie) and can now root for a Dale-Casey hook-up. Speaking of hook-ups, what is with all the infidelity? Not really all the infidelity, but how all these characters can look past their partner’s infidelity so quickly? Download the current season of Greek on iTunes.


Rescue Me: You know the sign of a great character is when you start to smile just at the sight of them like with the captain’s daughter. Let’s hope the rest of the season (all two episodes) features more Amy Sedaris and less Gina Gershon.

Rescue Me on iTunes



Pick of the Week: MTV Music Video Awards, Sunday at 9:00 on MTV: I was actually excited when the show was announced, but two reasons why I was excited (Amy Winehouse and Lily Allen, have both dropped out and were replaced by T-Pain and Akon. What’s worse there is a rumor that the big “surprise” opening this year will be Britney Spears. Or as Kevin Federline will call the performance, Exhibit T in his full custody battle case. Expect a much smaller even this year as previous VMA’s had clocked in at five hours between pre, post, and the big show but is down to three hours with the pre-show starting at 8:00.


I had this up last week and I though I would put it in this post again to give something to play with as I’ll be taking tomorrow off. Below is a widget where you can vote for the Most Anticipated New Shows of Fall 2007. You can simply give it up or down votes or go to the UnSpun website and rank them in order or add new shows that aren’t on the list yet.



Tuesday, August 07, 2007

We on Award Tour: 2007 MTV Video Music Awards Nominations


The MTV Music Video Awards: once was the cream of the crop of all awards show now it is barely the most entertaining award show on its own network. Yeah this could be because of poor choices of hosts. No host announced for this year (yet?) but Timbaland has been named the music maestro whatever that means. There were some huge shake ups in the categories this year with a significantly less number of them than before including the category that were voted on by the fans, Viewers Choice and the MTV2 Award. Also gone are all the genre categories, so no rap, hip-hop, r&b, rock and pop. Although this year you can vote for the Best New Artist here. Also it looks like this year most of the categories are more about a portfolio of work rather than a specific video by an artist, a change I hate because it puts more focus on the artist instead of the video. But anyways.

The show airs September 9th and as part as being the music maestro Timbaland got to picvck the performers that will include himself (naturally), Chris Brown, Fall Out Boy, Foo Fighters, Rihanna, Kanye West, and Amy Winehouse. Lily Allen is also scheduled to perform but considering her work visa got yanked she may have to do so via satellite. Also Mark Ronson with be the house DJ this year. Now here are this year’s nominees:


Video of the Year
Amy Winehouse - Rehab
Beyoncé - Irreplaceable
Justice - D.A.N.C.E.
Justin Timberlake - What Goes Around ...
Kanye West - Stronger
Rihanna (featuring Jay-Z) - Umbrella

Who Will Win: What Goes Around…
Who Should Win: Stronger
Should Have Been Nominated: Signal Fire - Snow Patrol

Timberlake and BeyoncĂ© so conventional wisdom says one of them will take home the biggest prize, not that either deserve it. Yeah What Goes Around… was entertaining in a they were actually taking it seriously kind of way but it doesn’t even rank in the top ten of the past year. But to look on the bright side, if either win Kanye just may storm the stage.


Male Artist of the Year
Akon - Don't Matter, I Wanna Love You (featuring Snoop Dogg), Smack That (featuring Eminem)
Kanye West - Can't Tell Me Nothing, Stronger, Classic (Better Than I've Ever Been - DJ Premier remix, featuring Nas, KRS-One and Rakim)
Justin Timberlake - Let Me Talk To You/ My Love, SexyBack (featuring Timbaland), What Goes Around ...
T.I. - Big Things Poppin' (Do It), You Know What It Is (featuring Wyclef Jean), What You Know
Robin Thicke - Can U Believe, Lost Without U, Wanna Love You Girl (remix, featuring Busta Rhymes and Pharrell)

Who Will Win: Kanye West
Who Should Win: Kanye West
Should Have Been Nominated: Common

Here is my big complaint on the multiple videos thing; if Akon were to win do Snoop Dogg and Eminem get an award too or even allowed on stage? They may just give this to Kanye to appease him from getting too upset.


Female Artist of the Year
Amy Winehouse - Rehab, You Know I'm No Good
Beyoncé - Irreplaceable, Beautiful Liar (featuring Shakira)
Fergie - Big Girls Don't Cry (Personal), Glamorous (featuring Ludacris), Fergalicious (featuring Will.I.Am)
Nelly Furtado - Maneater, Say It Right
Rihanna - Umbrella (featuring Jay-Z)

Who Will Win: Beyoncé
Who Should Win: Beyoncé
Should Have Been Nominated: Lily Allen

It is a shame that Lily Allen isn’t included here because her trio of videos are more entertaining than any other anything else on this list, most of which are downright boring. Of course MTV would rather nominate the bigger stars in exchange for them to show up at the awards to perform or present. And did MTV run a test to make sure Fergie belongs in this here?


Best New Artist
Amy Winehouse - Rehab, You Know I'm No Good
Carrie Underwood - Before He Cheats
Gym Class Heroes - Clothes Off, Cupid's Chokehold/ Breakfast in America
Lily Allen - Alfie, Smile, LDN
Peter Bjorn and John - Young Folks

Who Will Win: Gym Class Heroes
Who Should Win: Lily Allen
Should Have Been Nominated: Cold War Kids

It is odd that Underwood only has one video listed because she has released five videos off here album. Of course that is almost as odd as here getting a nomination at all because 1) her album was released a year and a half ago, 2) she doesn’t appeal to MTV’s core demographic. I wonder if she has ever been played on the channel. Again, you can vote for the Best New Artst. I am not going to say who you should vote for, but be sure you vote for Lily Allen


Best Group
Fall Out Boy - This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race, Thnks Fr Th Mmrs
Gym Class Heroes - Clothes Off, Cupid's Chokehold/ Breakfast in America
Linkin Park - What I've Done
Maroon 5 - Makes Me Wonder
White Stripes - Icky Thump

Who Will Win: Gym Class Hero
Who Should Win: Linkin Park
Should Have Been Nominated: Arctic Monkeys

This will most likely come down to Fall Out Boy and Gym Class Heroes but I think it will go to the latter signifying the end of the Fall Out Boy era. Hooray. As for quality it comes down to Linkin Park and the White Stripes, with LP having a slight edge.


Most Earthshattering Collaboration
Akon (featuring Eminem) - Smack That
Beyoncé and Shakira - Beautiful Liar
Justin Timberlake (featuring Timbaland) - SexyBack
Gwen Stefani (featuring Akon) - The Sweet Escape
U2 (featuring Green Day) - The Saints Are Coming

Who Will Win: Beyoncé and Shakira
Who Should Win: U2 (featuring Green Day)
Should Have Been Nominated: Mark Ronson (featuring Lily Allen) - Oh My God

In an attempt to remain cool we get lame category names like Eathshattering. Yawn. You are showing your age MTV. And don’t ask me why all the videos are “featuring” someone except the BeyoncĂ© and Shakira one.


Quadruple Threat of the Year
Beyoncé
Bono
Jay-Z
Justin Timberlake
Kanye West

Who Will Win: Justin Timberlake
Who Should Win: Bono
Should Have Been Nominated: Scooter McGavin

What does this even mean and why should we care?


Monster Single of the Year
Avril Lavigne - Girlfriend
Daughtry - Home
Fall Out Boy - Thnks Fr Th Mmrs
Lil Mama - Lip Gloss (No Music)
T-Pain (featuring Yung Joc) - Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin')
Timbaland (featuring Keri Hilson, D.O.E. and Sebastian) - The Way I Are
MIMS - This Is Why I'm Hot
Plain White T's - Hey There, Delilah
Rihanna (featuring Jay-Z) - Umbrella
Shop Boyz - Party Like A Rock Star

Who Will Win: Umbrella
Who Should Win: Hey There, Delilah
Should Have Been Nominated: Rockstar (Nickelback)

Just to show how out of touch I am with the current MTV generation (keep in mind I was part of the original generation), six of the ten nominations have a very good chance of showing up on my Worst Songs of 2007 list. And the other four won’t be charting very high on my 100 Best Songs of 2007 list either if at all. And can the Fall Out Boy single really be considered a “Monster” single? And why are the Video Awards honoring single? Well I guess it is better than the ring tone catagory last year. I could easily rattle off at least ten song that were bigger hits this past year. As for Nickelback, I am going to talk more about this song tomorrow (or by Friday at the latest).


I am not really one to comment on the technical awards but here are those:

Best Director
Beyoncé and Shakira - Beautiful Liar (director - Jake Nava)
Christina Aguilera - Candyman (directors - Matthew Rolston and Christina Aguilera)
Justin Timberlake - What Goes Around ... (director - Samuel Bayer)
Kanye West - Stronger (director - Hype Williams)
Linkin Park - What I've Done (director - Joseph Hahn)
Rihanna (featuring Jay-Z) - Umbrella (director - Chris Applebaum)


Best Editing in a Video
Beyoncé and Shakira - Beautiful Liar (editor - Jarett Figl)
Gnarls Barkley - Smiley Faces (editor - Ken Mowe)
Justin Timberlake - What Goes Around ... (editor - Hollee Singer)
Kanye West - Stronger (editors - Peter Johnson and Corey Weisz)
Linkin Park - What I've Done (editor - Igor Kovalik)


Best Choreography in a Video
Beyoncé and Shakira - Beautiful Liar (choreographer - Frank Gatson)
Chris Brown - Wall To Wall (choreographers - Rich & Tone and Flii Styles)
Ciara - Like A Boy (choreographer - Jamaica Craft)
Eve - Tambourine (choreographer - Tahesha Scott)
Justin Timberlake - My Love (choreographer - Marty Kudelka)