HBO

DVD Review: ‘Will Ferrell: You’re Welcome America: A Final Night With George W. Bush’

BrianTT — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:49:28 -0700

CHICAGO – When I first heard about Will Ferrell’s one-man Broadway show in which he would deliver a nearly-90-minute monologue as outgoing President George W. Bush, I was both excited at the potential and nervous as to how on Earth the talented comedian could keep it interesting for its full running time. Wouldn’t it play like an extended “Saturday Night Live” sketch? “You’re Welcome America: A Final Night With George W. Bush” not only justifies its running time but is smart, clever, and well-written enough that I wished it was twice as long.

DVD Rating: 4.0/5.0

In his first-ever HBO special, Ferrell brings his Tony-nominated portrayal of George W. Bush to audiences who couldn’t make it to New York City earlier this year. Timed to coincide with Bush handing over the reins of the country to Barack Obama, “You’re Welcome America” is a searing, satirical look at not just the Presidency of George W. Bush but his entire misunderestimated life.

Will Ferrell: You’re Welcome America: A Final Night With George W. Bush was released on DVD on November 3rd, 2009.
Photo credit: HBO Home Video

Of course, if you’re in the 29% of Americans who approved of the job Bush was doing when he left office, I’m not naive enough to think that you’ll get as much enjoyment out of “You’re Welcome America” as the rest of us (although I think even supporters of Bush would recognize the comic ability on display in what Ferrell has accomplished). This is not a kind portrayal of our former leader, as Ferrell skewers every aspect of the life, legend, and legacy of the recently unemployed 43rd U.S. President.

The DVD release of “You’re Welcome America” is what one would expect for what is essentially a stand-up special. There are, naturally, not going to be copious special features or remarkable technical specs. The piece pretty much speaks for itself.

Having said that, fans will find an interesting mini-featurette called “Road to Broadway,” a mildly amusing piece called “Bush on Bush Interview” in which Ferrell plays Dubya interviewing himself, and a disturbing true or false game called “It’s Time Has Come of Being a Decider, America”.

‘Will Ferrell: You’re Welcome America: A Final Night With George W. Bush’ is released by HBO Home Video and stars Will Ferrell. It was written by Ferrell and directed by Marty Callner. The show was released on DVD on November 3rd, 2009. It is rated TV-MA.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

TV News: Hang Out With ‘Entourage’ Star Kevin Dillon at Chicago Event

BrianTT — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:46:29 -0600

CHICAGO – We were recently sent a flyer for a cool, entertainment-based Chicago event featuring one of the stars of HBO’s beloved “Entourage”. Enclave presents “Who’s your Entourage” event that’s hosted by Johnny Drama himself, Kevin Dillon. On November 6, Chicago fans can meet the “Entourage” star for free before 11pm. To RSVP for the event, go to Enclave Chicago’s website.

Kevin Dillon is an actor best known for his role as Johnny ‘Drama’ Chase on HBO’s hit original series “Entourage”. Dillon has also appeared in “24”, “NYPD Blue” and “Hotel for Dogs”. Dillon is the younger brother of actor Matt Dillon.

(Note: We know there’s a typo in the flyer image below, but we didn’t design it.)

By ANGIE RENTMEESTER
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com

TV Review: ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ Returns as Funny as Ever With ‘Seinfeld’ Cast

BrianTT — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 14:02:45 -0600

CHICAGO – You would have to live under a pop culture rock to not know about the big hook that will happen on this season of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” - the reunion of the cast of “Seinfeld”. Yes, Jerry Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jason Alexander, and Michael Richards all return, but the season starts with a pair of episodes that affirm that “Curb” needs no stunt guest appearances to succeed.

Television Rating: 4.0/5.0

In the first episode of the new season of “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” Larry is desperately trying to get out of his relationship with Loretta (Vivica A. Fox) while missing his wife (Cheryl Hines) and dealing with a series of disasters surrounding Jeff (Jeff Garlin) and the Funkhauser family.

Larry David, Jeff Garlin.
Photo credit: Doug Hyun/HBO

“Curb Your Enthusiasm” has always excelled by displaying David’s inabilities to deal with normal social conventions. For example, in the first episode, Jeff and Susie (Susie Essman) invite Larry to a dinner party and he has the nerve to ask who else is coming before he decides if he’d like to attend. Of course, that’s a social no-no. But the subversive genius of “Curb” is that the show almost always defends Larry’s social no-nos. In this case, NOT knowing who’s going to be there backfires on Larry.

Larry David, Jerry Seinfeld, Michael Richards, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jason Alexander.
Photo credit: Doug Hyun/HBO

An even funnier subplot in the season premiere revolves around Larry’s shocked reaction when someone in his house just goes in and grabs a drink from the refrigerator without asking. Of course, Larry should have offered, but is it okay to just take a drink if the host doesn’t offer? The line in the ensuing argument - “Don’t condescend me with your tiny pear” - is one of my favorites of the year to date from any show.

The second episode feature Larry discovering a key to getting out of his relationship with Loretta - being a total jerk - and throwing a wrench into Richard Lewis’ latest relationship after he tries to avoid contact with Richard’s new gal (Lolita Davidovich) after hearing what the two of them were doing in the car just before dinner. J.B. Smoove gets a great subplot in episode two after Larry works his magic and turns a harmelss comment into something offensive.

Of course, episode three, “Reunion,” is the one getting the mountains of press surrounding this season, although it really just hints at what’s to come this year. Larry resists a “Seinfeld” reunion until he finds a compelling reason to do so. That reunion will reportedly take up a majority of the rest of this very-promising season of the best show on HBO this fall. Hearing Jason Alexander suggest a “Seinfeld” reunion would be a good idea to “make up for the finale” is something let-down fans of the show have been wanting to hear for years.

Guest stars this season include the entire cast of “Seinfeld,” Ted Danson, Bob Einstein, Fox, Lewis, Rosie O’Donnell, Smoove, Mary Steenburgen, Sharon Lawrence, Catherine O’Hara, Meg Ryan, Elisabeth Shue, Christian Slater, and Sherry Stringfield.

At the start of its seventh season, “Curb Your Enthusiasm” isn’t really breaking any of its own rules, but what struck me about the first three episodes sent for review was how consistent the show has been from year to year. Perhaps the short seasons and lengthy periods between them are some of the reason, but it’s rare to see a show this at or close to the top of its game this far into its existence. Most sitcoms have worn out their welcome by the seventh season premiere. “Curb Your Enthusiasm” is not most sitcoms.

‘Curb Your Enthusiasm,’ which airs on HBO, stars Larry David, Cheryl Hines, Jeff Garlin, and Susie Essman. The show was created by Larry David. The series returns on Sunday, September 20th, 2009 at 8PM CST.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

TV Review: ‘Bored to Death’ Has Title More Truthful Than Ironic

BrianTT — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 13:13:03 -0600

CHICAGO – Maybe it’s an ironic, surreal joke but the most common thought that I kept having during the first three episodes of “Bored to Death” was, well, “bored”. Only the immensely talented supporting cast, including great turns from Zach Galifianakis, Ted Danson, Olivia Thirlby, and Kristen Wiig save the show from achieving the threat promised by its title.

Television Rating: 2.0/5.0

“Bored to Death” is essentially about a writer so bored with his own predictable, lovelorn life that he pretends to be a private investigator and stumbles into actually solving crime. The humor comes from the stuck-up, snobby delivery of star Jason Schwartzman traveling in a Chandler-esque setting where his ordering of a white wine in a seedy bar is greeted with a raised eyebrow. There is a bit of interest in seeing Schwartzman’s intellectual awkwardness in an atypical world, but it grows stale much more quickly than the creators of the show probably envisioned.

Episode 103 Scene 23: Jonathan walks up to Emily’s with the skateboard.
Photo credit: Paul Schrialdi/HBO

Schwartzman is good and the supporting cast is excellent, but “Bored to Death” exists only in the weird world of overly intellectual television. It’s constantly winking at the camera, trying to point out its cleverness. Schwartzman admonishing a kidnapper for smoking meth because “it’s all chemicals” and having a conversation about trouble with girlfriends in the middle of a rescue scene practically screams its clever intentions without actually being nearly as smart as it thinks it is.

Episode 106 Scene 08: Jonathan, Ray and George wait in Leah’s car. They are watching Sophia’s motel room.
Photo credit: Paul Schiraldi/HBO

Imagine if the world that this pretentious writer had been dipped in was genuine and emotionally relatable or incredibly stylized like something out of “The Singing Detective”. It’s the middle ground that leads to the boredom. “Bored to Death” is a show about a writer that constantly comes across as over-written by its lead character. It’s as if we’re living in his head, a world where even the kidnapping, meth smoker sounds like a pretentious douche.

How clever does “Bored to Death” think it is? Its creator is named Jonathan Ames, the same as the writer/detective lead. In the third episode the creator of the show gets to present a half-hour where “Jonathan Ames” is going to work with the great Jim Jarmusch. It seems a bit self-aggrandizing. The whole thing plays like a half-assed effort at something that might have intrigued Charlie Kaufman, but with tones of noir and Schwartzman’s quirky delivery.

Only the great Zach Galifianakis and Ted Danson break free from the predictable tone and snobby dialogue. Zach, star of “The Hangover,” has a couple of great scenes in the premiere and honest chemistry with Schwartzman and Danson is typically great. Their delivery is so different from Schwartzman’s that scenes with them are easy highlights just for the oil-and-vinegar chemistry missing from the rest of the show.

Episode 104 Scene 15: Ray comes up with some fake issues, but are they fake.
Photo credit: Paul Schiraldi/HBO

As for the mysteries of the week, “Bored to Death” isn’t remotely about them. No one is asking the writers to come up with yet another show like “The Mentalist” or “Bones” but they could put an ounce of effort into the cases that come from Jonathan’s Craigslist posting looking for detective work.

Most of my negative feelings surrounding “Bored to Death” are directed at the premiere. Episodes two and three show improvement, even if the Jarmusch plotline in episode three feels more narcissistic than anything else.

The second episode features more screen time for the great Thirlby (she only has a brief moment in the premiere) and brings in Kristen Wiig as the client of the week. Overall, the second episode works significantly better than the first, as the addition of more talented actresses in the ensemble pays off. Every show or movie could be made stronger by a guest appearance by Wiig. The scene where she hires Jonathan is the highlight of the first trio of episodes.

The dialogue and characters also seem more well-defined in the second episode. Even if none of the characters ring remotely true and the show still can’t decide between stylish realism and actual characters, the awkward tone is much more consistent in episode two and I think the show would work better as an uniterrupted viewing. In other words, the eventual DVD or Blu-Ray is the way to go, spending one or two nights in this weird world instead of a weekly, frustrating appointment. Although so many people will be bored to death by the premiere that they’re unlikely to give it a second chance.

‘Bored to Death,’ which airs on HBO, stars Jason Schwartzman, Ted Danson, Zach Galfianakis, and Olivia Thirlby. The show was created by Jonathan Ames. The series debuts on Sunday, September 20th, 2009 at 8:30PM CST.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

DVD Review: HBO Brings Home Emmy Contenders ‘Flight of the Conchords,’ ‘Grey Gardens’

BrianTT — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 17:28:27 -0600

CHICAGO – Two of HBO’s most acclaimed and beloved programs of the last year just hit DVD and both packages are worth the pick-up for anyone who considers themselves a serious collector of TV on DVD - “Flight of the Conchords: Season Two” and “Grey Gardens”. Both were nominated for multiple Emmys, standing among the best television of 2008 and 2009.

DVD Rating: 4.0/5.0

Let’s start with the comedy. The second-and-superior season of “Flight of the Conchords” continues the adventures of Emmy-nominated Jemaine Clement and his partner Bret McKenzie as the New Zealand’s “4th Most Popular Folk Parody Duo” trying to make it big in the States.

Flight of the Conchords: Season Two was released on DVD on August 4th, 2009.
Photo credit: HBO Home Video

With its sublimely twisted sense of humor and catchy-as-hell soundtrack “Flight of the Conchords” gets under your skin. The season premiere, in which the boys fire their manager, is good, but the follow-up episode, about Jemaine becoming a male prostitute to make ends meet, is uniquely hilarious. The show’s addictive nature is perfect for DVD. Expect to watch one episode the first time, two the second, and not be able to hold back from burning through the rest of the season the third.

The 12 episodes of season two of “Flight of the Conchords” are presented in 16:9 widescreen and they look pretty good for standard definition. It’s shameful that HBO isn’t releasing one of their hippest programs on Blu-Ray, but this standard transfer is better than average (even better than season one, actually). Same goes for the audio mix in English 5.1 and Spanish 2.0

Special features on “Flight of the Conchords: Season Two” include “Flight of the Conchords: On Air Documentary Feature,” “Dave’s Pawn Shop Commercials,” “New Zealand Consulate Meetings With Murray & Greg,” Deleted Scenes, and Outtakes.

“Flight of the Conchords” is one of the funnier shows on television and the season two DVD release from HBO is one of the better comedy DVDs of the month.

One of the best drama DVDs of the last several months is the multiple Emmy-nominated “Grey Gardens,” an amazing TV movie that aired on HBO earlier this year and still stands as one of the best films of 2009, theatrical or televised.

Grey Gardens was released on DVD on July 14th, 2009.
Photo credit: HBO Home Video

Drew Barrymore gives the performance of her career as “Little Edie” Bouvier Beale, daughter of “Big Edie” (Jessica Lange). In 1973, Albert and David Maysles entered the reclusive world of the Bouvier Beales to film a documentary about these two eccentric relatives of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy. Living in a run-down house, giving shows for each other, and basically living on the edge of sanity, the documentary “Grey Gardens” was a riveting portrait of these two unforgettable women.

The Maysles captured day-to-day life in almost total isolation in every way. Little Edie and Big Edie had absolutely no grip on reality, living in squalor but acting like social darlings. How did they get there? The narrative HBO film inspired by the documentary attempts to answer that question (but only barely does) by flashbacking to key moments in their lives.

“Little Edie” Bouvier Beale and “Big Edie” Bouvier Beale would probably be simply over-the-moon to know that an HBO movie had been made about their lives. It may not be the most flattering or illuminating work about these two women, but it’s amazing how much they can continue to fascinate, nearly four decades after the Maysles brought them into the spotlight that they always thought they deserved in the first place.

“Grey Gardens” was nominated for Best TV Movie or Mini-Series, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Supporting Actress, but the real competition will be between Lange & Barrymore in Best Actress. Rent or buy the DVD and see who you think should win. (If I had a ballot, Drew would get my vote, for sure, and I expect her to win the prize. She’s simply incredible.)

“Grey Gardens” is another HBO title being released only on DVD and not on Blu-Ray. Why the network isn’t releasing their most acclaimed programming in HD is a mystery to me. HBO has always been a trend setter and it feels like they’re getting left behind by their peers when it comes to Blu-Ray TV. The film is presented with a 16:9 ratio and accompanied by a Dolby Digital 5.1 and Spanish 2.0 track.

Special features include an informative audio commentary with executive producers Michael Sucsy, Lucy Barzun Donnelly and Rachael Horovitz, and “Grey Gardens, Then & Now,” a documentary that compares and contracts the feature-length film and the original 1975 documentary that includes interviews with Albert Maysles, Drew Barrymore, Jessica Lange, filmmaker Michael Sucsy and others.

‘Flight of the Conchords: Season Two’ is released by HBO Home Video and stars Jemaine Clement, Bret McKenzie, Rhys Darby, Kristen Schaal, and Arj Barker. It was created by James Bobin, Clement, and McKenzie. It was released on August 4th, 2009. It is rated TV-MA.

‘Grey Gardens’ is released by HBO Home Video and stars Drew Barrymore, Jessica Lange, Malcolm Gets, Daniel Baldwin, Ken Howard, and Jeanne Tripplehorn. It was written by MJichael Sucsy and Patricia Rozema and directed by Sucsy. It was released on July 14th, 2009. It is rated TV-PG.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

DVD Review: Fifth Season of HBO’s ‘Entourage’ Entertains, But Shows Age

BrianTT — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:34:59 -0600

CHICAGO – How does a show about the “next big thing” in Hollywood age? Do we really want to see the boys of “Entourage” grow up? The first two seasons of Creator Doug Ellin’s incredibly clever show crackled with wit rarely seen on television and stood with the best comedies. But season five, now on DVD, shows a series with a slight identity crisis, a comedy that is still entertaining but missing the spark that once defined it.

DVD Rating: 3.5/5.0

If there was a “jump the shark” moment for “Entourage” it was, ironically, the same disastrous event in the fictional career of Vincent Chase (Adrian Grenier) - the fictional epic “Medellin”. The writers and producers spent so much time on the project that they lost a lot of the creative energy from the first two seasons in the story of an ambitious film gone disastrously wrong.

Entourage: The Complete Fifth Season was released on DVD on June 30th, 2009.
Photo credit: HBO Home Video

Season five of the show features both a show and its characters in the middle of a crisis. Just as Vince can’t figure out what to do next with his career and his boys struggle with their own identities a bit, the season fluctuates wildly in quality. Some episodes and arcs are hilarious, including great guest turns by Jason Patric, Seth Green, and Jamie-Lynn Sigler, but the season is wildly hit-and-miss and never quite as funny as it used to be.

Entourage: The Complete Fifth Season was released on DVD on June 30th, 2009.
Photo credit: HBO Home Video

The fifth season of “Entourage” opens after the scathing Cannes Film Festival response to what Vinny thought would be his shot at Oscar glory, “Medellin”. With no one willing to hire his best friend and client, Eric (Kevin Connolly) really goes to work in season five, finding new clients, including a pair of writers (Giovanni Ribisi & Lukas Haas) who may have the right vehicle for Mr. Chase. Meanwhile, Johnny “Drama” (Kevin Dillon) struggles with love and “Turtle” (Jerry Ferrara) starts a romance with Jamie-Lynn Sigler (playing herself and returning for ten episodes in season six).

This season of “Entourage” could have been subtitled “the boys against the world”. Each episode seemed to be about one of the four boys or Jeremy Piven’s uber-agent Ari Gold battling someone new. Whether it was Paul Ben-Victor’s lunatic studio head or the great Stellan Skarsgard as a director giving Vincent’s lines away, someone was always trying to keep this entourage from digging themselves out of the “Medellin” hole.

It may not be as pitch-perfect or fresh as it was the first few years, but there is still enough to like about “Entourage” to warrant a look on DVD. For every scene or episode that feels a bit off or isn’t quite funny enough, there’s a laugh-out-loud moment or insightful Hollywood arc that balances it out. Like Vinny Chase himself, don’t count out “Entourage” rising to the top again.

Aren’t most people watching HBO in HD nowadays? So, why isn’t the network releasing all of their shows on Blu-Ray? There’s no excuse for a show that’s so much about beautiful people in beautiful locations to not be in beautiful 1080P. And the standard definition picture is below average for HBO Home Video with some noticeable visual inconsistencies.

As for special features, HBO usually delivers good ones but not a large amount of them and that standard holds true for the fifth season release of “Entourage,” which includes three commentary tracks with Ellin, Connolly, Ferrara, Grenier, and producer Ally Musika, and a featurette called “The Celebrity Factor”.

Finally, after you’ve caught up with the boys of “Entourage” with season five, you should know that season six is currently airing on HBO. The season premiere aired on Sunday, July 12th, 2009.

‘Entourage: The Complete Fifth Season’ was released by HBO Home Video and stars Adrian Grenier, Kevin Connolly, Kevin Dillon, Jerry Ferrara, Rex Lee, Perrey Reeves, and Jeremy Piven. It was created by Doug Ellin. The show was released on June 30th, 2009. It is not rated.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

DVD Review: HBO’s Hilarious ‘Eastbound and Down’ Gets Great Release

BrianTT — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 06:00:00 -0600

CHICAGO – Danny McBride (“Pineapple Express,” “Land of the Lost”) gave one of the best TV performances of the last several years as the over-the-top anti-hero of HBO’s hysterical “Eastbound & Down,” a sitcom about a raging a-hole sports star brought back to Earth and forced to work as a gym teacher in the small town he grew up in, now available on DVD.

DVD Rating: 4.0/5.0

Kenny Powers is a giant, raging, alcoholic catfish in a small pond. He used to have it all - endorsements, trophies, a million-dollar contract. As his steroid-enhanced skills declined, the fact that Kenny Powers was also a total a-hole came to the surface and he was run out of professional sports (MLB fans familiar with the true story of John Rocker will see some of that in this fictional take).

Eastbound and Down: The Complete First Season was released on DVD on June 30th, 2009.
Photo credit: HBO Home Video

After leaving baseball, Kenny returns home to live with his brother (John Hawkes) and sister-in-law (Jennifer Irwin) and teach at the North Carolina middle school that he once attended. He tries to work his way back into the life of his teen-years girlfriend (the underrated Katy Mixon), who also teaches at the school and happens to be engaged to the dorky principal (Andrew Daly).

Eastbound and Down: The Complete First Season was released on DVD on June 30th, 2009.
Photo credit: HBO Home Video

Powers also operates under the delusion that not only is he still famous but that he will one day pitch in the majors again. So, he tries to use his fame at events like one at a local car dealer (a fantastic Will Ferrell, appearing in two episodes) and takes steroids again in his pursuit to re-find his fastball. Drugs, cheap sex, unbelievable profanity, and general obnoxiousness are a way of life for a man who listens to his own audio book (“You’re F**kin’ Out, I’m F**kin’ In”) for inspiration.

Over six hysterical episodes, “Eastbound & Down” feels like nothing else on television. It’s more like a six-part, three-hour comedy feature film, a feeling enhanced by the superstar cast and great team behind the camera, including producers Ferrell and Adam McKay and directors Jody Hill (“Observe and Report”) and the great David Gordon Green (“Pineapple Express,” “Snow Angels”). One of the best American filmmakers of his generation directed a half-hour comedy earlier this year. Even if you’re not a TV fan, you should see it.

The DVD from HBO treats Kenny Powers like the star he is in his own mind. The episodes look better-than-average for standard DVD in 16x9 widescreen and the sound is more than adequate in English 5.1 Dolby Surround. HBO has long led the way in TV and produced some amazing DVD season sets, but they really should be offering every show, especially one as acclaimed as “Eastbound & Down,” on Blu-Ray. It’s disappointing that this is only available on standard, even if it’s a great standard release.

The special features are extensive and interesting, including several audio commentaries, some very funny outtakes and deleted scenes, “Making Eastbound & Down,” “Kenny Powers: Greatest Hits,” “Schaeffer Motors Commercials,” and “Steve’s Dark Secret”.

It’s unlikely, but if there’s any Emmy justice, “Eastbound & Down” will get a couple of nominations later this month (check out our feature about that) and season two has already been announced. Check out the great first season DVD and jump on the bandwagon before Kenny Powers really becomes a household name again.

‘Eastbound & Down: The Complete First Season’ was released by HBO Home Video and stars Danny McBride, Katy Mixon, John Hawkes, Andrew Daly, Ben Best, Jennifer Irwin, and Steve Little. It was created by Ben T. Best & Jody L. Hill & Danny R. McBride. The show was released on June 30th, 2009. It is rated TV-MA.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

TV Review: HBO’s ‘Hung’ With Thomas Jane is Surprisingly Limp

BrianTT — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 06:00:00 -0600

CHICAGO – Pardon the obvious metaphors, but when you name a show “Hung” and feature a motivational speech about the lead character finding “his tool,” it’s damn-near impossible not to fall into the same pattern. Despite a clever set-up and talented cast, the new HBO comedy starring Thomas Jane, Jane Adams, and Anne Heche is missing that spark, that chemistry that elevates an experience from being just another TV one-night stand.

Television Rating: 3.0/5.0

“Hung” uses male sexuality to comment on the state of the economy today. What is the one thing they can’t take away from the unemployed, divorced, miserable modern man? His enormous pecker.

Thomas Jane.
Photo credit: Chuck Hodes/HBO

The funnier-than-you-think (don’t forget his amazing guest role on “Arrested Development”) Thomas Jane stars as the former high school sports legend turned middle-aged loser Ray Drecker, a Detroit high school basketball coach struck by a string of bad luck. His wife (Anne Heche) leaves him, his twin children Darby (Sianoa Smit-McPhee) & Damon (Charlie Saxton) take her side, he gets kidney stones, and his house burns down. Living in a tent in his own backyard, Ray is at the end of his line.

Thomas Jane.
Photo credit: Chuck Hodes/HBO

Ray attends a seminar, where he runs into an old one-night stand, hippie poet Tanya (Jane Adams). They decide to take another trip around the quickie block and get into a fight in which Tanya suggests that the only thing Ray has left is his huge dick and that perhaps that’s what he should use to make his fortune. She means it as an insult. Ray takes it seriously.

Before you know it, Ray is at the Motor City Casino meeting a client who answered his ad in the paper or happened across the picture of his penis online. He’s skipping out on the basketball game he should be coaching, but he’ll make the money so his son can go to the Goth concert he wants to attend by any means necessary.

The concept of “Hung,” created by the talented Dmitry Lipkin (“The Riches”) and Colette Burson, is undeniably clever. No matter how deep the recession goes, people will always want sex and a man with a giant penis might not think it’s that crazy to try and make some money with it. And Jane and Adams are well-cast and interesting. (On the other hand, Heche gets a thankless, shrill role as the ex-wife.)

Jane Adams and Thomas Jane.
Photo credit: Chuck Hodes/HBO

The great Alexander Payne (“Sideways”) directed the first episode of “Hung” and he has an easy-going, casual style that would fit the material if it had a first, second, and third act and was allowed to play out like a feature film. For a pilot of a comedy, something that needs to grab the audience’s attention, an audience used to seeing the incredibly briskly-paced “True Blood” and “Entourage” on Sunday nights, Payne might not have been the best fit.

I kept waiting for “Hung” to “kick in” and get to a climax. (Once again, sorry for the metaphor.) It drags when it needs to zip. And Jane is a little too dull. Where’s the righteous indignation of a man brought to his knees by a world that once put him on a pedestal? There’s no passion in this character outside of a few profanities in his narration and that decision leaves the whole pilot feeling kind of laid back.

For “Hung” to work, we need to feel Ray’s plight and want to see where his weekly sexual adventures will take him. We need to want him to dig his way out of the hole that life has thrown him in. We don’t after the pilot. Ray’s a blank, a non-character, and the script combined with Payne’s direction just don’t make him feel real.

Even with the flaws of the pilot, there is a lot to like about the potential of “Hung”. It doesn’t overplay its concept like a tawdry Fox sitcom and the cast is certainly talented enough to fix the pacing issues present in the pilot, but “Hung” could use a dose of creative Viagra.

‘Hung’ premieres on HBO on Sunday, June 28th, 2009 at 9pm CST. It stars Thomas Jane, Jane Adams, and Anne Heche. It was created by Dmitry Lipkin and Colette Burson.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

TV Review: ‘True Blood’ Returns For a Bloody Good Summer

BrianTT — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 16:03:17 -0600

CHICAGO – Forget the buzz about “The Twilight Saga: New Moon.” There are 12 hours of vampire love before that even hits theaters. HBO’s spectacular “True Blood” returns this weekend with a great second season premiere filled with the gore, sex, humor, and thrills that fans of the show have come to expect. It’s going to be a hot summer in Bon Temps.

Television Rating: 5.0/5.0

Part of the charm of “True Blood” is in the unexpected twists and turns of the show. Just when you think you know where a character’s arc is going, it takes a left turn and said character might even end up dead. It’s the most refreshingly unpredictable show on television.

Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer.
Photo credit: Jaime Trueblood/HBO

The first season of “True Blood” ended on a peak and it continues to rise with the second season premiere. Consequently, reviewing it is very difficult. I will tread very lightly with spoilers.

The first thing you should do is catch up with the first season on DVD and Blu-Ray. Not only is it a great season of television, but the first shot of the new season picks up immediately after the last shot of the first. And so much of this first episode plays off plot points and themes from the first. I usually would suggest jumping into a great show as soon as possible, but I can’t imagine keeping up as well with this season premiere if I hadn’t just watched the last 12 episodes on Blu-Ray.

Deborah Ann Woll.
Photo credit: Jaime Trueblood/HBO

When we left off, Sookie (Anna Paquin), Tara (Rutina Wesley), and Andy (Chris Bauer) has just found a dead body in the back of a drunken Andy’s car. Even just the identity of that body would be considered a spoiler but it is someone with a past related to one of the lead characters and who left it there and why will clearly be a major plotline of season two.

Meanwhile, Sam (Sam Trammell) was running around with a bag of money and Bill (Stephen Moyer) was stuck at home waiting for Sookie to return. Jason (Ryan Kwanten) was free and had been courted by the “Fellowship of the Sun,” a group of hardcore anti-vampire crusaders.

Where does “True Blood” go from here? Without much spoiling, I can reveal that it’s clear that many of the characters introduced at the end of season one will play a major role in season two.

Maryann (Michelle Forbes, who is now listed in the fantastic opening credits) is still playing protector/captor for Tara and her motivations and past history with one important resident of Bon Temps is a major focus of episode one. And Eggs (Mehcad Brooks), the cute fellow boarder at Maryann’s, grows closer to Tara.

On the vamp side, Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll), the girl that Bill turned into a vampire last season, has returned to mess with her maker’s life. And Eric (Alexander Skarsgard) will also clearly become a more prominent character this season.

I know what you want to know. What about Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis)? The first season ended with the strong implication that one of the most beloved characters on the show had been killed, possibly even by Bill. I would never ruin what happened to Lafayette and just say that you won’t have to wait long to find out and you’ll be stunned and fascinated when you do.

Rutina Wesley, Michelle Forbes.
Photo credit: Jaime Trueblood/HBO

“True Blood” is one of the best shows on television because it’s not just unlike anything else on TV, it’s several shows in one. You could watch Alan Ball’s series as a social commentary, as a romantic soap opera, or as a gothic murder mystery. The writing is some of the most clever on television. Ball and his writers throw religion, sex, violence, and mythology into a Cajun gumbo that keeps getting better by the episode.

Going seamlessly from season to season - I watched the finale of one back-to-back with the premiere of two - I have to say that the time off seems to have done the show a world of good. I thoroughly enjoyed season one but the premiere of two is one of the best episodes to date.

What’s different? All of the actors, Paquin and Wesley in particular, seem more confident in their roles. They seem more comfortable in these character’s skins with a whole season under their belts and the performances are more assured.

And the same confidence about character extends to the writing. The dialogue, pacing, and plotting feels more perfectly paced in the second season premiere. This is one of the most crisply written and edited hours of the year to date. It feels only about half its running time.

Finally, the season premiere of “True Blood” doesn’t skimp on anything that fans have come to love about the show with one of the bloodiest death scenes and one of the most explicit sex scenes the show has produced to date. “True Blood” is back - even sexier, bloodier, and more entertaining than ever. It’s going to be a fun summer.

The second season of “True Blood” premieres on HBO on Sunday, June 14th, 2009 at 8pm CST. It stars Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Sam Trammell, Ryan Kwanten, Rutina Wesley, Chris Bauer, Michelle Forbes, Nelsan Ellis, Deborah Ann Woll, Alexander Skarsgard, and Mehcad Brooks. It was created by Alan Ball.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Blu-Ray Review: Take a Bite Out of HBO’s Great ‘True Blood’ in HD

BrianTT — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 07:41:50 -0600

CHICAGO – HBO’s excellent “True Blood” was often dismissed by critics and viewers last season as a “guilty pleasure”. Even the people who loved it felt a little bad about admitting it. I’m here to tell you “True Blood” fans to dismiss your guilt. This is great television. It’s pulpy, sexy, dark, mysterious, and the one trait great shows often share - unlike anything else on TV.

Blu-Ray Rating: 4.5/5.0

“True Blood” marks the first time that HBO Home Video has released a Blu-Ray season on the same street date as the standard version and the result is expectedly amazing. With crystal clear video, even better audio, and Blu-Ray exclusive special features, “True Blood: Season One” is one of the best TV Blu-Ray releases to date, arguably the best.

True Blood: Season One was released on Blu-Ray on May 19th, 2009.
Photo credit: HBO Home Video

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. The show itself is still the main draw for a package as expensive as an HD season of an HBO show. I had seen the first few episodes of “True Blood” and thought it merely mediocre to good. I had heard from several people that the show just needed time. Every element - writing, acting, production, pacing - improves greatly with episodes three, four, and five and the second half of the season simply flies by. It’s one of the more entertaining shows on TV and I can’t wait for season two.

True Blood: Season One was released on Blu-Ray on May 19th, 2009.
Photo credit: HBO Home Video

“True Blood” stars the excellent (and Golden Globe-winning) Anna Paquin as Sookie Stackhouse, a young lady who can read minds. She lives in Bon Temps, Louisiana and is far from the only unusual character in town. In the universe created by writer Charlaine Harris and adapted by Alan Ball (“American Beauty,” “Six Feet Under”), vampires co-exist with humans but face daily discrimination.

Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer), a 173-year-old vampire comes to town and throws Sookie’s life into disarray. While the innocent waitress is falling in love, the world around her is falling apart. Someone is killing the locals. Is it her goofy brother? The boss who secretly loves her? Maybe even her sassy best friend?

“True Blood” works on so many levels. It’s a “Twilight”-esque soap opera, a gothic murder mystery, a social commentary, and often funny as hell. Whatever “True Blood” is for you is unimportant. It’s just unbelievably entertaining and when it embraces that straight-up entertaining side just before the midway point of the season, it will be impossible not to watch the rest.

It’s all there in the brilliant opening credits, one of the best such sequences ever produced. In a matter of minutes, all to Jace Everett (who sounds a lot like Chris Isaak but is not) warbling how he wants to do bad things with you, images of sex, religion, and violence blend together. “True Blood” is about a lot more than vampire romance. It is about the dark, hidden, dangerous side of everyone. And it’s a blast.

True Blood: Season One was released on Blu-Ray on May 19th, 2009.
Photo credit: HBO Home Video

HBO had lost a little critical cachet since Tony Soprano and Carrie Bradshaw went off the air, but “True Blood” and “In Treatment” will be a part of the new wave that brings this network back some of the prominence stolen by Showtime, USA, and TNT in recent years when it comes to cable TV acclaim. Don’t jump on the bandwagon too late.

As for the Blu-Ray release of “True Blood,” all of the episodes are presented in 1080p High Definition Widescreen and they look amazing. Naturally, a lot of “True Blood” takes place in dark, low-lit locations and the transfer never causes any lack of definition or detail. The sound, mixed in DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio is equally remarkable.

As for special features, half of the episodes include audio commentaries by cast and crew including Ball, Paquin, and Moyer. The Blu-Ray release comes with “Enhanced Viewing” on all 12 episodes. Each ep includes picture-in-picture commentary by the colorful Lafayette, Bon Temps history/trivia, helpful hints and FYI’s that help unravel the show’s mysteries, animated maps, and ‘Tru Blood’ commercials and vampire rights PSAs. A bit more behind-the-scenes details would have been nice but it’s a minor complaint and that information is offered in the commentary tracks.

At a list price of $80 (although you’ll find it under $50 at most outlets), “True Blood” on Blu-Ray is definitely an investment but if you’re thinking of branching into HD TV season sets, this is definitely one of the first you should get. It’s worth every dime.

Check out this preview and see for yourself:

‘True Blood: Season One’ is released by HBO Home Video and stars Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Sam Trammell, Ryan Kwanten, Rutina Wesley, Chris Bauer, Nelsan Ellis, Jim Parrack, and William Sanderson. It was created by Alan Ball. The Blu-Ray was released on May 19th, 2009. It is not rated.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com