List

The 10 Most Promising New TV Shows of Fall 2009

BrianTT — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 06:31:25 -0600

CHICAGO – Satire (“Glee”), family comedy (“The Middle”), animation (“The Cleveland Show”), a remake of a soap classic (“Melrose Place”), and three medical dramas (“Mercy,” “Trauma,” “Three Rivers”) - this Fall TV season attempts to offer something for everyone. But is any of it worth watching? Is there another “Lost,” “Pushing Daisies,” or even a “Grey’s Anatomy”? Let us guide the way.

For the first time in years, there’s some excitement surrounding the new Fall TV season. We’ve been under the shadow of the writer’s strike for the last few seasons with very few breakout hits after Fall 2007 was cut short by the strike and Fall 2008 was underdeveloped because of its fallout.

The new comedy for the aspiring underdog in all of us premieres Wednesday, Sept. 9 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. Pictured Top row L-R: Chris Colfer, Jenna Ushkowitz, Kevin McHale, Matthew Morrison, Lea Michele, Cory Monteith and Amber Riley. Bottom L-R: Jessalyn Gilsig, Dianna Agron, Mark Salling, Jane Lynch and Jayma Mays.
Photo credit: Matthias Clamer/FOX

Some TV watchers even theorized that the strike would end up killing broadcast television, sending people away to other options for their entertainment, never to return, a theory that seems bolstered by the increasing presence of shows like “Dexter,” “Mad Men,” “Damages,” “Big Love,” and “Flight of the Conchords” in the annual Emmy nominations, indicating that perhaps viewers came back but not to the old guard of broadcast TV.

This is the first Fall season where that theory will be truly tested. There are twenty new scripted programs debuting on the five broadcast networks. The good news is that at least one of them is already great and several others have the potential to be so.

Here’s the best way to express the potential of Fall 2009 - this feature/list was originally conceived as a top five based on how many promising pilots we’ve seen in recent years, but there were enough interesting programs green-lit by the networks that we expanded it to a top ten. For the first time since 2004 - when the pilots for “Lost,” “House,” “Desperate Housewives,” and “Veronica Mars” premiered and “Grey’s Anatomy” was to come in mid-season - there’s a reason to think that broadcast TV may not be dead quite yet.

We have seen several final versions or at least rough cuts of most of the new fall shows (only a clip reel of “The Forgotten” was available and “NCIS: Los Angeles” was not available at all yet) and these are the ten that show the most potential.

Note: Some of the pilots were rough cuts and they may see major changes before they debut. Just because a show is NOT on the list, doesn’t mean it can’t be tinkered with enough to make it a quality program by the time we review the finished pilot and we suppose it’s possible that what works about some of these could be mangled before airing but that seems unlikely. Expect to see full-length reviews of every new show at HollywoodChicago.com in the month of September.

10. “Modern Family”
Network: ABC
Premieres: Wednesday, September 23rd, 8pm CST

ABC’s “Modern Family” stars Rico Rodriguez as Manny, Sofia Vergara as Gloria and Ed O’Neill as Jay.
Photo credit: Bob D’Amico/ABC

The ten spot could have also gone to ABC’s “The Forgotten” (Slater is always interesting) or CBS’ “The Good Wife” (which is much better than the non-stop promos are making it out to be), but, for some reason, we really want “Modern Family” to work. With a slate of TV veterans including Ed O’Neill, Julie Bowen, Ty Burrell, Sofia Vergara, and more, “Modern Family” feels like a good lead-out for “The Middle” (which you’ll find higher up this list).

We won’t get into the start of the night, Kelsey Grammer’s “Hank,” or the lead-out for this show, Courtney Cox’s “Cougar Town,” until we’ve seen final versions that we can review, but let’s just say that there’s a reason they’re not in the top ten when it comes to the potential of what we’ve seen so far. They need some work as they are now. “Modern Family” may still have a ways to go but is much closer to greatness.

“Modern Family” is a single-camera show about three couples in different stages of “family”. A gay couple has just adopted a child, an older man is dealing with his hot young bride and his new stepson, and a traditional family is anything but. Of course, all of these mini-families happen to be on the same larger family tree.

There’s enough edgy potential in the premise and ensemble of “Modern Family” to give it a chance to find its legs. It could devolve into predictable sitcom scenarios, but we think the concept is strong enough to warrant a look in week two, which is the only real test of a pilot’s potential - will you tune in for the next one.

9. “The Cleveland Show”
Network: FOX
Premieres: September 27th, 2009, 7:30pm CST

THE CLEVELAND SHOW is a new animated series that follows everyone’s favorite soft-spoken neighbor, CLEVELAND BROWN, to his hometown in Virginia as he settles down with his high school sweetheart, her unruly kids and his own 14-year-old son on the series premiere of THE CLEVELAND SHOW Sunday, Sept 27 (8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.
Photo credit: FOX

This one’s just too easy, right? Being a fan of “Family Guy,” how could “The Cleveland Show” NOT have potential? With three shows on one night in 2009, we’re convinced that by 2020, we’ll be watching a Sunday night that consists of six Seth MacFarlane creations from “Quagmire Knows Best” to “Stewie Goes to School”. Why not?

The only question to ask yourself is if the MacFarlane brand of humor has grown a little stale by being spread so thin. “American Dad!” still doesn’t quite live up to the Best Comedy-nominated “Family Guy” (even if it does entertain more often than we once thought it would) and we expect that “The Cleveland Show” will be a similar program, one that doesn’t ever threaten to overtake its TV ancestor on the “Family” tree, but can be consistently entertaining.

What we’ve seen of “The Cleveland Show” is undeniably funny but also undeniably familiar. A crazy child, a talking animal, wacky references - “The Cleveland Show” takes the idea of not fixing what isn’t broken to extremes. The show will need to find its own identity outside of “Family Guy” or “American Dad!” to really register as anything more than a spin-off. The potential is there to do so, but the potential is also there for the show to always stay in Peter Griffin’s over-sized shadow. Only time will tell.

8. “Accidentally on Purpose”
Network: CBS
Premieres: September 21st, 2009, 7:30pm CST

Jon Foster, Grant Show, Nicolas Wright, Ashley Jensen, Jenna Elfman and Lennon Parham star in the new comedy series ACCIDENTALLY ON PURPOSE on the CBS Television Network.
Photo credit: Art Streiber/CBS

We’re as stunned by this one as you are. We thought for sure that another Jenna Elfman comedy would be like sticking “Dharma & Greg” collectible pins under our fingernails and, for every great show like “The Big Bang Theory” on CBS, there’s a “Rules of Engagement” or “The New Adventures of Old Christine” that makes us think that it’s not exactly the home for comedy. And the premise of “Accidentally on Purpose” - the older woman and the younger, irresponsible man forced to be together after one night of passion produces a child - sounded like absolute torture, the kind of thing that a hack writer would pitch in an episode of “Entourage” before getting bitch-slapped by Ari Gold.

And yet here we are telling you that “Accidentally” has potential. Elfman may have gotten a bit over-exposed in her “Dharma” days, but she has undeniably expert comic timing. And even better than Elfman is the fantastic Ashley Jensen (“Extras”) as her best friend. Watching these two comediennes do what they do so well makes for a more enjoyable 22 minutes than you might expect.

Tighten up the show by not focusing so much on the age or gender gaps and just let the talented cast do their thing. Despite the dumbest name of the new year (a challenge considering there’s a program called “Cougar Town” on the air) and a premise that once made our collective skin crawl, “Accidentally” could surprise.

7. “Community”
Network: NBC
Premieres: September 17th, 2009, 8:30pm CST

Chevy Chase as Pierce.
Photo credit: Jardin Althaus/NBC

If we had placed odds before watching any of the new Fall offerings, we would have guessed that “Community” would have been the most promising new show of the season based on the pedigree of the cast and the show’s creators. Joel McHale is hysterically deadpan on “The Soup” and Chevy Chase’s return to television has to be one of the more notable star stories of the new season. NBC clearly thinks the show is a good fit for fans of “The Office” and “30 Rock” (scheduling it on Thursday nights) and there’s a chance that it will be, but it’s not quite there in the premiere.

What I keep coming back to with “Community” is the fact that the first few episodes of “30 Rock” were sketchy at best but they displayed the potential that the show eventually clicked with after about a half-dozen episodes. “Community” may not be perfect (although, like I said, it could be tinkered with before premiere and we’ll run a full review once we receive a copy to do so), but there’s enough potential there to stay tuned.

From Emmy Award-winning directors Joe and Anthony Russo (“Arrested Development”) and Dan Harmon (“The Sarah Silverman Program”), “Community” is about a group of misfits at Greendale Community College. McHale plays the put-upon lead, but this feels like a program that will be driven by the supporting cast (a la the way Jason Bateman played straight man to the lunacy of the rest of the cast on “AD”). Chase is the highlight of the premiere, proving that he should have gone back to television years ago.

So, why not higher on the list? Comic timing in a pilot is a tough thing and “Community” just isn’t quite funny enough. The writers and directors have to introduce you to their style, pace, and a whole cast of characters in only 22 minutes. There’s potential in “Community” for something great, but it may take a little time for it to come to the head of the class.

The 10 Biggest Emmy Snubs of 2009

BrianTT — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 09:00:57 -0600

CHICAGO – The 61st Annual Emmy Award Nominations were an interesting melting pot of smart, brave, new choices and old-fashioned, predictable, stale selections.

It was fantastic to see a few first-time nominees from our own “Dream Emmys” piece including Jim Parsons for “The Big Bang Theory,” Jack McBrayer for “30 Rock,” Kristen Wiig for “Saturday Night Live,” Aaron Paul for “Breaking Bad,” Hope Davis for “In Treatment,” Toni Collette in “United States of Tara,” and Cherry Jones for “24”. Those are great choices that hint at an organization willing to think outside of the box when it comes to handing out awards.

Now, that doesn’t mean some people weren’t totally screwed. For every great choice this year, there was one that could politely be called a head-scratcher. In my humble, TV-critic opinion, the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences failed to nominate what should have WON the top three dramatic categories - “The Shield” for Best Drama, Michael Chiklis for Best Actor in a Dramatic Series, and January Jones for Best Actress in a Dramatic Series. So, it’s not as if they missed a minor nominee here and there. They missed some biggies. And it’s time to name names.

Note: The overall snubs of “Friday Night Lights” and “Battlestar Galactica” is ridiculous but who knows where to start with those shows, a pair of beloved series that have NEVER gotten the Academy recognition that they deserved. We’re trying to stick with specific acting snubs and both “FNL” and “BSG” are snubs in multiple categories. We could do a top ten of just those two shows. To keep the list from getting too specific, consider them overall snubs, not specific ones on the list.

The Ten Biggest 2009 Emmy Snubs

Photo credit: FX

10. Denis Leary for “Rescue Me”

This is a questionable one but it indicates something deeply flawed about the Emmy system - its link to the standard, broadcast calendar year. The 2009 Emmys were for shows that aired from the first of June in 2008 to the last day of May in 2009. What happens if a show straddles (gasp) both May and June?!? How daring! The fifth season of “Rescue Me” started in April and runs until September. I’d like to think that Emmy voters will remember what Denis Leary is doing this season at NEXT year’s Emmys, when the bulk of the season is eligible, but I want to plant the seed now - what Leary is doing this season far outweighs anything he has delivered before. He has really grown comfortable in the role of Tommy Gavin and he’s doing more subtle work than he has in any of the previous seasons. I guess with only a few eligible episodes this snub isn’t that egregious but don’t let it happen again next year.

Photo credit: ABC

9. Anna Friel for “Pushing Daisies”

The Academy missed out on a chance to nominate the final season of ABC’s brilliant-but-canceled “Pushing Daisies” in multiple categories but no exclusion was more shocking than leaving the charming and delightful Anna Friel out of a category that, let’s be blunt, is hard to fill with six nominees. When you get past the deserving Christina Applegate, who displayed perfect comic timing in the very imperfect “Samantha Who?,” the obvious choice of Tina Fey, and the one-two punch of Showtime heroines in Toni Collette in “United States of Tara” and Mary-Louise Parker in “Weeds,” the pool gets awfully shallow (at least until Edie Falco walks home with this award next year for “Nurse Jackie”). That’s why relatively stale choices like Julia Louis-Dreyfus in “The New Adventures of Old Christine” and Sarah Silverman for her Comedy Central program get in. I love both actresses and think they’re very talented but they’re getting nominated more for their overall ability than the actual program. The overall quality of “Pushing Daisies” and how Friel contributes to it should have prevailed over better-known actresses on inferior shows.

Photo credit: NBC

8. Jenna Fischer and Ed Helms for “The Office”

“The Office” had an inspired, creative season that easily ranks with their best to date but it’s getting a little tiring of seeing the same-old nominees every year. Yes, Steve Carell and Rainn Wilson are talented people but can’t we spread the wealth? Both Ed Helms and Jenna Fischer had arguably better seasons. (Fischer was nominated once before in 2007, but she was even better this year.) Helms’ plotline involving the dissolution of his engagement to Angela was priceless and Fischer’s involving Pam breaking off and joining the Michael Scott Paper Company allowed the actress to display her best comic timing to date. Helms should have snuck in over Wilson (or maybe even Tracy Morgan or Jon Cryer…both are good, neither are Emmy-worthy) and Fischer deserved the spot over Vanessa Williams for the tired “Ugly Betty”. A lot of people deserved the spot over Vanessa Williams.

Photo credit: ABC

7. Elizabeth Mitchell for “Lost”

It took a few years, but I think it is now widely recognized that “Lost” is a truly ensemble-driven show and, consequently, perhaps it doesn’t deserve that many acting nominations. I said “that many”. It still deserves a few and, thankfully, the Academy did pick out one - the great, show-stealing Michael Emerson for Best Supporting Actor. And I can’t even say for sure that Elizabeth Mitchell had that amazing a season. It’s more of the fact that this excellent actress has never been nominated. At least Locke, Said and Ben got their shot at glory. (Terry O’Quinn won in 2007, Naveen Andrews was nominated in 2005). But no woman has ever been nominated for “Lost”. And I doubt that the final season of the show is going to be very character-specific, once again leaving voters at a loss as who to single out of the ensemble. This was possibly their last chance. Elizabeth Mitchell should have been the first.

Photo credit: NBC

6. Regina King for “Southland”

Regina King is the main reason that “Southland” is on NBC’s fall schedule. She is easily the best thing about this intriguing-but-flawed show and it would have really displayed a willingness to look outside of the usual candidates if her name had been called on nomination morning. As Detective Lydia Adams, King displays a perfect combination of human vulnerability and the veins of steel required to be an L.A. cop. King has stolen scenes in major films for years and now she’s doing it on NBC. I think her exclusion is due to a slightly understandable lack of exposure to the show. After all, only seven episodes have aired and I bet most Emmy voters don’t even know that the on-the-bubble show was renewed. However, if “Southland” makes it through another season, I would bet money that King gets nominated next year. Sally Field, Mariska Hargitay, and Holly Hunter might want to prepare for some disappointment.

Photo credit: HBO

5. Anna Paquin for “True Blood”

Speaking of “Best Actress in a Dramatic Series” mistakes (and this won’t even be the last time). The general exclusion of “True Blood” this year was tragically disappointing. Based on years of snubs for the amazing “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and now the exclusion of “True Blood” from Best Drama and Best Actress, it’s crystal clear that the Academy has something against vampire fiction. (The team behind The CW’s upcoming “Vampire Diaries” probably don’t need to clear mantle space for Emmys.) Paquin is perfect on “True Blood,” bringing a harder-than-it-looks blend of southern innocence, primal sexuality, excellent comic timing, and true emotional core to the role of Sookie Stackhouse. She’s so good on “True Blood” that most people don’t even notice how good she is. It is a FAR less flashy role than Holly Hunter on “Saving Grace” or Sally Field on “Brothers and Sisters” and no one can ever explain to me how (outside of her status as Hollywood royalty) Mariska Hargitay keeps getting nominated. The show’s good popcorn entertainment, but really?

Photo credit: HBO

4. Danny McBride for “Eastbound and Down”

How amazing and subversive of the generally-safe Emmy Awards would it have been to see a clip of Kenny Powers on the broadcast? The racist, sexist, drug-using, and basically insane Kenny Powers might have sent some of the older Academy members running for the exit doors. And, to be honest, that’s probably why the excellent Mr. McBride didn’t get nominated. It’s a shame because “Eastbound and Down” has a growing, thriving fan base, one that gets bigger with every viewing of the season one DVD. What McBride does on “Eastbound and Down” is comic brilliance, the best thing that the star of “Pineapple Express” and “Tropic Thunder” had done to date. With guest appearances on the show from Will Ferrell and Craig Robinson and a growing fan base, a major nod for “Eastbound and Down” might have brought in a whole new audience for the Emmy Awards. I’m sure that Jemaine Clement for “Flight of the Conchords” will do some of that, but McBride is just a bit better.

Photo credit: The CW

3. Ray Wise for “Reaper”

Like “Pushing Daisies” (and my next choice), this was a case of the Academy having only one more chance to correct an omission from last year and they blew it again. Yes, you could fit the number of people who watched “Reaper” into a Dodge Caravan but that shouldn’t matter when it comes to awards. It’s the responsibility of voters to catch up on every eligible performance. And I don’t believe they did. Because if you see Ray Wise as the Devil on “Reaper,” you would vote for Ray Wise. I think there may have been some category confusion with “Reaper”. Is it a comedy? A drama? The fact is that most modern shows that have straddled the line between the standard definition of the categories - “Buffy” is a great example - have struggled to get major nominations. “Reaper” was eligible in comedy and Ray Wise was better than at least half of the supporting actor nominees.

Photo credit: FX

2. Michael Chiklis and Walton Goggins for “The Shield”

How are critics and Academy voters SO far apart? “The Shield” was the most nominated show by the Television Critics Association for their final, brilliant season. It was nominated for Best Drama, Best Actor, and Best Supporting Actor. Don’t you think ONE of those nominees might have been mirrored by the Emmy Awards? ONE?!? The final season of “The Shield” was the Best Drama of 2008 and Chiklis and Goggins were the main reason why. Watching Vic Mackey and Shane Vendrell reach the apex of the dance they’ve been doing with destiny since the series premiere was riveting television and the final scenes of both characters merited nomination on their own. The fate of both characters was beautifully, perfectly written by one of the best writing staffs of the ’00s and Chiklis and Goggins knocked it out of the park. They both should have won. Neither were nominated. Shameful.

Photo credit: Lionsgate

1. January Jones for “Mad Men”

I honestly didn’t think there would be a more shameful omission than Chiklis and Goggins (who I kind of expected to get screwed considering how much the Academy has ignored “The Shield” over the years), but that’s because I couldn’t fathom the Academy missing the Best Actress performance of 2008. Sure, they missed January Jones last year, but this season of “Mad Men” was all about the female characters in the world of Sterling/Cooper, none more prominently than Jones’ Betty Draper. Jones did something amazing this year, subtly portraying the unraveling of a woman who has worked hard to keep up a perfect front. Jones’ work on “Mad Men” is so just-below-the-surface that I think Emmy voters must have missed it. I love Kyra Sedgwick and Holly Hunter too, but even those actresses would admit that their characters are a bit more scenery-chewing. Jones didn’t have a “big moment” to sell in an Emmy clip and probably lost out because of it. Don’t let it happen again next year.

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

If We Had an Emmy Ballot: The Best TV of 2008 to 2009

BrianTT — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:57:05 -0600

CHICAGO – Ballots for the 61st Annual Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Emmy nominations are due on Friday, June 26th, 2009, and we’re here to offer some advice for all of you Emmy voters still holding a ballot in your hands and trying to make those tough TV decisions.

And, like the large majority of us, if you’re not a card-carrying Emmy voter, let this serve as your populist guide to who really SHOULD be winning Emmys this year. There’s sometime a disconnect between who actually wins the awards and who viewers KNOW should win the awards - i.e., the almost total lack of Emmy love for “Buffy,” “Battlestar Galactica,” etc. - so, in a fantasy world, our fantasy ballot hopes to heap some recognition on the shows and creative types who really, truly knocked our socks off in the 2008-2009 season. But, if you ARE an Emmy voter, be a pal and give some of these guys the nods they deserve.

(Note: While there are five nominees per category, voters nominate six per ballot, so that’s how many we suggest.)

Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy

Jack McBrayer on 30 Rock
Photo credit: NBC

Neil Patrick Harris, “How I Met Your Mother”
Ed Helms, “The Office”
Justin Kirk, “Weeds”
Jack McBrayer, “30 Rock”
Jeremy Piven, “Entourage”
Ray Wise, “Reaper”

There are a number of very strong, mostly male ensembles in comedy television nowadays and it can be tough to pick a favorite. Would you nominate Tracy Morgan or Jack McBrayer from “30 Rock”? Kevin Dillon or Jeremy Piven for “Entourage”? Justin Kirk or Kevin Nealon from “Weeds”? And which of the guys from the criminally underrated “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” would you pick if you wanted to really take a chance on something new?

We picked our favorites, but they’re also representatives for the show’s supporting casts in general and, if Dillon makes it in over Piven or you want to choose Nealon over Kirk, it’s an understandable alternate. And any of the three guys on “Philadelphia” are deserving even if they don’t quite make our top six cut.

All we know for sure is that Emmy voters really need to take the last chance they’ll get to nominate the show-stealing Ray Wise from “Reaper” and Neil Patrick Harris had his best year to date as “How I Met You Mother” really started to click this season.

As for what “will” happen, Jon Cryer is likely to get in over several of our choices for the always-nominated “Two and a Half Men” and you can expect a nod for someone from “The Office”. If they do go with a Dunder Mifflin employee, here’s an idea - jump on the “Hangover” band wagon and nominate Ed Helms. We love Rainn Wilson as much as the next guy, but Helms was more inspired this year as he watched his doomed engagement to Angela fall apart.

Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy

Jenna Fischer on The Office
Photo credit: NBC

Kristin Chenoweth, “Pushing Daisies”
Rosemarie DeWitt, “United States of Tara”
Jenna Fischer, “The Office”
Elizabeth Perkins, “Weeds”
Cobie Smulders, “How I Met Your Mother”
Kristin Wiig, “Saturday Night Live”

Last year was the first that the cast of “Saturday Night Live” was eligible in this category and, rightly so, they nominated the deserving Amy Poehler. Amy only worked half of this season, one of the best in many years for the show, so why not spread the wealth to one of the most talented comediennes in the history of the show - the sublime Kristin Wiig?

Like Ray Wise, there’s also a great opportunity here to nominate another amazing supporting star on a canceled show, the awesome Kristin Chenoweth for “Pushing Daisies”. She made the cut last year. Emmy voters - nominate her whenever you get the chance.

Meanwhile, Showtime continues to excel and should earn more nods this year than any before. While “Weeds” has gone downhill a bit, Elizabeth Perkins’ perfect and often episode-stealing arc last season in which she had to go to rehab earns her a spot. Showtime should earn a few nods for “United States of Tara” and the first should come for Rosemarie DeWitt (who deserved and was snubbed already this year for an Academy Award nod for “Rachel Getting Married”).

“The Office” is something of a boy’s club, but Jenna Fischer did her best work to date as she joined the ill-fated “Michael Scott Paper Company” on “The Office,” so just like Pam, it’s time that Jenna gets a little more recognition this year.

Finally, Alyson Hannigan turned her real-life pregnancy into something hysterical (and difficult to cover up) on “How I Met Your Mother,” but her lack of screen time in the second half of the season should allow room for her increasingly funny co-star Cobie Smulders to get a nod. Like most of the cast, she did her best work of the series to date this season.

Best Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

Danny McBride on Eastbound and Down
Photo credit: HBO

Alec Baldwin, “30 Rock”
Steve Carell, “The Office”
Zachary Levi, “Chuck”
Danny McBride, “Eastbound and Down”
Jim Parsons, “The Big Bang Theory”
Tony Shalhoub, “Monk”

There are a few nominees here that are virtually guaranteed and for good reason. Alec Baldwin, Steve Carell, and Tony Shalhoub continue to drive the success of their very well-liked shows and, while it may be predictable to suggest them, they deserve the nominations that they can almost count on.

So why not make the other nominees a little more out of left field instead of a safe (but more likely) choice like Charlie Sheen in “Two and a Half Men”? (Does anyone really gather around the watercooler to talk about how awesome the Ma-sheen was following a very special episode of “Men”?)

Zachary Levi has really developed a strong comic timing on the underrated “Chuck” and he’s the main reason the show has earned such a strong cult following (and won itself a last second cancellation reprieve). An unexpected Emmy nomination could do that show a world of good in its struggle for ratings and survival.

“The Big Bang Theory” is one of the funnier shows on television and the perfect performance by Jim Parsons as Sheldon is one of the main reasons. He might have had a better shot in supporting but he’s eligible in lead, so vote for him there. His comic timing is amazing.

And then there’s the performance for which it will be most difficult to find a clip that they can air on network TV - the hysterical work by Danny McBride on HBO’s “Eastbound and Down”. If you haven’t seen it yet, you should. If you have seen it, you know he deserves to be nominated.

Best Lead Actress in a Comedy

Toni Collette on United States of Tara
Photo credit: Showtime

Christina Applegate, “Samantha Who?”
Toni Collette, “United States of Tara”
Kaley Cuoco, “The Big Bang Theory”
Tina Fey, “30 Rock”
Anna Friel, “Pushing Daisies”
Mary-Louise Parker, “Weeds”

We know this can be a tough category to fill but, please, let’s not resort to America Ferrera and Julia Louis-Dreyfus again. There are simply more deserving actresses out there.

Christina Applegate, Tina Fey, and Mary-Louise Parker deserve to return to the dance and duplicate their nominations from last year for “Samantha Who?,” “30 Rock,” and “Weeds,” respectively. They’ve all had better years but they’re still more than good enough to make the big six.

As for the other three, the lovely and charming Anna Friel deserves consideration for her pitch-perfect work on “Pushing Daisies” and Toni Collette is absolutely flawless on “United States of Tara”. We wouldn’t be surprised to hear either of their names on nomination morning.

More surprising but just as deserving would be a nod for the underrated Kaley Cuoco of “The Big Bang Theory”. In the show’s excellent second season, Cuoco really proved she could play with the boys in this very male-driven ensemble and more than held her own in multiple episodes.

Best Comedy

The Office
Photo credit: NBC

“30 Rock”
“The Big Bang Theory”
“Eastbound and Down”
“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”
“The Office”
“Pushing Daisies”

Last year it was “30 Rock,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Entourage,” “The Office,” and “Two and a Half Men”. The two NBC shows deserve to repeat and remain the best comedy hour on television.

As for the rest? “Curb” isn’t eligible (there hasn’t been a new episode since 2007), “Entourage” had a slightly down year (although it wouldn’t be that horrible if it was nominated), and we’ve never understood the massive acclaim for “Men,” a decent show but not an award-worthy one in the slightest.

What’s ironic is that there are two CBS sitcoms that DO deserve nomination although my jaw will drop if they both make the Emmy cut - “The Big Bang Theory” and “How I Met Your Mother” - an hour of television that often out-delivered NBC this past year for the funniest hour on television. “Mother” was a bit too hit-and-miss at times, so let’s go with “Big Bang Theory” if we have to pick only one.

“Pushing Daisies” is the most tragically canceled shows of the last several years and the Academy often jumps at a last chance to nominate a show that they will never be able to again. If you can, voting members of the Academy, please take this opportunity to give The Pie-Hole some well-deserved post-cancellation love.

Nothing was as sublimely ridiculous in 2008-2009 as HBO’s unbelievable “Eastbound and Down” with its spectacular direction by the great David Gordon Green (“Pineapple Express”) and Jody Best (“Observe and Report”). If you haven’t seen “Eastbound,” catch up with it on DVD next week (and watch for a full review soon).

Finally, very few shows make us laugh out loud like FX’s inspired “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”. It’s one of the top-rated shows on Hulu for a reason and is developing a growing following with every episode. Emmy voters, try and jump on a bandwagon before its come to a stop for a change.

Go on to the next page for the five drama categories…

Not All Treks Are Created Equal: Ranking the ‘Star Trek’ Films

BrianTT — Fri, 08 May 2009 09:44:51 -0600

CHICAGO – With the eleventh (and best) “Star Trek” movie landing in theaters today, we thought we’d take a look back at the ten-pack that came before, the films that defined the Trek universe (along with the TV incarnations, of course).

The “Star Trek” filmography is wildly varying in quality, stretching the spectrum from beloved sci-fi classic to total disaster. Which one was the worst? Which was the pre-J.J. Abrams best? Let us guide the way where so many have gone before.

10. “Star Trek V: The Final Frontier”

Easily the worst of the Trek films, original series, or Next Generation cast, it’s honestly surprising that the franchise could survive a film this bad. If “The Next Generation” TV series hadn’t injected life back into the solar system of characters that Gene Roddenberry created and the universe was simply film-based at this point, the series probably would have stopped after five films. After the most successful Trek film, the widely-appealing “The Voyage Home,” Trek producers decided to not only get existential and make a movie about Captain Kirk looking for God in outer space but also to let William Shatner direct. Fifth films in a franchise rarely work but few are as disastrous as “The Final Frontier”.

9. “Star Trek: Nemesis”

While “The Final Frontier” nearly put a nail in the coffin of the “Star Trek” franchise, “Nemesis” actually closed it shut and poured six feet of dirt on it. The most frustrating thing about the final Next Generation film was how much it made true all of the non-Trekker complaints about the mythology. Overly talky, ploddingly paced, and just plain nonsensical, “Nemesis” is, and I’m sorry to use such a hot-button word Trek fans, the “dorkiest” movie that emerged from Roddenberry’s universe. It was remarkable how clearly “Nemesis” slammed the door on what had been a robust franchise for years. There was no doubt that there would never be another TNG film after “Nemesis”. There were a few decent ideas - bringing back the Romulans and playing with Data’s personality like “First Contact” did - but the film made less than any other Trek outing, even the ’80s ones. J.J. Abrams’ version will make more in its opening night than this disaster.

8. “Star Trek: Insurrection”

The Next Generation films showed such promise but we could tell something was wrong by the time the ploddingly-paced “Insurrection” showed up. Whoever thought it was a good idea to follow an action film like “First Contact” with a dull, leaden script like the one for “Insurrection” deserves a lot of the blame for the demise of the TNG incarnation of the franchise. Sure, “Nemesis” may have been the final nail in the coffin but “Insurrection” pounded in more than a few on its way in and out of theaters. Of the three truly bad Trek films, it’s only barely the best. Having said that, there’s at least something to like about all of the top seven.

7. “Star Trek: The Motion Picture”

The director’s cut of “TMP” may be considered superior to the original, but the film is still deeply flawed in whatever incarnation. Originally planned as a TV pilot and rushed into production, the script for the first “Star Trek” film is a cobbled together mess. And it just looks bad. The confidence that the Trek crew would display in films II-IV, the best streak in the Trek franchise, simply isn’t on display in this one. You can feel the nerves and the uncertainty in every element. And it’s just so shockingly predictable and stunningly dated. You may have loved it when you were a kid, but I dare you to sit through it now. It’s almost impossible to do so without getting drowsy. How forgotten is the original “Star Trek”? Paramount is releasing a Blu-Ray box set under the banner “The Motion Picture Trilogy” next week. I naturally assumed it was the first three films. Nope. They skipped one and just included II-IV. You should too.

6. “Star Trek: Generations”

If you think about what “Generations” tried to do - passing the torch from one franchise to the next - a true home run of a film was damn near impossible. It was the kind of project that simply could not make everyone happy. Diehard fans of the original series didn’t give in easily to the idea of handing the reins over to Picard, Data, and the rest of the TNG gang. And the TNG diehards saw the film as more of an obligation, something to get out of the way before their favorite cast could take center stage. With that in mind, “Generations” works better than it should. It’s an entertaining sci-fi film, more memorable for its position as the bridge between the film incarnations than anything else, but not a bad movie on its own merits either.

5. “Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country”

How good is “The Undiscovered Country”? It made “The Final Frontier” forgivable. Honestly, I think “The Undiscovered Country” is a vastly underrated sci-fi film. Directed by Nicholas Meyer, who not coincidentally worked on two of the most beloved Trek films - “Wrath of Khan” and “The Voyage Home” - “The Undiscovered Country” was co-written by Leonard Nimoy and stands as the final film that will ever feature the original cast. According to some reports, the sixth Trek film was once conceived not unlike Abrams’ reboot, in that it would kick start the franchise with a young cast. That means we would never have had this fitting final epilogue for the original crew and that would have been a travesty. How good is “Undiscovered Country”? It started the whole concept of even-numbered Treks being better than the odd ones.

4. “Star Trek III: The Search for Spock”

Here’s where things get tricky. Honestly, 2-4 on this list may fluctuate in my mind depending on the day. But I do think the whole even-number concept did a disservice to one of the first Trek movies I fell in love with as a kid and the middle act of the story arc that connects “Khan” and “Voyage Home,” two of the more beloved sci-fi films ever made, Trek or otherwise. Part of the reason I’m more forgiving of “Spock” than other Trekkers is simple - I’m a huge fan of the title character. Yes, Nimoy’s direction is a little too studied, returning the franchise to the more dull pace of the original film, but I think “Spock” is consistent with the ideas of Roddenberry’s original vision, one in which the humanity of the Enterprise crew always took center stage.

3. “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home”

The most financially successful Trek film (until the new one shatters all records) was the family-friendly “The Voyage Home,” a film that I rebelled against as a kid, thinking it wasn’t “cool” enough, but that I recognize is thoroughly enjoyable now. I still think “The Voyage Home” stands out as kind of an unusual sci-fi comedy, more of a fish-out-of-water movie than a Trek film. That’s never what the franchise was for me. But the reason I give in and place “Voyage Home” so high on the list is simple - it made the world of Trek what it is today. Think about it. What if the franchise had gone from “Search for Spock” to something like “The Final Frontier”? Even Abrams wouldn’t have the pull to get a reboot made. “The Voyage Home” is an essential part of the foundation of the entire franchise. Maybe the most essential.

2. “Star Trek: First Contact”

Borg! Easily the best Next Generation Trek film is also quite simply one of the best sci-fi movies of the ’90s. “First Contact” is an expertly paced action movie, a film that works for fans of TNG, fans of the original, and movie goers who hadn’t heard of either. Second only to “Voyage Home” in terms of box office, “First Contact” features a great villainous turn by Alice Krige as the Borg Queen and allows for all of the personalities of the TNG crew to take a turn in the spotlight, but none more than the beloved Data, who gets one of his most memorable story arcs, TV, or film.

1. “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan”

What do the top two “Star Trek” films of all time have in common? Memorable villains. The Borg Queen and the legendary Khan proved that while the crew on the bridge of the Enterprise must be a crucial part of any Trek film, they need a worthy adversary. And they got one in Khan, one of the most referenced and beloved sci-fi films ever made. “Wrath of Khan” would go on to influence science fiction for years to come and you can see its fingerprints all over Abrams’ vision. With a dark edge and breakneck pace, “Wrath of Khan” is still converting Trek virgins into diehard fans around the world.

(All posters courtesy of Paramount).

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

A Story So Scary They Told it Twice: What We Know About Upcoming Horror Remakes

BrianTT — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 11:35:49 -0600

CHICAGO – The total number of horrendous, stupid, useless horror movie remakes could fill a film festival from Hell, but this year we’ve already seen the massively successful “Friday the 13th” and the critically lauded surprises of “My Bloody Valentine 3D” and “Last House on the Left”. Maybe there’s actually life in this horror remake trend after all and it’s not just the walking undead.

So, what’s the next “My Bloody Valentine”? Where will the next “Friday the 13th” come from? We’ve highlighted six horror movie remakes in current stages of production - from mere rumor to shooting to practically already at a theater near you - with the details about what we know so far, who’s in it, and our gut feeling on if it’s going to be a successful reboot or merely a reason to go back and rent the original. Hit rewind and take notes. There might be a quiz.

The Birds
Photo credit: Universal

“The Birds”

Original: 1963, Alfred Hitchcock, Tippi Hedren, Suzanne Pleshette, Veronica Cartwright

Remake: 2011, Martin Campbell, Naomi Watts, produced by Michael Bay

What We Know: After doing remakes of “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” “The Amityville Horror,” and “Friday the 13th,” Bay is moving on to “The Birds” and the man who helped define the horror genre. Naomi Watts has circled the project a few times but has yet to officially sign on to the Hedren role of Melanie Daniels. Martin Campbell (“Casino Royale”) has been rumored to direct.

Collider recently spoke to Bay’s production partners, Brad Fuller and Andrew Form, and they confirmed that Watts and Campbell were still interested and even revealed that the director had been working on a script. They expressed reverence for the original, saying, “…that’s not a movie that we’re just going to step up and just go have birds attacking people and trying to throw that into the box office. If we can’t make that movie unique or add something to it, I don’t think we’re going to make it.”

Little about the plot or tone of the remake is known, but actress Brenna Lee Roth recently revealed, as reported by Oh My Gore, that the film might be in 3D. Considering how well that worked for “MBV” and the tongue-in-cheek fun it could bring to a tale of killer pigeons, this is actually the best news we’ve heard about this particular remake to date.

Reboot or Bust?: Campbell and Watts would add a huge amount of credibility to the project with the former having successfully rebooted the Bond franchise and the latter being no stranger to a classic role after stepping into Fay Wray’s shoes in the “King Kong” remake (and just generally ruling). The Bay/Form/Fuller track record offers no confidence, but a 3D Naomi Watts is something we’re definitely interested in seeing.

The Creature From the Black Lagoon
Photo credit: Universal

“The Creature From the Black Lagoon”

Original: 1954, Jack Arnold, Kay Lawrence, Richard Carlson, Julie Adams

Remake: 2011, Breck Eisner (“Sahara”), producer/screenwriter Gary Ross (“Seabiscuit”)

What We Know: Not a lot. The remake vultures have been circling the classic “Creature From the Black Lagoon” for years with rumors of another version going back to the end of last century. But it’s built up steam again in the last few years. In fact, Eisner was nearly packed up and ready to go and shoot it when the writer’s strike happened and the poor creature went into development hell.

There was little word post-strike, but Latino Review reported at the end of last year that Eisner was off the project but it was moving forward anyway with talks taking place with other directors. They even suggested that writer/producer Gary Ross, whose father Arthur actually wrote the original film, had mentioned the possibility of an all-CG monster. And we all muttered “Jar Jar Binks From the Black Lagoon”.

Ross himself emailed Ain’t It Cool shortly thereafter and said that Eisner was still attached, they were moving forward and “I PROMISE the creature will not be some weird CG invention that disappoints his loyal fans.” Well, that’s comforting.

Reboot or Bust?: Gary Ross has struggled to produce quality entertainment in the last few years and Breck Eisner isn’t exactly the kind of director we’re praying stays ON a project but if this is done well, it could really work. Our bet is that Universal is waiting to see how the reboot of “The Wolf Man” does to see if there’s still life in their classic horror flicks. “Black Lagoon” could be the first one to follow the hairy fellow.

The Nightmare on Elm Street
Photo credit: New Line

“A Nightmare on Elm Street”

Original: 1984, Wes Craven, Robert Englund, Heather Langenkamp, John Saxon

Remake: 2010, Samuel Bayer, Michael Bay producing

What We Know: The latest reboot/pillaging of your favorite ’80s franchise after the mega-successes of “Halloween” and “Friday the 13th” is Freddy Krueger himself. In fact, the film has set up offices here in Chicago, where it plans to do a lot of the filming. Michael Bay is back with Platinum Dunes, his production company, and partnering with New Line to reboot another franchise. Yippee.

The reboot was announced in early 2008 in Variety and, almost immediately, we started to get nervous. Shock Till You Drop reported that Robert Englund was out, leaving the mind reeling at who could possibly take on such an iconic role. Freddy is not just a lumbering hulk like Leatherface or Michael Myers. Englund gave the character life.

Things were silent on Elm Street for most of 2008, until December when Brad Fuller (Bay’s producing partner) told Bloody Disgusting, “It’s like what we’re doing to Friday the 13th. It’s not Freddy cracking jokes. We want to make a horrifying movie. The concept is so scary, don’t fall asleep or you’ll die. This guy gets you when you’re most vulnerable, in your sleep. We love that. That’s the basis of the movie. It’ll be most similar to the first one but in terms of kills and dreams we’ll borrow from the entire series.”

Wesley Strick (“Cape Fear,” “Doom”) has reportedly written a screenplay and pre-production is underway.

Reboot or Bust?: Um, Fuller himself compares it to what they did to “Friday the 13th”. You mean suck? There’s so much potential in the “Elm Street” franchise that we’re not going to completely discount it, but the Bay/Fuller/Form machine has yet to make one single remake that worked. Why will this be the exception?

Piranha
Photo credit: New World Pictures

“Piranha 3-D”

Original: 1978, Joe Dante

Remake: 2010, Alexandre Aja

What We Know: The crazy S.O.B. who made “High Tension,” “The Hills Have Eyes,” and “Mirrors” turns his Gallic gaze to the story of fish who like to eat people. The original “Piranha” gave Joe Dante and James Cameron (he directed the sequel) a career and was the stuff B-movie dreams were made of.

Trying to make a dime off the “Jaws” phenomenon, the original is about genetically engineered killer piranhas that devour the poor residents of a small town. It’s bad but in a great way. A tongue-in-cheek 3-D remake seemed both inevitable and kind of a fantastic idea. Sadly, “Piranha 3-D” appears to be in a state of limbo, even though a casting breakdown recently went out from a script by Aja and his writing partner Gregory Levasseur.

Aja told MTV last month, “We pushed production back to spring for weather reasons and location reasons. There’s so many problems that we’re going to have to solve. After doing a movie with mirrors where it was kind of like a nightmare to avoid all the reflections, making a movie in 3D underwater and on the water is going to be the biggest challenge.”

Reboot or Bust?: The same article implies that Aja plans “Piranha 3-D” as an ode to Dante, Cameron, Tobe Hooper, and Wes Craven. If he lives up to that intention, this could be the remake of 2010.

The Stepfather
Photo credit: New Century

“The Stepfather”

Original: 1987, Joseph Ruben, Terry O’Quinn

Remake: 2009, Nelson McCormick, Sela Ward, Dylan Walsh, Penn Badgley, Amber Heard

What We Know: If you only know Terry O’Quinn as John Locke on “Lost,” get thee to a video store or a Netflix queue and check out “The Stepfather,” a truly creepy slice of domestic horror loosely based on the life of mass-murderer John List. The tagline - “The All-American family…he’d kill for it.” - says it all.

After two awful sequels, “The Stepfather” went the way of other ’80s horror franchises like “Fright Night” and “Child’s Play” until a remake was announced by Screen Gems slated to come out in time for Halloween this year.

The perfectly-cast Dylan Walsh (“Nip/Tuck”) takes the Terry O’Quinn role and the child who knows their mother has married the VERY wrong man is now a boy named Michael (“Gossip Girl“‘s Penn Badgley). Amber Heard co-stars and Sela Ward plays the mother-in-distress. NBC TV vets Christopher Meloni (“Law & Order: SVU”) and Sherry Stringfield (“ER”) co-star with direction by Nelson McCormick.

Reboot or Bust?: Walsh has been domestically creepy for years on “Nip/Tuck” and that supporting cast is good, but why do we have that “When a Stranger Calls” feeling about this one? Oh, that’s right because it’s from the same director as the abysmal “Prom Night”. We hope it lives up to the potential of the concept and cast, not the pedigree of its director.

The Wolf Man
Photo credit: Universal

“The Wolf Man”

Original: 1941, George Waggner, Claude Rains, Bela Lugosi, Lon Chaney

Remake: 2009, Joe Johnston, Emily Blunt, Hugo Weaving, Anthony Hopkins, Benicio Del Toro

What We Know: What don’t we know? “The Wolf Man” is high on our list of the most-anticipated films of 2009. Emily Blunt was born to be in a Universal horror remake and Benicio Del Toro always had a vaguely werewolf thing going on. With great actors like Anthony Hopkins and Hugo Weaving in the supporting cast and buzz very high on this one, it could easily be the best remake of the year.

To be fair, The Wolf Man has had more than its share of drama. The film was announced three years ago with Andrew Kevin Walker (“Seven”) attached to the screenplay. Mark Romanek (“One Hour Photo”) was the first director attached but he left due to “creative differences”. According to The Hollywood Reporter, it looked like Brett Ratner might replace him and the studio reportedly also spoke to or considered Frank Darabont, James Mangold, Bill Condon, and Martin Campbell before settling on Joe Johnston (“Jurassic Park III”), who brought in David Self (“Road to Perdition”).

Reboot or Bust?: The long production process, two writers & directors, and general blah feeling we get from Joe Johnston is off-set by the premise and cast. We’re ready for another era of old-fashioned horror. Bring ‘em all back. The Wolf Man, Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy (and, no, those Brendan Fraser movies don’t count) - it’s time for another trip around the horror icon block.

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

From ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ to ‘Milk’: HollywoodChicago.com Picks the 2009 Oscar Winners

BrianTT — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 21:28:15 -0700

CHICAGO – Content director Brian Tallerico and staff writers Dustin Levell and Patrick McDonald have merged their movie-loving minds and come up with the ultimate Oscar preview. Win your office pool, impress your friends and propose a toast to the nominees that should have been when the 81st-annual Academy Awards are broadcast on Feb. 22, 2009 at 7 p.m. CST.

BEST PICTURE

Slumdog Millionaire
Photo credit: Fox Searchlight

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
-Paramount; 13 nominations; $123 million gross

“Frost/Nixon”
-Universal; 5 nominations; $17 million gross

“Milk”
-Focus; 8 nominations; $27 million gross; winner of New York Critics Award

“The Reader”
-The Weinstein Company; 5 nominations; $21 million gross

“Slumdog Millionaire”
-Fox Searchlight; 10 nominations; $89 million gross; winner of BAFTA, Boston Critics, National Board of Review, Producers Guild Award, SAG Ensemble Award, and Golden Globe

Nearly everyone on Earth is predicting a locked-in win for Danny Boyle’s “Slumdog Millionaire” and HollywoodChicago.com is no different. It would be an absolute, jaw-dropping shock to hear “Frost/Nixon” or “The Reader” announced on Oscar night and “Milk” doesn’t have the support needed to get the big win. That leaves the nomination leader - “Button” - and the little movie that could. It’s a Slumdog World, and we only live here.

Dustin thinks the Academy will get it right this year and award the film that deserves the big prize but Patrick and Brian wouldn’t mind seeing a win for “Milk”.

As for the already-notorious snubs of “Wall-E” and “The Dark Knight,” Dustin says, “Twenty years from now, though people will be still be talking about Dark Knight and WALL-E as the great cinematic achievements of 2008 and how they raised the bar for their respective genres.” With no explanation, Patrick throws an interesting film into the ring for what should have been nominated - Neil LaBute’s “Lakeview Terrace”. We love Mr. McDonald and the limb he’s out on with that one.

BEST ACTOR

Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler
Photo credit: Fox Searchlight

Richard Jenkins, “The Visitor”
-1st nomination

Frank Langella, “Frost/Nixon”
-1st nomination

Brad Pitt, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
-2nd nomination (no wins)

Sean Penn, “Milk”
-5th nomination (one win); won Boston (tie) and LA Critics Awards and Screen Actors Guild Award

Mickey Rourke, “The Wrestler”
-1st nomination; won BAFTA, Boston (tie) and Chicago Critics Awards and Golden Globe

This may be one of the tightest races in the history of Best Actor. Eliminating the possibility of a shocking split vote letting a third candidate sneak in, it’s going to be one of two ’80s icons - Sean Penn as Harvey Milk or Mickey Rourke as Randy ‘The Ram’ Robinson. Langella, Pitt and Jenkins just got picked in the wrong year.

The SAG win for Penn and universal acclaim seems to give him the edge but Rourke has been nearly as lauded during precursor season and won the Golden Globe. It doesn’t hurt Mickey that Sean has won before. It’s a lot harder to get a second prize. But that doesn’t stop Brian from saying Sean’s going to be one of the few and that he deserves it. Dustin and Patrick are going with Mickey and all three think their choice to win is also the one that should.

There may be solid agreement that either Mickey Rourke or Sean Penn will and should win but there’s no consensus pick on the HollywoodChicago.com staff as to who should have been nominated.

Dustin points to the most financially successful film in Clint Eastwood’s history, “Gran Torino,” and what could be the legendary star’s final performance and finds it surprising that the Academy didn’t throw the old man a bone on his last go round as an actor.

Patrick goes back further in the year and picks the underrated Sam Rockwell and his excellent work in David Gordon Green’s “Snow Angels”.

Finally, Brian thinks no one worked as hard or embodied a character quite as completely as Benicio Del Toro in “Che”. Sadly, all three men have as much of a chance of winning an Oscar on Sunday night as you do.

The Best, Worst 2009 Super Bowl Movie Commercials

BrianTT — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 10:36:42 -0700

CHICAGO – While Al Michaels and John Madden may have been talking about the incredible play of Santonio Holmes and Larry Fitzgerald in the 2009 Super Bowl, audiences around the world were bombarded with previews for big movies for the summer of 2009 by studios hoping that their films would be the real subject of post-game conversation.

A total of 11 major spots aired during the annual festivities including “Land of the Lost,” “G.I. Joe: The Rise of the Cobra,” “Angels & Demons,” “Fast & Furious,” “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” “Up,” “Year One,” “Star Trek,” “Duplicity,” “Race to Witch Mountain".

What did we learn from the movie commercials during last night's game? Besides the fact that nothing from your childhood is safe any more? (From "Land of the Lost" to "G.I. Joe," it's only a matter of time before the Hollywood machine works its way through every toy and TV show of your youth.) Which previews were the best and which were the worst? Let us offer our opinion. Watch the previews yourself and leave your own.

THE BEST

“Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen”

Here’s the sign of a sequel preview that works - it gets even the people who didn’t like the first movie talking about it. Selling a sequel to a fans of the original is like shooting fish in a barrel, but the spot for the second “Transformers” movie created the biggest “whoa” ripple of any of Sunday night’s ads among viewers. With almost no dialogue, massive explosions, and effects that look more impressive than the first, “Revenge of the Fallen” scored a touchdown. There’s no doubt that what will probably be at least the loudest if not the biggest movie of the summer was a perfect fit for the most over-the-top TV event of the year.

“Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” was directed by Michael Bay and stars Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Rainn Wilson, John Turturro, Josh Duhamel, Isabel Lucas, and Tyrese Gibson. It opens on June 26th, 2009.

“Land of the Lost”

It’s hard to tell with just 45 seconds, but the spot for “Land of the Lost” popped up, got people talking, and got out. The jury may still be deliberating if the movie will be any good but the blend of comedy and action has summer family hit written all over it. In a summer overrun with high-profile sequels, the spot for “Land of the Lost” did exactly what it needed to in under a minute - start building buzz.

“Land of the Lost” was directed by Brad Silberling and stars Will Ferrell, Danny McBride, Anna Friel, and Jorma Taccone. It opens on June 5th, 2009.

“Duplicity”

Clive Owen and Julia Roberts in a spy/romantic comedy with tones of “Mr. and Mrs. Smith”? Where do I sign up? Written and directed by the man behind “Michael Clayton,” the spot for “Duplicity” doesn’t give away too of the actual film but offers just enough of a taste to get audiences intrigued. This spot ran early in the game when a lot of people were still arriving at parties and filling out their squares, so it doesn’t have quite the same buzz the morning after, but it was still one of the best.

“Duplicity” was directed by Tony Gilroy and stars Julia Roberts, Clive Owen, Tom Wilkinson, and Paul Giamatti. It opens on March 20th, 2009.

“Year One”

I might be a little blinded by this one. The actual spot is just so-so, but the idea of Michael Cera, Paul Rudd, David Cross, and Jack Black sharing screen time has me as excited as any summer comedy. Considering Sunday night was packed with high-budget action movie commercials, it was refreshing to see something funny and low-key, changing speed from the predictable blockbuster ads that we were all expecting to see.

“Year One” was directed by Harold Ramis and stars Jack Black, Michael Cera, Olivia Wilde, David Cross, Paul Rudd, Oliver Platt, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, and Hank Azaria. It opens on June 19th, 2009.

“Up”

I agree that this one doesn’t work as well as the early ads for “The Incredibles,” “Ratatouille,” or “WALL-E,” but Pixar has built up so much goodwill with their amazing streak of brilliance that a lot can be foprgiven. In fact, it’s clear that they’re aware of that, using clips from their last few movies to get audiences prepared for “Up.” I was hoping for more footage and something, a visual image or great line, to get people buzzing this morning. The spot is oddly forgettable. But I’m also pretty confident that this is just the beginning and we’ll see some great stuff soon. This was just a taste.

“Up” was directed by Pete Docter & Bob Peterson and features voice work from Christopher Plummer, John Ratzenberger, Ed Asner, and Delroy Lindo. It opens on May 29th, 2009.

The 10 Biggest Oscar Snubs of 2009

BrianTT — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 08:31:57 -0700

CHICAGO – Stories are released every year about the gap between the Oscars and public opinion. It’s a chasm that seems to be growing with every passing year. For the 81st-annual Academy Awards, this legendary group had a chance to close that gap and nominate two films for best picture that were critically acclaimed and commercially successful: “The Dark Knight” and “WALL-E”. But they blew it.

The two films did land a combined fourteen nominations, but were excluded from Best Director and Best Picture, proving that the Academy still has a long way to go when it comes to actually recognizing the best of the year. But they were far from the only mistake revealed on Thursday morning, January 22nd, 2009.

Before we discuss the serious snubs, Best Foreign Language Film is too much of a joke to be considered eligible. The likely winner, Waltz With Bashir, is very deserving, but the process is so flawed that it makes the inevitable win for Ari Folman’s excellent film a slightly hollow one. The fact that the Academy still employs a process that makes one of the best foreign films of the year (Let the Right One In) ineligible and ignores one of the most critically acclaimed choices like Gomorrah from even making the short list is mind-boggling to me. It’s not snubbing, it’s utter nonsense.

Picking ten snubs from this year’s list of nominees was shockingly easy. In fact, there wasn’t a single category that didn’t have a worthy contender on the outside looking in. And how do you rank them? What’s more painful - Sally Hawkins, Christopher Nolan, Darren Aronofsky, or Rosemarie DeWitt still being unable to put Oscar nominee next to their name? Instead, we’re picking the biggest snub per category with the big eight and then two notable omissions from the other categories rounding out a top ten (well, top eleven if you’re being picky).

Dear Zachary.
Photo credit: Oscilloscope

10. “Dear Zachary” for Best Documentary

Kurt Kuenne’s amazing dissection of pure evil and immeasurable good didn’t even make the short list for a category that’s almost as messed up as Best Foreign Language Film. Man on Wire will probably and predictably win but there were so many other choices they could have made to join it then the ones they did. Trouble the Water was powerful, so that’s a great nod, but it is mind-boggling to me that Werner Herzog gets snubbed for one of the best nature documentaries of the last few years, Grizzly Man, but nominated for a film that even he would admit wasn’t nearly as good, Encounters at the End of the World. But all of it pales in comparison to the most powerfully emotional experience that I had in 2008 - Dear Zachary. Like Foreign Language Film, this will be a category that I use for a bathroom break.

Winner Bruce Springsteen for Best Original Song in a Motion Picture for “The Wrestler” on stage during the 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 11, 2009
Photo credit: Paul Drinkwater/NBC

9. “The Wrestler” by Bruce Springsteen for Best Song

This is perhaps the most head-scratching snub of the day. It’s clearly not an anti-Boss thing, as they gave him the award for “Streets of Philadelphia”. No, I think there’s a deeper problem here. I think this category is broken. Maybe after giving the trophy to Three Six Mafia (deservedly, I might add), something snapped. How else do you explain the THREE nominations for “Enchanted” in this category last year (snubbing Eddie Vedder’s great work on “Into the Wild” and tunes by John Mayer, Rufus Wainwright, and Bob Dylan) and now this disaster? Don’t get me wrong. The two songs from “Slumdog Millionaire” are both good and it will be ridiculously cool to see M.I.A. perform on the Oscars. And I love the track from “WALL-E” by Peter Gabriel. But did they forget the other two nominees? How about “The Wrestler” and “Dracula’s Lament” from “Forgetting Sarah Marshall”? Come on. It’s not too late. Just pretend there were five all along. We’re gonna need a laugh after all the “Reader” and “Frost/Nixon” clips anyway.

Let the Right One In
Photo credit: Magnolia

8. “Let the Right One In” by John Ajvide Lindqvist for Best Adapted Screenplay

I know it will be a cold day in movie hell when a foreign horror movie gets a nomination this prestigious, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t snubbed. The script for Tomas Alfredson’s stunning study of vampirism and adolescence is easily better than three of the chosen nominees and arguably second only to Simon Beaufoy’s stunning work on “Slumdog Millionaire”. No offense to the talented people chosen for this category, but could it have been any more predictable? Take the award-winning plays, the F. Scott Fitzgerald adaptation, and something called “The Reader” has to be a great adapted screenplay, right? “Let the Right One In” is a challenging, daring examination of childhood isolation through the lens of the vampire mythology. It’s a wonderful screenplay that was probably not even considered. It will stand the test of time far more impressively than “Frost/Nixon” or “The Reader”.

2008 in Review: The Top 5 Film Interviews of HollywoodChicago.com

PatrickMcD — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 20:19:54 -0700

CHICAGO – After participating in close to 25 interviews in 2008 for HollywoodChicago.com, the mechanics of each sit down are interestingly similar. The reporters gather at a pre-determined spot (usually a Chicago downtown hotel).

And then either one-by-one or part of group, we are led into the inner sanctum of the actor or director’s interview room. Then, getting anywhere from 14 to 40 minutes, we get to ask questions.

Sometimes there are phone interviews. Nothing is more surreal than sitting in the home office, surrounded by everything that is familiar, and talking to one of the industry’s most notorious playwrights or an admired character actor.

The goal of each profile became the opportunity to either ask a question the interviewee had never heard, or to get a nugget of information that distinguishes the film or television show that they’re promoting. It is a terrific challenge.

After assessing all of the 2008 interviews, it was these five that stood out.

Melissa Leo, Lead Actress, “Frozen River”

“Frozen River” star Melissa Leo in Chicago on July 16, 2008.
Photo credit: Patrick McDonald, HollywoodChicago.com

The Background

After playing Sgt. Kay Howard on the TV show “Homicide” in the 1990s, and having notable supporting character roles for years, Leo got the opportunity to be the prime mover in this unusual story of immigrant running on the Canadian border.

The Quote

“We are here to grow into our best selves. That is my religion. Whatever can get you there and whatever the trials, that is what betters us. That is how the story of this film is played out.”

Behind the Scenes

When asked about playing Suellen O’Hara (Scarlett’s sister) in the mini-series “Scarlett” (1994), she laughed that it was “ancient history.” When informed that the 1939 Suellen (Evelyn Keyes) of “Gone With the Wind” had died the week before, she regretted never meeting her.

Chiwetel Ejiofor, Lead Actor, “Redbelt”

“Redbelt” star Chiwetel Ejiofor in Chicago on March 31, 2008.
Photo credit: Patrick McDonald, HollywoodChicago.com

The Background

This fascinating British actor (name pronounced choo-ih-tell edge-o-for), who began his career working with Stephen Spielberg (”Amistad”), has played many memorable roles for directors ranging from Spike Lee to Woody Allen.

He was amazing as a Jujitsu master in the underrated David Mamet film, “Redbelt.”

The Quote

“If anything, the film is commenting on the way of how people – through their own volition – favor a simple way of living within their own moral framework, but find themselves at times vulnerable to the bigger machines at work.

The lesson within the film is that if you maintain your own position, you’ll find ways of engaging if not defeating anything that comes your way.”

Behind the Scenes

While talking about Hollywood politics, we both got into a spasm of uncontrolled laughter.

Steve Conrad, Director/Writer, “The Promotion”

“The Promotion” writer and director Steve Conrad in Chicago on April 22, 2008.
Photo credit: Patrick McDonald, HollywoodChicago.com

The Background

This Chicago-based writer/director put his heart and soul into the charming and brilliantly observed human comedy “The Promotion.” Passionate about the character of Chicago, he convinced the producers to film, with his all-star cast, on location in the city.

The Quote

“I would always try to measure the comedy through real human behavior. Among others things, it’s about carving out the space in America to become your better self, how that challenges you and what it costs. It amounts to the fight of all of our lives.”

Behind the Scenes

The interview was conducted in Conrad’s favorite tavern in the Bucktown neighborhood of Chicago.

Richard Jenkins, Lead Actor, “The Visitor”

Richard Jenkins in “The Visitor”.
Photo credit: Overture Films

The Background

Getting the lead role after a career of supporting portrayals (most notably as the father on “Six Feet Under”), Jenkins took “The Visitor” on his shoulders as the complex but heroic character of Walter Vale.

The native of DeKalb, Illinois, also spoke about his younger days watching movies at the Egyptian Theater there.

The Quote

“There’s nothing like walking onto a Hollywood sound stage.

You walk onto Warner Brothers and on those big sound stages that have been there for years there’s a list of every movie ever shot there. You are in the same place where Spencer Tracy, Errol Flynn, Jimmy Cagney and Humphrey Bogart made movies.”

Behind the Scenes

His distinct gravely voice felt like a private performance when coming out of the speaker phone. It was Richard Jenkins as Richard Jenkins.

Neil LaBute, Director/Writer, “Lakeview Terrace”

Director Neil LaBute and Samuel L. Jackson on the set of “Lakeview Terrace”.
Photo credit: imdb

The Background

One of the most notorious and controversial playwrights in America, LaBute put his distinct spin on race relations in his must-see morality film, “Lakeview Terrace.”

His unblinking instinct to showcase human beings in their most unsettled form formulates a provocative atmosphere.

The Quote

“If Rodney King asks the question ‘can’t we all get along?,’ I would say after much scrutiny the answer would be ‘just barely’.”

Behind the Scenes

Even though the indication was that Mr. LaBute would be available via phone only for 17 minutes, he graciously went overtime and engaged in all of the interview questions.

Quick Takes on Some of the Other Good Ones in 2008

Funniest Interviews

“Shaun of the Dead” Simon Pegg loved his personalized water bottle, and frenetic Sam Rockwell did several minutes on trying to light a cigarette.

Master Class

One of the top and most famous documentary makers, Errol Morris, held a group of us in awe as he spoke of his craft.

Big Stars

Oscar winner Chris Cooper was a larger-than-life presence and Rainn Wilson – Dwight Schrute himself of “The Office” – rhapsodized about fulfilling a life-long show business dream.

Finally, Dude, You Are So Old & Boring

One of the subjects of the documentary, “American Teen” spent most of the group interview surreptitiously text messaging a distant friend. “OMG, STFU!”

By PATRICK McDONALD
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
pat@hollywoodchicago.com

The 10 Most Anticipated Movies of Early 2009

BrianTT — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 17:58:10 -0700

CHICAGO – Believe it or not, there are movies worth marking your calendar for between Oscar season and the big summer blockbusters of 2009.

Over the next few months, the buzz for films like “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” “Star Trek,” “Angels & Demons,” “Terminator: Salvation,” “Night at the Museum 2,” “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs,” “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” “Public Enemies,” “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” “New Moon,” and Pixar’s “Up” is going to become absolutely deafening, but there are well over a hundred flicks hitting the multiplex before those box office juggernauts take center stage and, believe it or not, a handful are actually worth your time.

The first third of 2008 produced quality films in “Cloverfield,” “In Bruges,” “The Visitor,” “George A. Romero’s Diary of the Dead,” “Snow Angels,” “Redbelt,” and “Paranoid Park”. Which, granted, was not an overwhelming display of memorable filmmaking, but the point is that even in a weak season like the one we were about to start at this point last year, there were still a few gems. So, the question is - what will the early season gems be in 2009?

Looking into our movie-loving crystal ball, we’ve tried to target the ten films from January to April 2009 that we might conceivably still be talking about twelve months from now. While we recognize that there are audiences out there with countdown clocks for the release of “Jonas Brothers: The 3-D Concert Experience” and “Hannah Montana: The Movie,” we are not members of that audience. And movies like “Crank 2: High Voltage”, “The Pink Panther 2,” and “The Fast and Furious” clearly have loyal fan followings but, if those sequels are even halfway decent, we’ll be surprised and satisfied. No, the idea was to try and find the 5-star films based on pedigree, plot, previews, potential, and assuming that a certain legal battle surrounding “Watchmen” goes the way that we think it will. So, without further ado…

The Soloist, from Paramount Pictures, opens on April 24th, 2009.
Photo credit: Paramount Pictures

10. “The Soloist”
Release Date: April 24th
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Jamie Foxx, Catherine Keener, Stephen Root, and Tom Hollander
Writer: Susannah Grant
Director: Joe Wright

Plot: The comeback kid of 2008, Robert Downey Jr., plays Steve Lopez, an LA Times journalist who discovers a former classical music prodigy living on the streets. Based on the true story, “The Soloist” details Lopez’s attempts at bringing the talented musician, played by Jamie Foxx, back to his feet.

Reason To Get Excited: Hanging onto the top ten by its dirty fingernails, “The Soloist” would have ranked a lot higher on this list if it hadn’t been bumped from the 2008 Oscar season for undisclosed reasons. That’s usually a bad sign. In fact, nearly everyone involved with making this drama seems to be distancing themselves from it, with Downey getting more press for his work on “Sherlock Holmes” and barely anyone talking about “The Soloist”. But there’s too much potential in that cast, the Oscar-nominated writer of “Erin Brokovich,” and the talented director of “Pride and Prejudice” and “Atonement” to completely dismiss this project sight unseen. Even the gorgeous score on the official site hints at a project that definitely should work. Yes, this could be the misstep in the Downey comeback and Foxx hasn’t really been stellar since he won his Oscar, but we’re not ready to give up on “The Soloist” yet.

The International, from Sony Pictures, opens on February 13th, 2009.
Photo credit: Sony Pictures

9. “The International”
Release Date: February 13th
Cast: Clive Owen, Naomi Watts, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Ulrich Thomasen, Jack McGee, and Brian F. O’Byrne
Writer: Eric Singer
Director: Tom Tykwer

Plot: Clive Owen plays an Interpol agent working with a Manhattan Assistant District Attorney (Naomi Watts) in an effort to bring down one of the world’s most powerful banks. International espionage, worldwide cover-ups, and war-profiteering serve as the backdrop for what could be the action thriller of the winter.

Reason To Get Excited: Three words - Tykwer, Watts, Owen. The director of “Run Lola Run” and the stars of “Children of Men” and “Eastern Promises”. These names should give everyone reason to get excited. Why not higher on the list? Well, the preview looks a little goofy and early February is not often known for stellar action. Case in point - this weekend last year saw the release of the horrible “Jumper”. It seems unlikely that Owen, Watts, and Tykwer would make something that disposable with “The International,” but we’ll keep our fingers crossed that this will be the perfect Valentine’s Day alternative to “He’s Just Not That Into You” that we think it will be.

Adventureland, from Miramax Films, opens on March 27th, 2009.
Photo credit: Miramax Films

8. “Adventureland”
Release Date: March 27th
Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Martin Starr, Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig, Margarita Levieva, and Ryan Reynolds
Writer/Director: Greg Mottola

Plot: In the summer of 1987, a recent college grad (Jesse Eisenberg) takes a useless job at a local amusement park as he prepares for the real world.

Reason To Get Excited: Most people still think that Judd Apatow directed “Superbad,” but it was actually the talented Greg Mottola who helmed that hilarious flick and his comic follow-up looks like it has a similar charm. Eisenberg was great in “The Squid and the Whale,” Kristen Stewart has always hinted at potential better than the movies she chooses, and Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig are currently the most talented male and female comedian on “Saturday Night Live”. There are several promising comedies in early 2009, but “Adventureland” is one of the most appealing.

Anna Faris as Brandi and Seth Rogen as Ronnie in Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ comedy “Observe and Report,” distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.
Photo credit: Peter Sorel

7. “Observe and Report”
Release Date: April 10th
Cast: Anna Faris, Seth Rogen, Ray Liotta, Patton Oswalt, and Michael Pena
Writer/Director: Jody Hill

Plot: Rogen plays the bi-polar mall security guard Ronnie Barnhardt, who’s called in to stop a flasher from destroying his mall, but he needs the help of a surly detective, played by the often-funny and usually surly Ray Liotta. Also, the great Patton Oswalt plays a character named “Cinnabon Man”. ‘Nuff said.

Reason To Get Excited: Seth Rogen and Anna Faris are two of the most reliably effective comedians working today. Don’t get me wrong. Faris has made some BAD career choices. But the same can’t be said for Rogen, who gave two of the best performances of his career last year in “Pineapple Express” and “Zack and Miri Make a Porno”. And the great concept sounds like “Paul Blart: Mall Cop,” but, you know, funny. We’re choosing to ignore that writer/director Jody Hill made the buzzed-about, though ultimately disappointing “The Foot Fist Way”. Everyone needs to start somewhere.