The Fall TV Review Post: An Early Look (Part I)

The Fall TV schedule is pretty full. Everyone is looking to those new series that might get them hooked. All the big players are there and since there are many shows, I decided to split them up into a couple of parts. I'm not going to review the show completely now, it wouldn't be that fair until their first season is over. I will give them either one of three recommendations: Definitely Watch, Casual Watch and Unwatchable. So, I will look at these same series at the end of their seasons and let you know what I think then. I will not be reviewing Boss, Enlightened, or Homeland because I don't have Showtime or HBO, Hell on Wheels because I don't have AMC, I Hate My Teenage Daughter cause it premiers at the end of November and any new reality show that comes out. Let's lets kick off...

Terra Nova (FOX)

After the Battlestar Galactica finale, I really didn't have a lot of options to satisfy my sci-fi quota. Other than Doctor Who everything else is pretty much run of the mill. When I heard of Terra Nova, I was excited for what was about to come. Fuckin' dinosaurs rule. I tried ot keep myself from reading too much information on it and was pretty much able to do that. After watching a couple of episodes, I have to say that I think I will have to wait some more for something to really satisfy me in a sci-fi way (Rosey just won't do anymore!). It's not that the show is bad. Not at all. It's just that the first few episodes haven't really done such a great job in piquing my interest. The things that seem to be important get glossed over for encounters with deadly dinos. That's all fine and dandy, but if you want to keep people interested you have to give them something more. They don't have to get all Lost-y with all of us, but give us some real info each episode so we want to come back for more. I have no problems with the cast yet. I like Shelley Conn as the doctor and Jason O'Mara as the husband and cop. I especially like Stephen Lang as the leader of Terra Nova. He just has this look about him that you know something is not right about him but he could end up being a good guy in the end. Hopefully they turn it on soon or I might have to stop watching this.

Recommendation: Casual Watch

New Girl (FOX)

I have to admit that I have a crush on Zooey Deschanel. When I read she was going to be on TV every week, I thought the world had finally fallen into its rightful place. How wrong was I. She has always had the quirky look down. Quirky is her thing and she has it down pat. Why someone thought turning it up to 11 was good idea for this show should be tossed in a crocodile pit. The idea behind the show is not very inspiring in the first place. A weird girl living with three other men... hilarity should supposedly ensue... It doesn't. It never does. You know why? Zooey Deschanel's Jess is not quirky, she is some mixture between an idiot and completely bat shit insane. When dhe does anything, you never get that ' aww, that was cute' feeling but the 'holy shit, she's nuts. Let's get the fuck outta here.' This show is a real mess. I'm going to find it hard to finish this thing.

Recommendation: Unwatchable

Unforgettable (CBS)

I'm a fan of detective shows. I don't know exactly why I'm so in to them, but I am. I guess it's the sense of having to figure everything out along with the cast that attracts me. That being said, this show won't set the world on fire or change the way detective series are done. Poppy Montgomery (with awesome red hair) plays Carrie, a detective with an interesting quirk. She has hyperthymesia. This means that she remembers everything she hears and sees. I wouldn't want to be this girls husband is she could remember every single thing. It would scare the shit out of me. Anyways, basically she can go back to a crime scene and see things that will eventually lead to them solving the crime. Her back story is mostly what drives the character. When she was little, her sister was murdered and she was left alive. Because of the traumatic events, she can't remember the killers face like she can remember everything else. For years she has been searching for this killer and she seems hell bent on continuing even after 20 odd years. It's not that great a plot point, but I'm hoping they can do something interesting with it.

Recommendation: Casual Watch

Once Upon A Time (ABC)

When I read the premise for this show, I was immediately interested. I like it when authors and shows use characters from stories in different situations and settings. In this case, fairy tale characters are living in a small town in Maine called Storybrooke with no knowledge of who they really are. This happens after a witch fulfills a prophecy. It stars Jennifer Morrison (of House M.D. fame) as the mother of a kid who knows somethings about what is going on and about the town and its inhabitants. It's an interesting premise and I'm hoping to see what they can come up with next. I'm not so sold yet on the evil witch, but I'll give it some time to develop a little bit more. Hopefully, they build on this and continue to make this show interesting before they cancel it or something.

Recommendation: Definite Watch

How To Be A Gentleman (CBS)

If you have never watched Kevin Dillon as Johnny Drama in the awesome show Entourage, then you know why I might be excited about a show like this. Dillon is funny in a macho, jock way that not everyone can do. Too bad this show is just fucking terrible. ?? plays a magazine writer that is supposed to be everything a gentleman is. Except he's the farthest thing from that you can imagine. When you think of gentlemen, you think of people like Laurence Olivier and Michael Caine, not of this effeminate goof ball. Supposedly, Dillon's character is supposed to teach this guy to be young and edgy since the magazine was bought and being revitalized. The premise might have been funny, if it weren't for the fact that both characters are incredibly unlikable... no, hateable. So, look elsewhere for your comedy needs.

Recommendation: Unwatchable - Cancelled (after TWO episodes... terrible)

Up All Night (NBC)

Will Arnett is awesome. I remember watching Arrested Development and laughing out loud at Gob's antics. He teams up with Christina Applegate for this comedy show. They are a couple who, even though they are older and have a daughter, try to be hip and still pretend to have the same social circumstances as before. I think they are both pretty funny. It's one of those shows that makes you embarrassed for the characters on your screen, but to the oomph degree. Maya Rudolph plays Applegate's boss and this sort of TV show host. While some of her stuff is funny, some is pretty lame and having her on screen sort of ruined my viewing experience. Hopefully they tone her down a bit and leave most of the heavy lifting to Applegate and Arnett.

Recommendation: Casual Watch

Batman: Arkham City - The New Standard

Believe it or not, I was one of the few people who didn't totally love Arkham Asylum. I thought it was repetitive, flawed, and the writing just led the player in the wrong directions.

Nothing feels worse than seeing others praise something that you feel let down by. Especially when you voice your complaints and the people who loved it still agree with you.

I told them all that I thought Killer Croc was a huge waste of time and buildup. I kept telling them that the bosses were a huge failure, to the point where a great villain like Bane got treated like an enemy that becomes normal two hours later in the game. And then they bullshit their way into a final battle with the Joker that uses every gaming shortcut in the book.

Lets just eliminate everything that makes him an interesting character.

The one thing Asylum did well was that it made you feel like Batman every once in a while. And for those brief windows of gameplay, it felt pretty awesome. I keep saying, if you compare Arkham Asylum to other comic book games, of course it's superior. But as a game, it just falls short of the acclaim it was receiving at the time.

It's been three years, and Arkham City is now officially a game of the year candidate, and I have no problem with that whatsoever; because this game is amazing. Rocksteady Studios and Paul Dini have crafted the Batman universe and placed it in your hands to explore.

Asylum was a free roaming game. You were allowed to backtrack wherever you wanted almost at any time, but it wasn't nearly big enough to be considered a 'sandbox' game. City, on the other hand, is pretty huge in comparison, and it gives you enough liberty and side quests to keep you busy for weeks.

You can always tell when a sandbox game is good around three in the morning. You know, you're about to go to sleep and you tell yourself 'five more minutes' and I'll turn off for the night. Suddenly the sun is coming in through your window and you realize that one sidequest just killed your last three and a half hours of sleep. And Arkham City has given me enough sleepless nights to be considered one of the best sandbox games I've ever played.

The fighting in Asylum was something I did like, at first. It can get quite repetitive; the key word there is can, because it doesn't have to. Not much has changed for the sequel, if you find one thing that works and you keep doing it you will get bored. But the game gives you enough options to spice up the combat, and I encourage you to do so; I mean, you're The God Damned Batman (I had to say it once), you're supposed to kick petty thug ass with style, and it's very satisfying to do so.

The boss battles are much improved. I won't spoil which ones. Because that would be mean. Let me just say that the game has enough surprises in it to keep you invested even after the story is over. If a character is mentioned more than once during the game, odds are he's in there somewhere. You should expect the unexpected.

The story is just flat out brilliant. I can't say enough good things about it. Paul Dini worked enough obscurity and detail into this to make even the most hardcore Bat-fans giddy. There are so many intricate details in this world that you will  be constantly asking yourself when something is an easter egg, a thing yet to come in game, or just him pointing out things to expect in the sequel. And yes, there will be a sequel, unless there's a whole part of the game I haven't found yet (a guy can only hope).

I'm not going to review the story. I already told you it's spectacular, and you just need to experience it for yourself. If you really need to know, go read it. But I can't urge you enough to play through it, every Batman fan should. If you're not much of a gamer, just play it in the easy setting, it's not a difficult game. You just need to go through this.

I will say that part of what makes it so great is the voices. Vereran Bat-voice Kevin Conroy returns, and again does a great job. But without a doubt the showstealer, as always, is Luke Skywalker himself, Mark Hamill as the Joker. He just gets extra creepy at times. And as the story escalates the relation between Joker and Batman he just gets outright terrifying (make sure and sit through the credits if you don't believe me).

If I had to nitpick at something I would say that the inside environments aren't nearly as big or intricate as they were in the first game. Batman is constantly stuffed into small areas for sneaking around, whereas you were constantly climbing giant elevator shafts in the Asylum. I kinda liked that, and I could have seen at least one giant elevator shaft puzzle. But it's really just me trying to find something wrong.

Of course, the other big thing that AC changes is the fact that you not only get to play as The Dark Knight; Catwoman joins him, with her own sections of the story as downloadable content, and they add perfectly to the story. Unlike the Joker DLC from the first, she controls differently to the Bat, yet oddly similar. Her gadgets are different, her methods of movement are different, and she seems to be slightly quicker.

And she just makes me feel... sexy.

There's also Robin and Nightwing DLC in the upcoming months, but unfortunately they'll only be playable in challenge maps. It would be great if they got their own in story segments, but I guess I might be asking for too much. I can only hope that they're brought in for the sequel.

This is officially the best time to be a Batman fan. Between the Nolan films, and the Rocksteady games it's hard not to be. I was asked the other day which one of the two universes I prefer, and It may shock many, but I can't pick against the games. The world is too huge to even compare. I really do think Dini has found the secret formula to writing comic book games. Marvel needs to fess up and get with the standards if they want to stay afloat, because Spider-Man: Edge Of Time doesn't stand the slightest chance. 

I've been saying for months that this will be the best month in the history of gaming, I just didn't expect Arkham City to be this big a part of it. I can't express how overjoyed I am that this game is this good. I will go as far as to call this an experience, more than a video game. 

More than anything, it just gives me huge expectations for the third. Let me drive the Batmobile. Please.

9/10

Las Cargas - The Funnest Band In Puerto Rico

This might be a tough one. I've written about movies, TV, music, books. I've written rants and articles. I've written about things I love, and things I loathe. I've never written about people I actually know.

This is also the first time I've had to review an album where I'm more accustomed to seeing it performed live. This lends itself to the interesting dynamic where the album version feels weirder to me that hearing it in person. And in this case it's a whole different experience that could almost lead to two totally different reviews.

But I've been requested by the band's singer, so I guess I need to give this a whirl.

Las Cargas is a really hard band to describe. It would be easy to call it punk, but it isn't. And that's why I like them better live. Las Cargas is what that garage punk band you used to like in high school would sound like if they ever took music seriously and decided to keep playing. But more than anything, they're just an awesome stage show, and what makes them so special is how they drag you in just far enough for you to feel like a part of the show. They're multi-layered and multi-faceted. And I really don't think that translates well into a recorded medium. But that doesn't mean the record is bad; like with many bands, it just doesn't compare to the live experience.

The live experience just stands for itself. I would openly say that Pekeke is among the best frontmen around. He just sets up a fun show, and is an expert in making the audience feel like they're an important part of it. Adding to that is the fact that they paint their faces, which is kinda hard to explain. When it's a Las Cargas show Omar shows up, paints his face, and becomes Pekeke. And that's how every band member is, they transform into a character, and you can tell. They keep in character and even get angry at you if you mention their "real" names.

A fun bunch... Right?

Oddly enough, the album stands on it's own. It has it's differences that make it stand apart from seeing the band live; mostly sound related. Sound-wise the drums steal the show. I'm not sure how or where they recorded the album, but El Conde sounds amazing on every track. That's not to say anyone sounds bad. The whole album sounds great. It's just that the drums just seem to get special treatment.

The album stands at almost an hour in length, which is surprising for the style they play. I've judged albums before for being too short, but in this case, even though most of the songs are really short they supply enough of them. The one bad thing I can say is that some of the songs almost feel like skits, but they're still skits that get stuck in your head. You just find yourself singing them over and over. The best example of this has to be Baño (Na, Na, Na). Seriously, I just told you most of the words to the song. It translates to 'time to take a bath' and it's become that the one song I hum on the way to the shower.

The rest of the album is littered with songs that will be stuck in your head for a good while, and most of them are simple enough that you learn them by the second listen. Just stuff that you find yourself singing along to without even noticing, and when you do, you'll love it even more.

Unfortunately, it pales in comparison to what these guys are live. The music loses a lot of steam when heard by yourself, through headphones. These songs are meant to be heard in person, at a party, with a bunch of people who know and love them. So yes, the album is nice and dandy, but if you ever get the chance to see Las Cargas live, don't hesitate. I've seen a lot of shows, and I don't think I've seen a band that has more fun at their own shows than these guys. And they make sure the audience feels that.

7/10

Since it's a local band I'm going to link you to...
Las Cargas' Facebook page.
The album on Amazon.
And the video for Alcoholico Ezquizofenico.

A Parallel Universe - Dexter By Design

Dexter. The name itself just makes me smile these days. I stand firm in saying that it's the best thing on TV right now. And the ratings back up my statement. But it seems to me that the books the hit Showtime series was based on seem to be flying a bit under the radar. With the sixth book, Double Dexter, about to hit the shelves, I'm slightly behind.

To say that the novels by Jeff Lindsay have an odd relationship with the show would be quite the understatement. They seem to borrow ideas from each other back and forth, but the plots are totally different. The only actual thing in common is the setting and the characters at the start. And by at the start I mean first book (Darkly Dreaming Dexter), first season (Ice Truck Killer), but that's really as far as the similarities go directly.

It's almost like the comic book universes where the same characters are doing different things. Some get killed off, some turn on each other, and in this case, some get physically mutilated forever (That last part couldn't be more literal). But in the end it really works well to give a new depth to characters that are already pretty well developed.

By the fourth novel, Dexter By Design, which I just finished, Dexter's situation is very much different from what you've seen on the show, but somehow he's handling a lot of the same issues he faces on TV. The book kicks off with Dexter on his honeymoon in Paris where he and his wife Rita get invited to a rather bizarre art exhibit that peaks Dexter's interests. From there the story picks up into a tale of a serial killer who thinks of his victims as vessels to showcase his artistic side. Eventually Dexter crosses this new foe, and we have a very pleasant cat and mouse game to the death.

There are a couple of subplots in the story which differ greatly from the show. These mostly revolve around the interactions between Dexter and the people around him. It's here where the two go totally in opposite directions. Without spoiling much I can say that Dexter's stepchildren, Cody and Astor, play a much bigger role in the novels. Lets just say that Dex is a much bigger influence on their lives, and it's not really his choice.

SPOILERS


The other big subplot involves Dexter's stepsister Deborah dealing with the fact that she discovered the truth about Dex at the end of the first book. She had been silent throughout the second and third, but Debs finally confronts him about his reality at the worst time. Dexter is left wondering what he would do if the cop in her takes over and decides to bring him to justice. This is a real stand out moment in the tale of Dexter. When confronted with the decision on what to do about the person he considers closest, Dexter sees himself forced to contemplate things he never thought he would, making him a much more human character.


END OF SPOILERS


Story wise the book is a huge step up from the third (Dexter In The Dark) which had a overly strange plot that included Dexter hallucinating and being kidnapped by a cult. Yeah, I'm glad that's over. This one is more the usual Dexter style. Serial killer vs serial killer.

As always, the city of Miami is almost as important as the characters, which is one of the things I've always loved about the series. I've never spent too much time in Miami, I've been there once or twice for a day or so, but I swear that I know my way around that city. That sounds absurd, and I'm probably (totally) wrong, but these books just describe that city in a way that you just believe you know your way around. Then again, if I believed everything in these books I'd probably be dead within a week of arrival.

Lindsay does another spectacular job at bringing to life these amazing characters. He places you in the head of a serial killer, and you love it. He makes you feel what he feels, and he makes you justify every stab and slice he performs. He makes these outlandish stories believable with ease. I do believe it's in the details; from  the way things are said, to the way the forensic stuff is explained... He just gets it.

Even if you haven't seen the show (you should!), take a look at these novels. They stand for themselves, and they might be just as good. And if you do enjoy the show, and you haven't checked out the novels, then you're really doing yourself a disservice.

7.5/10

Netflix Reviews #6

Limitless

When I heard that Bradley Cooper (The Hangover) and Robert DeNiro were going to be starring in a Neil Burger (The Illusionist) movie, I was excited. I loved The Illusionist and was excited to see what was next for Burger. This sci-fi thriller is pretty good. Not as good as I was expecting, but it was still an entertaining movie with an entertaining premise and a couple of interesting shots. I was surprised at how little the female cast had to do. They were just sort of there to motivate Cooper's Eddie but otherwise, they are nonexistent. I did like the effects that they used whenever Eddie used the drug. There was a frenetic feel to the camera work and I felt that worked to the films advantage even though it might be a little dizzying. So, in the end, its an interesting movie that works. Check it out.

7 out of 10

Buried

This movie was nominated for 10 Goya Awards, winning three of them. Then again, some movies that tend to win the festivals are sometimes over hyped. This movie was probably over hyped. It's not a bad movie, and surprisingly, its not a boring movie. It did keep me on the edge of my seat and the ending was surprising. I sort of had to remember to breathe during the last 5 minutes of the movie when Ryan Reynolds' Paul Conroy begins to break down. I have never seen anything by director Rodrigo Cortés, but I'm interested in his movies now. Now, don't get me wrong, the movie is all of those things I mentioned above, and Ryan Reynolds performance is surprisingly good... but there is something about this movie that makes me uneasy. Maybe its the premise, but I'm not sure its anything to do with the story, and more with the movie itself. For example, that scene with the snake. It seemed out of place and sort of throws the movie off in my opinion. Either way, some credit has to be given for actually being able to elicit an emotional response from those watching... unlike the next film...

6 out of 10

Blue Valentine

Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams star in this bore fest of a movie directed by Derek Cianfrance. There's nothing about this movie that made me feel anything for either of these characters. They are both extremely unlikable so it was hard for me to like them at all. It tells the story of this married couple and how they began and where they eventually ended up. Nothing new or interesting about it. People get fat and bald and bitchy and they fall out of love... happens all the time. This was just an uninteresting way to see it happen. If there are any redeeming qualities to this movie, its probably the performances by both Gosling and Williams, other than that... if you can, skip this movie. There are many better movies out there to watch.

4 out of 10

The Spanish Prisoner

I remember watching a David Mamet film a long time ago and thinking he was an incredible writer of dialogue. After that, I have tried to find most of the movies he has directed and some of the movies he has written a screenplay for and they all seem to have amazing dialogue. Glengarry Glen Ross is amazing and the underrated Spartan is also very good. This particular movie doesn't stray far from what has made Mamet what he is, a con movie. Campbell Scott is really good as Joe, the man who invents a "Process" that will earn his company a lot of money. He plays the mark incredibly well. You root for him all the way. Rebecca Pidgeon is also really good as the love interest, but my favorite character is the dodgy millionaire Jimmy as played by Steve Martin. It was surprising to see him in a role as this one instead of the quirky, funny guy that we are always used to. Anyways, if you like con movies with incredible dialogue, check this one out. Also, check out some of Mamet's other stuff as well.

8 out of 10

Your Highness

From the makers of Pineapple Express, this movie is a fantasy comedy about two completely different princes, played by James Franco and the hilarious Danny McBride, who go on a quest to save Franco's wife to be and McBride's sense of self worth. Look, this movie is dumb. It will not win any awards or be one of those movies that you will be watching 20 years from now, but for what it is, its an entertaining, raunchy comedy that pays homage and also makes fun of the fantasy genre. Justin Theroux is hilarious as the bad wizard Leezar and Natalie Portman is just okay as Isabel. Some of the jokes are just meh, but you can't help but laugh at most of it. And that is what I rate this one on. I wish Hollywood would make more comedy films for adults instead of the PG comedies that we normally get. Also, director David Gordon Green is someone to keep an eye on. I loved 2007's Snow Angels (not at all like you'd expect) and of course 2008's Pineapple Express.

6.5 out of 10