10 reasons why you need to watch...30 ROCK

*Disclaimer, as I write this, I have only seen the first two seasons of 30 rock. I could go and watch it online, but I just cannot manage to do so. I cannot watch crappy quality youtube style videos of movies and television shows, not to put down those who do, it just personally does not work for me. But soon, I will have seen more and perhaps write an updated post of why you need to watch 30 rock.

10) Some have described 30 Rock as to be in the same style as Arrested Development. In some parts this is true; both have random subplots, and are shot as a single camera sitcom minus the laugh track. And both have received huge critical acclaim, with less than stellar ratings (audiences). However, I think 30 Rock is it's own show. It features it's own idiosyncratic characters, and has a style of it's own. I also get the feeling that 30 Rock may be lucky enough to go those few steps further than Arrested Development.

9) It's filmed in New York. So often we see these sitcoms based and shot on boring sets within the backdrop of boring Beverly Hills and Los Angeles. Bring on the much more interesting Big Apple.

8) Not only a feast for the eyes, but good entertainment for the brain, with a delightful play on words. For example: Jenna's indie movie The Rural Juror, Dr Spaceman (pronounced Spa-chem-an), Tracy Morgan's character Tracy Jordan goes by the alias of Stacy Morgan while on the run from the Black Crusaders. Hysterical.

7) The use of extraneous multimedia, such as using blatant product placement while claiming not to be at that level (*wink* I love Snapple!) Jenna's song Muffin Top, a hit in Israel and Belgium (hysterical lyrics here) and Tracy's movies - Fat Bitch & Honky Grandma Be Trippin'. And not to mention the countless movie references, including many an ode to Star Wars, and my personal favourite Godfather moment in 1x20 (Cleveland)

6) The Guest stars. I'm not going to even name drop. I want it to be a surprise. However, expect a lot of SNLalumni and as the show keeps going, the bigger the names get. (And a small hint, somebody resembling God even appears...*whispers* Oprah!) N.B. Carrie Fisher has been my favourite guest star so far in the hysterically funny episode "Rosemary's Baby".

5) Jenna Maloney, as played by Jane Krakowski (maybe you remember her as Elaine from Ally McBeal.) Poor Jenna is a bit of a stereotype here. Actress. Blonde. Dumb. Attention seeker. Vain. Egocentric. Desperate to be taken seriously. Never will be.

4) Alec Baldwin is hysterically funny as Network Exectuive Jack Donaghy. So entertaining to see Baldwin play the polar opposite of his famous political views. A staunch democrat playing a guilt ridden Catholic Republican. Just great!

3) 30 Rock is loosely based upon Tina Fey's (star, producer, writer and creator) real life job as first female head writer of variety comedy sketch show Saturday Night Live. If you've seen SNL then you'll want to see more, like a fly on the wall!

2) It's the writing. Each written line is gold, and its a collaborative effort between cast and the writers, but its just comedy gold that is being produced. And it's also fascinating to watch a show about writers and actors working together. Just watch!

1) See the genius of one of the most famous women in America, not to mention the funniest, smartiest, prettiest, super brainiest, poltical impersonating, starry eyed, dream girl. TINA FEY!!!!

A Year of Films.

Well, since the last posting back on boxing day, I've seen quite a lot of films in the award season buzz months. I always try and see as much as humanly possibly so I feel I can have a fair enough view of what should and shouldn't be up for awards. It's always fun, but now I start to wonder, what were my favourites of the 2008 films. Instead of making my judgements on the films that were released specifically in Australia in 2008, I'll make the judgements based on what I've seen within the last 12 months as my own version of the Oscars, which coincidentally features the same films that were eligible in Hollywood la la Land for all the important awards.

The competitors in contention (in alphabetical order) are (also known as all the 2008 films I saw):

Australia, Baby Mama, Body of Lies, Burn After Reading, Changeling, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspien, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Dark Knight, Doubt, Frozen River, Get Smart, The Happening, Happy-Go-Lucky, A History of my Sexual Failures, In Bruges, In Seach of a Midnight Kiss, Iron Man, Kung Fu Panda, The Love Guru, Madagascar 2, Mamma Mia, Milk, Rachel Getting Married, The Reader, Revolutionary Road, Role Models, Quantum of Solace, Savage Grace, Sex and the City, Shutter, Slumdog Millionaire, Then She Found Me, Tropic Thunder, Trumbo, Twilight, Vicky Christina Barcelona, The Visitor, Wall-e, The Wrestler.

Best Film
As if I could just pick one. So it's a three way tie:
Doubt, Milk, and Vicky Christina Barcelona.
Best Male Actor
Sean Penn in Milk. Amazing performance. Such a versolite actor.
Best Female Actor
Meryl Streep in Doubt. Probably favouritism here, both for Streep and for nuns, but I loved her Sister Aloysius.
Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role
Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight. I hate that I'm cliche and agreeing with everyone else, but I cannot think of another contender.
Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role
Rosemarie DeWitt in Rachel Getting Married. Absolutely stunning performance.
Best Director
Jonathan Demme for Rachel Getting Married. Such an unusual film, but Demme made something quite different and ultimately special.
Worst Film
The Happening. What the hell M. Night Shyamalan? Dishonourable mentions go to Mamma Mia and Body of Lies.
Most Disappointing Film
Twilight. I was expecting this to be my guilty pleasure film of the year. Not even. Quite disappointed.
Best Screenplay
Woody Allen for Vicky Christina Barcelona. He's back, but mind you, he never left.
Best Film from a New Filmmaker
In Search for a Midnight Kiss. So indie. So promising.
Most Overrated Film
Slumdog Millionaire. I'm not saying it wasn't a good film, I really liked it, but I'm so over hearing about it.
Most Overrated Performance
Robert Downey Jr. in Tropic Thunder. Good comedic performance, but nothing worthy of award attention.
Most Underrated Film
In Bruges. What an amazing script with unforgettable performances.
Most Underrated Performance
Sally Hawkins in Happy-Go-Lucky. How was she snubbed for this performance? WTF?
Best Song used in a Film
Bruce Springsteen - The Wrestler in The Wrestler. As crucial to Rourke's performance in the film. Just amazing. As for why it got snubbed from Oscars...well, who knows!?!
Best Male Comeback
Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler. Hands down. Hard choice between him and Penn for best male performance of the year. He is the movie.
Best Female Comeback
Debra Winger in Rachel Getting Married. She's back and she shows why she should be. I want more!
Most Disturbing Film
Revolutionary Road. Not for the faint hearted...
Best Guilty Pleasure Film
The Dark Knight. For me, it's a guilty pleasure film, because I tend to liken the more dramatic stories, and less for the action films, but this one was just something else.

I'm back!

Hello there bloggers.

Happy 2009! It has been almost two months since my last blog. It's shameful really. I've had a lot of time off, and while the creative juices should have been following, I've been suffering from writer's anxiety and block instead. I wish I could have said that I've been holidaying in Hawaii instead, but the plain simple truth is that something took a hold of my writing. I even got a laptop in the process, which should have made it easier to write more frequently, but NO. So throwing caution to the wind and everything else aside, I am going to try and write everyday, or as close to as I can bare. What will result from this daily eventful blogging? I don't know. Perhaps I shall write about movies again, perhaps other things will come out. Right now, I cannot say if I can be bothered trying to sound the slightest bit professional or journalistic, but here goes nothing. And enjoy the new look!

I do slightly lie when I say I wrote nothing. So here is something I wrote at the start of the year.

Friday 16th January, 2.37am

There is something about the new calendar year that makes everything fresh. A new year has started and therefore so can a new life. Divorcees and heartbroken sad cases everywhere hold onto the idea that this will be the time where everything will get better and fall into place. But when you think about it, it's just another day. And what a difference a day can make, so it seems.

Everywhere I look, I hear '2009 will be the year' and 'change is on my side in 09' and more endless and similar expressions that keep me wondering, is 2009 really the year of change? At the start of each new calendar year there is a three week period (sometimes extending longer) where people can freely make these statements without seeming too crazy or pathetic.

However, these hopeful optimists everywhere (especially those who have gone through a particular crappy year) are living either one of two possible realities. Option A is that these hopeful optimists actually believe that the new year will bring happiness, prosperity and love, all because of the turning of time. Or, the more likely of these options is Option B, where desperation can become so helpless that any idea of the prospect of happiness, prosperity and love coming to fruition will do.

I have become a frequent visitor of Option A, but it seems that I am residing in the residence of Option B for the time being. I would like to believe that simply because the calendar year has passed over, inner contentment will follow and that mystically everything is on my side. However, I find it unreasonable and illogical to believe that this reality is solely a result of the stars. This is what I'm pertaining to, with the whole 'it's predetermined by some kind of unseeable force.'

But don't get me wrong, I am a kind of spiritual guy. And in fact, I even bought a book of how to master the art of happiness by the Dali Lama. As a result of the purchase, I would go as far as saying that simply by rubbing the book, I feel the effects immediately. Despite all of these proclamations and affirmations, I cannot stop hearing the little cynical voice that rears its ugly head and says "what if this is all bull?"

And maybe it is all bull. But there is that wonderful three week period that allows for the window of opportunity and hope, where all the past mistakes and failures of the previous year and wiped away, leaving a clean palate to start with. And maybe this year will be the year of change, god knows I need it. And so as the three week window comes to a close, I will try to see the glass as half full and hope for the best. I figure that will work until around January 22.