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Webisodes: A Brief Reprieve from Summer TV Boredom (updated: Heroes, The Office, Rescue Me)

JOpinionated — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 02:46:00 +0000

If you are as bored with summer television programming as I am, you have probably also been seeking other mediums for entertainment.

A Wii Fit, perhaps? Hello, no. Don’t you know me?

I’m referring to the fun little web episodes of Heroes and The Office, and the ‘minisodes’ of Rescue Me. For the uninitiated, be forewarned that even the online versions of Tommy and the boys are quite foul-mouthed and dirty minded.

Other than that, here is my current weekly TiVO lineup:

The Next Food Network Star
Weeds
The Middleman
Burn Notice
Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List

Kind of sad.

Do You Hulu?

JOpinionated — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 05:54:00 +0000

By now, I’m sure you’ve heard the buzz about Hulu. More than 50 content providers have partnered to deliver popular television shows and films free of charge online.

I haven’t had time to explore the site, but it looks impressive and quite simple to navigate. Now that the Writers Strike is over and they will be receiving compensation whenever someone watches their work on Hulu, I will definitely bookmark this site and visit often.

Among other, the following networks and studios are offering movies and television series’ on Hulu:

Bravo
E!
FOX
Lionsgate
MGM
NBC Universal
Sci Fi
Sony Pictures Television
Sundance Channel
TV Guide
USA Network
Warner Bros.

Have any of you tried it yet? What do you think?

EXPANDING MY SOCIAL NETWORKS: FROM MYSPACE TO FACEBOOK

JOpinionated — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 03:06:00 +0000

I’ve had a MySpace page for almost two years now, and I’ve made some great virtual acquaintances who primarily share my interests in television, film, music and general pop culture. Like most people, I find MySpace to be fairly addictive; I constantly update my profile, subscribe to and read numerous blogs, and scroll through my friends’ pages. But here are the two main reasons I really enjoy MySpace: 1) a wider audience for my blog; I am able to post my entries there, and have added a large number of Lost fans to my distribution list as a result, and 2) many writers and actors from my favorite shows maintain their own pages and blogs, and that kind of accessibility is quite a treat for true fans.

Recently, my 17 year old niece suggested that I also create a Facebook page (thanks, Mags!). I was initially hesitant because, in all honesty, I thought I was too old. However, after perusing various pages and noticing that far more of my college friends are on Facebook than MySpace, I decided to take the plunge. Besides, I love discovering fellow Lost friends from all corners, and Facebook provides me with new opportunities to do so.

Right now my Facebook page is under construction, and I’m not a fan of the layout and format just yet (at least compared to MySpace). But I would love to add new friends to both Facebook and MySpace. If you’re a member of either and enjoy this blog and/or Lost, add me as a friend! I open every invite to see what we have in common, and only deny those that are obvious spam, porn or from a band/musician that isn’t up my alley (i.e. hair metal).

Facebook
MySpace

If you’re not on either social network or you’d like to be added to my Lost distribution list (to receive weekly Lost theories & thoughts following each episode, beginning with next week’s Season 4 premiere), simply send me an email to jo@jopinionated.com with the word LOST in the subject line.

I am curious to find out which of you have pages on either Facebook or MySpace, so don’t be shy. Go find and befriend me. I would also love to hear which you prefer, and why…

NERD ALERT! GET YOUR ‘LOST’ FIX HERE

JOpinionated — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 02:45:00 +0000

I know I’m not the only one who geeks out whenever the new LOST promos air on TV. And I also know that there are thousands out there who are also counting down the days until Season 4 premieres on January 31.

So here are a few ways to entertain yourselves in the meantime…

Start by watching the video on Fly Oceanic Air. Then go to the interactive Find 815 site, where you watch another video and then follow the clues and story.

Apparently, there are actual Oceanic Air billboards up in Portland right now. That is an expensive marketing campaign, my friends. I am impressed.

Oh, and Oceanic Airlines put out a fake press release last week, announcing their return to service. The most interesting part of it is the list of new destinations (many of which are related to LOST survivors and flashbacks, and some of which probably tie into the new season):

Los Angeles, CA
Tustin, CA
Ames, IA
Miami, FL
New York, NY
Portland, OR
Knoxville, TN
Seoul, South Korea
Sydney, Australia

In other LOST news, you can watch an 8 minute, 15 second review of the entire series so far on ABC.com, as well as every single episode of the first 3 seasons, now streaming in HD for free. But remember – the writers of those episodes do not receive ANY compensation for their work when it airs online (support the writer’s strike; boycott online viewing until it settles!).

Ok then, what are you waiting for?

TIME IS ON MY SIDE…AND HERE’S WHAT I’M THINKING

JOpinionated — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 23:43:00 +0000

It is just over 100 degrees outside, and the power went out at work this afternoon, so they sent us home. It’s sad – I dIdn’t know what to do with myself. I was thinking about going to rent 300 but…

Because I’ve been making an effort to be more ‘green,’ as is the trend right now, I felt guilty about sitting inside with the TV system and air conditioner on. And I didn’t want to pollute the air further by driving any more than I already have today.

I could sit and read a book, but that won’t happen. I’m the kind of person that reads right before bed or on vacation only.

And I certainly do not want to start packing for my upcoming vacation to Alaska; the idea of handling wool or fleece in this weather is not very appealing.

Somehow my guilt dissipates when I’m on the computer. Yes, it takes up energy, but I justify it because I am productive.

So for lack of any other original ideas, here is quick look inside my brain at the moment:

BASEBALL
Ugh. My team is not good this year. Ok, they’re average, but I’ve been spoiled by playoff runs for the past several years and this has been a trying season for loyal fans. And now, the fire sale. Loiaza to the Dodgers? COME ON. Next thing you know, Piazza will grow out the mullet and rejoin the evil blue empire as well.

And if you think I’M bitter, check out Athletics Nation.

For baseball’s version of TMZ or Perez Hilton, visit On the DL. It is a guilty pleasure.

MOVIES
Last weekend I finally went to see The Bourne Ultimatum. Now THAT is what I call a sequel. I wish other studios and filmmakers would take the same approach: more action and less dialogue (memo to Michael Bay). This movie was an intense ride, and the best one I’ve taken all summer. Matt Damon is ten times the actor that Affleck ever was or will be. I’ve always felt that Damon is a tad underrated. The Talented Mr. Ripley? Crazy creepy good. Bonus points for putting Jude Law out of his onscreen misery.

MUSIC
I would rather play Eve’s ‘Tambourine’ than hold Rihanna’s ‘Umbrella.’

TV
As much as I love my Mulder, Duchovny’s latest small screen venture isn’t working for me. Are any of you hooked on Californication?

Is it sad that I was very excited to hear that the cast and crew of Lost are back to work, filming the first few episodes of Season 4? I am rewatching Season 2 right now, which is fascinating because of what we learned in Season 3. Before the new season begins, I will address lingering/annoying questions in a lengthy blog.

If you aren’t already hooked, I really think you should go out and buy the first season of Friday Night Lights for only $20. It is not a football show, I promise. Yes, there are pigskin scenes, but relationships and angst are the focal points. Jump on the bandwagon now, before Season 2 begins next month.

Even though the show has been canceled, there is going to be a Dead Like Me movie. Am I the only one who watched and loved that series?

I love Top Chef, but reading the blogs after each episode is almost better.

Damages is the BEST show on television right now. If you haven’t watched it yet, FX will be airing a five episode marathon of the series beginning at 3pm PST on Labor Day – this Monday!

WEBSITES/BLOGS
Have you checked out Michael Cera’s site yet? Hysterical.

Over at The House Next Door, Matt Zoller Seitz has written the best article I’ve seen yet about Owen Wilson.

I read A LOT of other people’s blogs, and I tend to leave comments when they cover topics that I’m passionate about. So I appreciate when readers do the same here, and would like to recommend two sites by two new friends: Cinematically Correct & Ex-Everything.

—–

And screw it. I’m off to rent 300 and Blades of Glory. You can’t get any more random than that.

THE AFTERMATH OF MILCH AND A MAJOR MILESTONE

JOpinionated — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 02:55:00 +0000

Tomorrow marks the 2 year anniversary of this blog. The timing is perfect; last week was the most amazing and surreal experience in the two year history of my site.

It has been estimated that there are more than 70 million blogs in existence. And most of the major pop culture sites receive millions of hits per month. Which kind of gives this site an inferiority complex. But last Wednesday, after actor Jim Beaver responded to my letter to David Milch, my page views shot through the roof. And there are a few people that deserve a shout-out for playing a major role.

Mr. Jim Beaver is a class act and a refreshing voice in an otherwise disingenuous industry. He doesn’t know me and wasn’t trying to do me any favors. He just took the time to write an honest response to disagree with one fan’s strong opinion. It took me by surprise but I am grateful that he not only set the record straight about Milch’s role in the cancellation of Deadwood and creation of John From Cincinnati, he agreed that the fans of both shows deserved to hear his perspective.

If you haven’t done so already, you need to bookmark Whitney Matheson’s Pop Candy blog for USA Today. It is a daily must-read. As a shot in the dark, aiming high and hoping for the best, I sent her the link to Jim’s response, because I know she’s covered Deadwood, JFC and Milch in previous posts. She not only wrote a little blurb providing back story, she linked
directly to my site! This resulted in at least 3,000 new hits and
introduced me to several new friends with similar entertainment sites
and interests. Keep in mind that before last week, I was averaging
75-100 hits per day. So thank you, Whitney!

If you’re a true Deadwood fan, you must visit Save Deadwood. It is the best source for updates about the status of the cast and series. I totally appreciate that they posted a link back to Jim’s response on this site as well! I also enjoy visiting and then listening to The Real Deadwood Podcast with Paul Dennis.

Apparently there are links to my story on HBO’s Deadwood and JFC community boards, as well as on the message boards of Joss Whedon fan site Whedonesque. This saga continues to amuse and overwhelm me at the same time.

Overall, the response to Jim’s email has been 100% positive. And hey, I emerged from this mini-storm relatively unscathed; only one person expressed true umbrage with my letter to Milch. As the dust settles and this becomes tomorrow’s news, I hope to simply retain some new readers. The ride was inadvertent, but worth the journey.

Thank you to everyone who visited and also to those who left comments. I hope you’ll add this site to your list of pop culture perspectives, and return in the near future.

—–

Here is an entirely trivial glance at the last two years of my life as a blogger. To some, these numbers would be a joke. But I am proud of my readership and what I have been able to create and share, especially considering that I have a regular day job.

August 2005 – August 2007
Number of entries posted: 225 (I will increase the frequency, I promise)
Number of subscribers: 10 (small but dedicated, like Mel on The Flight of the Conchords)
Most popular entry: Really Early Oscar Predictions – The Best New Releases of 2006 (no idea why)
Top 3 topics covered: Television, Film, Lost
Number of overall hits: No idea (I was too cheap to purchase a counter)

Now what will I do to celebrate the silly little anniversary of this site? I’m glad you asked! I will be obtaining Season 1 of both Friday Night Lights and Heroes on DVD as soon as possible, and then starting to research new laptop options. Four years later, my baby is out of style; the technology is sadly archaic and the performance increasingly sluggish. Any suggestions?

CLOVERFIELD UPDATE; TRAILER & NEWS (UPDATED)

JOpinionated — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 02:19:00 +0000

The official trailer for Cloverfield is now available online:
http://www.apple.com/trailers/paramount/11808/

Producer J.J. Abrams sent a note to Ain’t It Cool News stating that the Ethan Haas websites are not officially associated with the movie (and it has been since confirmed that those two sites are for an unrelated video game):
http://www.aintitcool.com/node/33261

Don’t bother visiting TheParasite.com – it was just someone’s idea to draw traffic to their game site and is in no way related to the film. Lame!

BUZZ! HYPE! MYSTERY! J.J. ABRAMS PLANTS THE SEEDS FOR ‘CLOVERFIELD’

JOpinionated — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 06:20:00 +0000

Cloverfield, a.k.a. The Untitled J.J. Abrams Project, has fanboys and dedicated Lost followers abuzz.
Long story short, there is a brief trailer for Cloverfield playing before The Transformers (which I have no desire to see). I watched it on YouTube a few days ago, but it was promptly yanked by Paramount (who, in an interesting twist, have denied the actual existence of this film). My initial impression of the trailer? The Blair Witch Project meets War of the Worlds. Sweet.

Rumor has it that the creative team behind this film are familiar names to those of us who have watched every J.J. Abrams show; Cloverfield was written by Drew Godard (Alias & Lost), is being directed by Matt Reeves (Felicity) and produced by Bad Robot (Abrams’ company).

According to IMDB, this is a “monster movie that is shot using home video cameras from the point of view of people who are experiencing an attack on New York City,” and that the actual monster is called The Parasite. And in a not so surprising reveal, Cloverfield is in fact a fake name (due to relentless spoilers and aggressive bloggers, Abrams has been known to code name his projects).

Is it mere coincidence that J.J. Abrams is also in pre-production for the next Star Trek movie, also to debut in 2008? I seriously doubt that they are one and the same, but you never know with The Hatch Master. Can you imagine a better way to reinvigorate that franchise than a sci-fi thriller featuring the Enterprise crew battling a mysterious monster in NYC? Hey, anything is better than watching Captain Kirk time traveling in San Francisco and rescuing humpback whales (1986′s Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home).

A few vague Cloverfield-related sites have popped up online, adding to the intrigue:

The official film site
http://www.1-18-08.com

The following two blogs lead you to an extraterrestrial DaVinci Code-like device in front of a bleak future cityscape. On one, you click on the symbols that pop up from the glowing orb, mimicking the order in which they appear. That delivers you a blurry video diary, presumably from a character in the movie. On the other, you move the symbols around the circumference and over the top of the orb with your mouse for the next clue (click on the far right star in the sky for a peek at the code’s alphabet). I haven’t ‘solved’ either site yet, but I’ll get to them eventually.

http://www.ethanhaaswasright.com

http://ethanhaaswaswrong.blogspot.com

I don’t know who Ethan Haas is, and I don’t care. I’m game. Literally.

HOLY HILLARY! CLINTON PARODIES THE SOPRANOS FINALE

JOpinionated — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 06:21:00 +0000

I’m not one to delve into politics, and I don’t care what your affiliation is…this is a stroke of pop culture genius. In very timely fashion (just nine days after the controversial finale aired), Hillary Clinton stars in an almost scene-by-scene parody of the last five minutes of The Sopranos series finale. Co-starring former President Bill Clinton and featuring a cameo by Vincent Curatola (The Sopranos‘ dearly departed Johnny “Sack” Sacramoni), the video was created to highlight her selection of an official campaign song.

It is a bold move, and I love it. Well done.

http://www.hillaryclinton.com/

PRODUCT PLUGS, PART 1

JOpinionated — Sun, 11 Mar 2007 23:08:00 +0000

Today has been frustrating. I believe that the early implementation of Daylight Savings Time has severely affected the usage of many online functions, including access to email.

So I thought I’d post something a little different while I wait for the return of full internet functionality. Sorry, no photos today. I’m hoping that this will even post!

Here are some websites I personally recommend; most are products that I love, including some from ridiculously talented friends.

www.clos.com

Try the Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Yum. Owned and run by a family I know and love, you have to visit their stunning winery if you’re in the area.

www.containerstore.com

Pretty much my favorite store on earth. If you’re organizationally inclined (which sounds ten times better than anal retentive), you must shop here.

www.dillonrogers.com

My only trendy vice; leather bracelets with words & designs that you can also customize.

www.giddygiddy.com

If you have a little girl, niece, etc., you have to have these handcrafted hairclips! They are adorable and make great gifts. This is my friend Teri, who is spectacularly crafty and visionary.

www.i-deck.co.uk

I researched all iPod speaker systems before purchasing the i-Deck, which blows the Bose system out of the water. I love the deep sound and detachable speakers.

www.keenfootwear.com

What can I say…I love comfortable shoes. They’re more durable than Sketchers and offer a better variety of styles, from dressy casual to the great outdoors. My second choice would be: www.bornshoes.com.

www.kukunest.com

My friend Teri just launched this new collection; beautiful children’s bedding inspired by the spirit and adventure of her two daughters.

www.lifeisgood.com

It might seem silly, but I love this clothing line for three reasons.

* Their motto: Do What You Like. Like What You Do.

* Their shirts. They are the softest around; destined to become the ones you wear on weekends.

* Their designs. Whatever your hobby may be, it is probably represented in their vast collection.

www.mandarinaduck.com

Extremely functional and stylish purses, bags, briefcases, backpacks, etc.

www.mattnathanson.com

It is no secret that we’re good friends and I plug his music every chance I get. He is the most talented artist about to emerge. Look for an amazing new album out later this year.