Secret Diary of a Call Girl, Season 3: Preview & DVD Giveaway!

Posted by

Television

January 14, 2010

0 comments

Fans and new viewers alike, set your DVRs – the Showtime series Secret Diary of a Call Girl returns in just a few short weeks; Season 3 debuts on February 1 at 10pm ET/PT. 

I recommend that you also tune in on Monday, January 25 at 10pm ET/PT because Showtime will be airing an exclusive interview with actress Billie Piper and the recently revealed real Belle du Jour (Dr. Brooke Magnanti)!

Click here to take a look behind the scenes of the new season.



To celebrate the return of this entertaining and provocative show, I am giving away the following:
  • Season 1 DVD
  • Season 2 DVD 
  • Official Secret Diary of a Call Girl book (written by the real Belle du Jour)
  • A “Secret Diary” diary
To enter for a chance to win one of the items above, simply leave a comment with your name and email address. The contest is open to residents of the U.S. only, and will run until Tuesday, February 2. Good luck, and thank you in advance for entering!

Read More

Winter 2010 TV Schedule: Mine & Yours

Posted by

Television

January 8, 2010

0 comments

I will be the first to admit that I dropped the ball and failed to produce an updated spreadsheet of television shows, as I did in the Fall. Apologies.

As an alternative, I highly recommend this extensive Winter2010 Grid from a fantastic TV source, TheFutonCritic.com. 

In case you’re interested, here is my rather ridiculous schedule through May (viewing split between TiVO and online):

SUNDAY
Human Target (FOX, 8pm) new series, debuts 1/17
Brothers & Sisters (ABC, 10pm)

MONDAY
House (FOX, 8pm)
Parenthood (NBC, 8pm) new series, debuts 3/1
Chuck (NBC, 9pm) 
Life Unexpected (CW, 9pm) new series, debuts 1/18
Damages (FX, 10pm) returns 1/25

TUESDAY
The Biggest Loser (NBC, 8pm)
LOST (ABC, 9pm) returns 2/2
Southland (TNT, 10pm) new network, returns 1/12 [tomorrow!]
Nurse Jackie (SHO, 10pm) returns 3/22
United States of Tara (SHO, 10:30pm) returns 3/22

WEDNESDAY
Modern Family (ABC, 9pm)
Cougar Town (ABC, 9:30pm)
Nip/Tuck (FX, 10pm)
V (ABC, 10pm) returns 3/30

THURSDAY
Bones (FOX, 8pm) returns 1/14
Community (NBC, 8pm) returns 1/14
FlashForward (ABC, 8pm) returns 3/4
Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains (CBS, 8pm) returns 2/11
Parks and Recreation (NBC, 8:30pm) returns 1/14
30 Rock (NBC, 9pm) returns 1/14
The Office (NBC, 9pm) returns 1/20
Fringe (FOX, 9pm) returns 1/14
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC, 10pm) returns 1/14
Private Practice (ABC, 10pm) returns 1/14
Project Runway (Lifetime, 10pm) returns 1/14
Burn Notice (USA, 10pm) returns 1/14

FRIDAY
Dollhouse (FOX, 9pm)
Medium (CBS, 9pm) 

I am also looking forward to the return of Friday Night Lights and the new series Justified on FX, but premiere dates for both have not been announced (I do not have DirecTV, so I have yet to see this season of FNL).

Yes, this is overly ambitious, especially given that I will be writing extensively about the final season of Lost from now through the end of May. I usually manage to find the time to catch up with the rest of my favorite shows, but I have a feeling that my TiVO will be full for summer viewing this year.

As you can see, Thursday night is very, very crowded. Note to the networks: some of us crave quality programming on other nights of the week as well. Special memo to NBC: now that you’re canning Leno at 10pm every night, my hope is that you offer unique shows like Kings or Life again…only this time, don’t move them around the schedule and please have more patience as buzz builds. 
 
Happy viewing!

Read More

TV 2009: Top 20 Shows & Network Analysis

Posted by

Television

December 30, 2009

0 comments

As promised, yet another list!

At some point I will take a look back at the best television programs from the last ten years, but right now I am focusing on my favorite series’ of 2009. Similar to the caveat that I placed on my list of Favorite Films of the 2000′s, please note that these are not necessarily the most critically acclaimed or award-winning shows; the scripts, casts and production of these programs speak to me, week after week.

  1. Community (NBC)
  2. Damages (FX)
  3. Dexter (SHO)
  4. Dollhouse (FOX)
  5. FlashForward (ABC)
  6. Fringe (FOX)
  7. Glee (FOX)
  8. The Good Wife (CBS)
  9. House (FOX)
  10. Lost (ABC)
  11. Mad Men (AMC)
  12. Medium (CBS)
  13. Modern Family (ABC)
  14. Nurse Jackie (SHO)
  15. Parks and Recreation (NBC)
  16. Rescue Me (FX)
  17. Top Chef (BRAVO)
  18. True Blood (HBO)
  19. United States of Tara (SHO)
  20. V (ABC)

I am very encouraged on many levels. First of all, I am unable to recall a more successful year in recent television history for new series debuts; 9 out of the 20 are new shows! I also love that 8 out of the 20 shows above are on cable (basic or pay). Let’s face it, they have more freedom to take risks. With the exception of Lost, I found that most of the original, riveting and thought-provoking content this year to be on Showtime, FX and AMC.  


Oh, and the joy of laughter is back. Thanks to shows like Community, Glee, Parks and Recreation and Modern Family, cackling, chuckling and cracking up have returned to our living room (and hopefully yours)…at least on Wednesday and Thursday nights.  

CBS

This is the very first time that a CBS series has ever made my annual list of favorites. To me, Medium has improved since CBS made the excellent decision to pick up the show after NBC dropped it from their primetime lineup. And if you’re not already watching The Good Wife, I highly recommend it. Crime/law procedurals are not traditionally my cup of tea, but Julianna Margulies has finally landed the perfect fit, in a role that is Emmy-worthy.

FOX

I applaud both FOX and ABC for embracing and having faith in the sci-fi/supernatural genre. Of course FOX does not have the best reputation when it comes to this type of program; it is very disappointing that Dollhouse has been canceled, and I am hoping that more will jump on the Fringe bandwagon because it has improved tremendously in the second season. I long for the good old days when a series like The X-Files survived and endured, despite being moved around in the schedule and landing on Friday nights (which is no longer necessarily a dead zone).

ABC

One of the more obvious winners in my book is ABC. Although they are not quite on par with the quality and consistency of Lost, ABC took a leap of faith by offering up both FlashForward and V in the same year. In addition, they gifted us Modern Family - the most refreshing and brilliantly funny series since Arrested Development.

SHOWTIME

Showtime is THE network to beat, in my opinion. Not since the days of Deadwood, Sex & the City, Six Feet Under and The Sopranos has a cable network dominated with such unique, high quality programming. I am still waiting for HBO to offer up a slate of daring, stellar and provocative shows again. In the meantime, only True Blood has earned a season pass on our TiVO. Dexter speaks for itself – disturbing and phenomenal every single season. But Toni Collette in The United States of Tara and Edie Falco in Nurse Jackie are simply extraordinary. Clearly two of the finest actresses on television today, they anchor their shows with a vulnerable confidence rivaled only by Glenn Close on Damages.

As icing on an already amazing cake, Showtime has landed Laura Linney (one of my favorite actresses of all time) for a new series in 2010 called The C-Word. The show, a dark comedy about cancer, co-stars Gabourey Sidibe (Precious) and Oliver Platt. Linney reunites with Kinsey director Bill Condon (Dreamgirls, Gods and Monsters), who is behind the lens for the pilot.

NBC

To be very frank, if it were not for 30 Rock, the resurgence of Parks and Recreation and the debut of Community, I would probably boycott and/or avoid NBC entirely. I will never understand their egregious, premature decision to cancel Kings, Life and Southland (not to mention my guilty pleasure show Lipstick Jungle), especially when the network chose to fill those prime 10pm slots every night with Jay Leno. I am thrilled that TNT rescued Southland from NBC’s discard pile – I will be tuning in every week when it returns on January 12.

REALITY TV

In general, I do not love the reality television genre. As someone who is far more interested in the creative team of a particular show than the pretty faces in front of the camera, I prefer to support a smart series with an actual writer’s room. That being said, I do enjoy competition-based shows like The Amazing Race, The Biggest Loser, Project Runway and Survivor. This is the first year that a reality show made my list, and that is because the last season of Top Chef featured some of the most talented contestants on any reality series that I’ve ever seen. 

They’re Every Woman

Defense Attorney Patty Hewes. Detective Debra Morgan. Coach Sue Sylvester. Special Agent Olivia Dunham. Copywriter Peggy Olson. Nurse Jackie Peyton. Deputy Director of Parks & Recreation Leslie Knope. FBI Counter Terrorism Agent Erica Evans. And an undercover kick-ass specialist named Echo. These women are all forces to be reckoned with, equally flawed and fabulous. If 2009 was any indication, it seems as if the 2000-teens (what the hell else are we going to call the next decade?) may feature more shows highlighting powerful, compelling women. I applaud and approve.

It is safe to say that I have great enthusiasm for what the next ten years of television has to offer. My hope is that the major networks exercise more patience, listen to and trust fan feedback (to a point), take risks with genre and continue to present unconventional programming. 


As always, I would love your feedback. Which shows topped your list this year and why?

Happy New Year!

-Jo

Read More

Favorite Films of the 2000′s

Posted by

Film

December 28, 2009

0 comments

I know – you love lists too. Pile this one on the myriad others that are appearing as we approach the end of the first ten years of the 2000′s. Yes, ten years (1: 2000, 2: 2001, 3: 2002, 4: 2003, 5: 2004, 6: 2005, 7: 2006, 8: 2007, 9: 2008, 10: 2009). I only point this out because I’ve seen arguments about the math on Twitter. Seriously. 



Over the holidays, I tried to determine my favorite films from the last decade, and finally narrowed the list down to 30. These are NOT necessarily the most critically acclaimed or award-winning movies; they are merely films that have touched and/or spoken to me and continue to do so after multiple viewings. 

Alphabetically, of course:
  1. Adaptation (2002)
  2. Best in Show (2000)
  3. Brokeback Mountain (2005)
  4. Closer (2004)
  5. The Dark Knight (2008)
  6. The Departed (2006)
  7. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
  8. Far From Heaven (2002)
  9. Garden State (2004)
  10. Gosford Park (2001)
  11. High Fidelity (2000)
  12. The Hours (2002)
  13. Inglourious Basterds (2009)
  14. Juno (2007)
  15. Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004)
  16. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
  17. Memento (2000)
  18. Milk (2008)
  19. Minority Report (2002)
  20. Monsters, Inc. (2001)
  21. Moulin Rouge (2001)
  22. Mystic River (2003)
  23. Sideways (2004)
  24. Star Trek (2009)
  25. Thank You For Smoking (2005)
  26. There Will Be Blood (2007)
  27. Traffic (2000)
  28. V For Vendetta (2005)
  29. Wall*E (2008)
  30. Wonder Boys (2000)
There are four films that barely missed the cut and are honorable mentions to the list: Casino Royale (2006), Good Night, and Good Luck (2005), The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) and Stranger Than Fiction (2006).



After I compiled this list, I took a more analytical glance. It is fascinating that more than half of my favorite films debuted in the first half of the decade. Clear favorites emerge, from directors (Christopher Nolan, Quentin Tarantin & Jason Reitman) to actors (Heath Ledger, Nicole Kidman, Julianne Moore, Sean Penn, Natalie Portman, Meryl Streep). And as for genres, I certainly love sci-fi/fantasy just as much as the independent spirits. 



But enough from me. I really want to see which films YOU loved from the last ten years. Feel free to list them out in a comment below!

And stay tuned for my list of Favorite Television Shows of 2009, which will be posted later this week. 

Read More

The Runaways: 2010 Film Release (Kristen Stewart, Dakota Fanning)

Posted by

Film, Music

December 14, 2009

0 comments

Twilight and Joan Jett fans alike should mark their calendars for March 19, 2010. Apparition and River Road Entertainment will debut The Runaways at the Sundance Film Festival in January, and then the film opens wide two months later. 



Directed by video visionary Floria Sigismondi (The White Stripes, David Bowie, Christina Aguilera) and starring Kristen Stewart, Dakota Fanning and recent Oscar nominee Michael Shannon (Revolutionary Road), The Runaways explores the groundbreaking, all-female teenage band from the 1970′s fronted by rock icon Joan Jett. 

I am totally on board with and excited for this movie, primarily because of Jett’s story; that she is one of the executive producers on the film is a huge bonus and guarantees authenticity.

Read More

Boondock Saints II: An Interview with Clifton Collins Jr

Posted by

Film, Interviews

November 23, 2009

0 comments




I was thrilled to have had the opportunity to speak with the very talented and gracious Clifton Collins Jr. recently, as I am a huge fan of his work in both independent and larger scale films.  He is currently starring in The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day, which opens in wider release this week!


The Boondock Saints debuted in 1999 and garnered an enormous cult following on DVD. Ten years later, writer/director Troy Duffy reunited almost all of the original cast for quite an intense and entertaining sequel. Duffy added Collins and Julie Benz (Dexter) into the mix for the second round, both of whom brought a necessary infusion of levity to the film. 


Jo: I recently watched you and Troy Duffy co-host a segment on Current TV, and it is obvious that the two of you share a great rapport and history. Did he write the role of Romeo in Boondock Saints II specifically for you? What was your experience working on this film?

CCJ:  Troy is incredibly loyal. He did write it for me, and in fact he had to take out some of the jokes that were between us in real life. The whole movie is full of inside jokes, and it was like a family event. I like to rehearse, but Troy is a rogue spirit; he knows what he wants, so you get it and move on. 


Collins and Star Trek director J.J. Abrams have been friends for some time now, and Abrams actually wrote a role for Collins on Alias after seeing him in Traffic. 


Jo: What was it like to be a part of the incredibly successful, revamped Star Trek franchise?

CCJ: It was awesome. When J.J. called and offered me the role, I asked…what the f*ck is a Romulan? He described the role as a space pirate. A good chunk of the cast were not Trekkies at the time. But I realized the grandeur of it all on the set, and it was an honor to work with icons like Leonard Nimoy. The features on the Blu-ray are so beautiful – they will make you cry. 


Emmy nominated for the mini-series Thief, Collins is a gifted actor and chameleon; he has the unique ability to physically transform from role to role. From an enthusiastic, mulleted murderer in Boondock Saints II to a tattooed, bald headed Romulan in Star Trek, to a gay hit man in Traffic, his range is impressive. In my opinion, his portrayal of haunted serial killer Perry Smith in Capote was sensational and worthy of a Best Supporting Actor nomination. 


Jo: Which role has been the most challenging, in terms of diving into a character entirely?

CCJ: Psychologically, it was Capote. I had to live with Smith every day. I went really, really deep and had a few breakdowns during that one. And for Rampage: The Hillside Strangler, I read biographies (about serial killer Kenneth Bianchi), which made me nauseous and sick; I was mentally twisted.




Jo: You’ve played such diverse characters in each of your films. What type of research do you undertake for each role?

CCJ: For Sunshine Cleaning, I talked to a physical therapist about what someone goes through as an amputee. They filmed me two ways; one with my arm held out wearing a green sleeve, and the other with my arm tied tightly behind my back…which was excruciating but I didn’t let it show on screen. I actually had the most fun with hair and wardrobe on this film. Having Emily Blunt and Amy Adams on either side was quite a reward as well. 



Jo: Your career thus far has been a great balance of both comedic and dramatic roles. Do you prefer one over the other?

CCJ: It depends, and it is case by case. It’s great to mix it up, and both have rewards. I love getting dramatic and also laughing it up. 



Jo: You’ve had the opportunity to work with some incredible actors. Which co-stars have inspired you?


CCJ: I’ve been really blessed. Samuel L. Jackson taught me so much on 187. He has been a father figure and mentor to me. He helped get my grandfather (Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez, a frequent co-star of John Wayne’s) a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. John Wayne had even tried to help make that happen, and it finally did last year.  



Collins revealed some very interesting tidbits from behind the scenes on some of his films. For example, he auditioned for and really wanted the role of Francisco Flores in Traffic, but the producers had another character in mind for him. John Leguizamo was tapped to play Flores, but had to give it up when Moulin Rouge filming overlapped. Thus, Collins took over and delivered a scene-stealing performance that is easily my favorite of his career thus far. 

His talent and interests expand beyond film and television. Collins recently directed the music videos “Betty Jean” for The Soul of John Black and “The High Cost of Living” for Jamey Johnson. 


In addition to Boondock Saints II, Collins is in the upcoming film Brothers with Tobey Maguire and Jake Gyllenhaal. Catch him in the Mike Judge comedy Extract when it is released on DVD & Blu-ray next month; click here to see Collins preview which appendage his character parts with. And don’t forget to tune into Southland when it returns on its new network (TNT) on January 12, because Collins has just been cast as Regina King’s new partner. 



You’ve heard the term ‘actor’s actor’ used many times before, but I truly believe that Clifton Collins Jr. fits that description. He is humble, hilarious and appreciative; this is a man who respects his craft. I would like to thank him for taking the time to speak with me about Boondock Saints II and his career, and for being one of the most polite, entertaining people I’ve ever had the pleasure of interviewing. 

Read More

The Blu-ray Way

Posted by

Film, Television

November 19, 2009

0 comments


I am sitting on the precipice of an exciting upgrade. In a few short weeks, we will be abandoning our standard DVD player for Blu-ray. Although we own several hundred DVDs, I look forward to adding newer releases to my collection in Blu-ray!  I was a bit concerned but inquired on Twitter, and apparently when you play standard DVDs on a Blu-ray player, they “upconvert” and play at a higher resolution. 

I am encouraged by programs like DVD 2 BLU, which Warner Brothers just unveiled. They are offering consumers the opportunity to upgrade Warner Brothers films on DVD to Blu-ray for a very reasonable fee. This is merely a glimpse of the future of home entertainment, and as a pop culture sponge, it is about time that I hopped on the bandwagon. 



To me, the only real downfall at this point is that I am unable to play a Blu-ray disc on my Mac. I re-watch a great deal of TV on DVD on my laptop, but will not be able to do so with Season 5 of Lost (which I pre-ordered on Blu-ray; it will be released on 12/8/09).  Of course I am hoping that by the time a 6-season Lost box set comes out in the next year or two…Apple will have joined the Blu-ray party.

I have no plans to replace every single DVD on my shelf, but the following films on Blu-ray certainly top my holiday wish list:

  • The Dark Knight
  • Gattaca
  • Inglourious Basterds
  • The Lord of the Rings trilogy
  • The Matrix trilogy
  • Star Trek (2009)
  • V for Vendetta

Which movies do you highly recommend on Blu-ray? 


Read More