Quick Thoughts On: DRIVE

NOTE: So I saw a few movies over the holidays that I didn't have a chance to post my reviews on because of busy holiday schedules, spending time with family, and limited access to internet.  Shame on me.  Since I'm sure you were waiting breathlessly for my opinion on these films, I'll be posting some "Quick Thoughts."  Not full-fledged reviews, just some brief (for me) notes on how I felt about the movies.  First up:  DRIVE.

*****

Every few years, there comes a film that truly enters the national conversation...that you just can't get on board with.  It happened to me in 2006 with CHILDREN OF MEN.  In 2011 it happened again for me with DRIVE.  That movie has been on (almost) literally every single Top 10 films-of-the-year lists I've read, and often in the #1 or 2 slots.  When I saw it last month, I couldn't have been more excited to see it.  Color me extremely disappointed.

I simply don't understand the unabashed love for this film.  While I didn't think it was abjectly terrible, neither did I think it was anything special.  Ryan Gosling was fine, but he was better in both other films he was in last year (THE IDES OF MARCH and, especially, CRAZY STUPID LOVE).  This film was trying so hard to be an arty, moody, atmospheric, stylized, violently "cool" indie flick -- and when I can see a film trying, it has ceased being successful.  It was as though director Nicholas Winding Refn had watched one too many indie films and tried desperately to emulate their appearance without actually studying their content.

DRIVE is full of shots of Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan staring at each other, out a window, or merely into empty space.  Their dialogue is filled with silences...that mean nothing.  It's as though Refn thinks the sign of romantic chemistry is plenty of pregnant pauses.  In a movie with good dialogue, a good director and good actors (DRIVE only has one of those three things), silences can be extremely effective, but they should always be an outward symptom of something coming organically from the character -- in DRIVE, the silences are there for their own sake, to construct "mood."  Harold Pinter, the playwright who was notorious for his use of "pauses" and "silences" in his scripts, has been quoted as saying: "I've really been extremely depressed when I've seen productions in which a silence happens because it says silence [...] and it's totally artificial and meaningless."  That is exactly what's happening in DRIVE.

There are some cool parts -- the opening sequence, in particular, is breathtaking.  Christina Hendricks (MAD MEN) is entertaining as a two-bit floozy.  Albert Brooks is magnetic as the unexpectedly violent Bernie (I kept closing my eyes and imagining Marlin from FINDING NEMO uttering those vicious threats...the most entertaining part of the movie, for me).  Bryan Cranston is as great as he ever is.  Again, the actors are not the problem.  I just couldn't get on board with the director's decision to sacrifice believable, three-dimensional characters and stimulating dialogue in favor of artificial atmosphere.  This is by no means a seamless film -- it is very crudely stitched together from other, greater films.  (Even the movie's tagline, There Are No Clean Getaways, is stolen word-for-word from NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN.)

Rating:
** Eh. I guess it could've been worse.
In one of the few "Rotten" reviews for the film on RottenTomatoes, William Kostakis from MovieFIX sums it up best in one sentence: "What DRIVE is trying to do is very clear, but clear intent doesn't forgive a film that's mostly flat."  Spot on.

*****

Okay, so that ended up being longer than I meant it to be, but it's still shorter than most of my reviews.

Alright, Fellow Addicts.  I know I'm in a tiny, tiny minority here, so let the flaming begin.  Vote in the poll below and then hit the comments!

What did you think of DRIVE?

PilotWatch: WORK IT

ABC Tuesdays @ 8:30

What's it about?
Lee Standish is a quick-witted and likable family man.  His best friend, Angel Ortiz, is a hotheaded ladies' man with no filter.  The two of them worked at Pontiac -- Lee as a top salesman and Angel as head mechanic -- until the company went out of business.  Out of work for a year, their job prospects don't look too bright.  They've learned the hard way that the current recession is more of a "man-cession" and their skills aren't in high demand.  Then the almost-broke Lee finds out that Coreco Pharmaceuticals is looking to hire sales reps -- female sales reps.  He takes a chance and goes into the interview dressed in heels, a skirt and make-up.  The transformed Lee gets hired -- as a woman.  (Angel also gets hired as a woman, blah blah blah...)  Lee and Angel quickly realize how much they have to learn to get by in their new environment.  It's not just how to walk in heels and tighten up with Spanx.  For the first time, they're really listening to the women in their lives and opening themselves up to a whole new realm of experiences.  In the process, they're learning that to be a better man may mean having to be a better woman.

So, how was it?
If you couldn't surmise by reading the above synopsis that the show is horrifically bad, not to mention incredibly offensive, then this show was made for you!  If, however, you took one look at that poster and felt your gag reflex kick in, then congratulations -- you are a human being.

Yes, this show is as bad as it seems.  In the space of half an hour it manages to set a record for number of offensive jokes.  It offends women, who are supposedly too stupid to notice that their two new coworkers are actually men.  It offends men, who supposedly can't get jobs without having breasts.  It offends transgenders, who are a very real group of people who are still struggling to gain recognition and acceptance, and this show only serves to make their issue even more of a joke than some people already think it is.  In short, this is the most offensive and damaging show to premiere since ABC's other doozy, LAST MAN STANDING.  (You can see how I felt about that show here.)  Supposedly, by the end of the pilot, Lee has learned enough from his new female coworkers to realize that he has been neglecting his wife.  (Men can't understand women's feelings on their own? Offensive stereotyping, check!)  We're meant to feel all warm and fuzzy inside when he finally listens to her needs...and apparently we're also meant to simply gloss over the fact that he's completely lying to her about his job.  Has he really learned anything?  Does he really think he's going to get away with this charade?  The character's utter stupidity makes it impossible to connect with him.

What happened to ABC this year?  Neither of these new sitcoms belong anywhere near the open-hearted, progressive MODERN FAMILY; or the hyper-smart and sarcastic HAPPY ENDINGS; or the spot-on parody of SUBURGATORY.  In an ideal world, WORK IT wouldn't be anywhere on our airwaves, but if it has to be aired, it should be on CBS, with its canned laughter and lowest-common-denominator humor.

I must say, the one thing that this show does have going for it is its cast.  The two leads (Benjamin Koldyke & Amaury Nolasco) commit to their ridiculous roles with complete abandon.  Whether or not they realize how offensive their show is, they decided to just go for it.  Kudos.  The supporting cast is populated by largely likable actors, from Lee's wife (Beth Lacke) to his boss (Rochelle Aytes) to his coworker (Rebecca Mader...who I was sorry to see in this mess as a fan of her on LOST).  Whatever faults this show has (and they are many), they do not lie with its actors, who truly give it their all with the awful material.  It keeps the show from being a truly horrific experience, and instead makes it something you have pity for instead of abject horror.

Rating:
* Atrocious. I will never watch this show again. Ever.
If you couldn't tell, I didn't find much to enjoy in this show.  And apparently neither did most of America.  It was down 17% percent from the show it's supposed to be replacing, the now-cancelled MAN UP!  The premiere only drew 6.1 million viewers for a 2.0 rating, compared to the 2.4 that MAN UP! was averaging.  With those numbers, I will be shocked if this show doesn't beat NBC's THE PLAYBOY CLUB or CBS' HOW TO BE A GENTLEMAN for fastest cancellation of the season.

What about your, Fellow Addicts?  Did any of you even bother to tune in?  If you did, did you find anything to like?  Vote in the poll below and then hit the comments!

What did you think of WORK IT?

PilotWatch: ANGRY BOYS

HBO Sundays @ 10

What's it about?
Writer/performer/director Chris Lilley, creator of the outrageous comedy SUMMER HEIGHTS HIGH returns to HBO in the new series ANGRY BOYS.  With ANGRY BOYS, the wildly inventive Lilley brings to life six different characters; identical twins Daniel and Nathan Sims, from WE CAN BE HEROES, and four new characters; former Surfing World Champion Blake Oakfield; US rapper S.mouse; Japanese mother and manager of a skateboarding champion, Jen Okazaki; and Juvenile Centre worker Ruth Sims, aka Gran.
(Synopsis from HBO.)

So, how was it?
Fans of SUMMER HEIGHTS HIGH (Puck you, miss!) will be delighted to see Chris Lilley back in his usual horrifically offensive fashion.  ANGRY BOYS shares all the same DNA and is the same show in many respects, but also has enough differences to set it apart.  As someone who couldn't get enough of SHH, I appreciate the fact that these differences have to be there, and yet found myself slightly disappointed at points of the pilot because of them.

For one, this time Lilley is playing not three but six different characters, and instead of being all located at one high school, they are scattered across the world.  By its very nature, this show feels more scattered than its predecessor.  Of course, none of Lilley's characters can interact because he plays them all himself (and this isn't THE PARENT TRAP), but at least in SHH they all existed within the same small universe of one high school.

Lilley is apparently trying to curb the scattered feeling of the show by introducing the characters gradually rather than all at once.  In the first episode we only meet the twins, Daniel and Nathan, and Ruth Sims, aka "Gran."  This is actually a great idea because now viewers have to tune in again to meet the rest of the characters.  The characters do turn out to be loosely connected by the end of the first episode (Gran is actually the twins' grandmother, and S.mouse and Blake are two of Daniel's heroes), so I have hope that as we meet more of the characters, they will turn out to be more connected than they first appear.

Regardless, as was the case with SHH, the real delight of the show is in watching Lilley's chameleon-like abilities.  He manages to utterly disappear into each character, straddling the line between caricature and reality with ease.  The fact that he not only plays six different characters, but also writes and directs the show earns him countless kudos.

Rating:
*** Solid. I'm interested and will definitely keep watching.
While the first episode was not, by itself, as brilliant as any SHH, I still have faith in Lilley and can't wait to meet the rest of the cast of undoubtedly hysterical and offensive characters.  I will definitely keep tuning in with high hopes, though I can't say I'm certifiably addicted yet.

What about you, Fellow Addicts? Did you enjoy the first episode? Or were you let down after SUMMER HEIGHTS HIGH? Have you even seen SHH? (If not, then puck you, and go watch it right now.) Vote in the poll below and then hit the comments!

(For the complete rundown of when all the new shows are premiering, check out my 2012 Midseason TV Preview.)

What did you think of ANGRY BOYS?

2012 MIDSEASON TV PREVIEW

Wouldn't you know, just as we're starting to settle into all the new shows we got this fall - just as we've decided which ones we love, which ones we hate - just as we learn which have been renewed and which have been canceled - we now get a brand new set of premieres to eat up all of our precious free time.  To help you keep track of the abundant midseason premieres, here's a brief look at what's coming in the next few months.

Like I did for fall, I hereby solemnly pledge to watch at least the pilot episode of every one of these shows and let you know how they are.  I will grade every show on a four-point scale as follows:

* Atrocious. I will never watch this show again. Ever.
** Okay. I may give it another episode or two to see if gets better.
*** Solid. I'm interested and will definitely keep watching.
**** Certifiably ADDICTive. A must-see.

Here we go!

Sun Jan. 1 - ANGRY BOYS (HBO @ 10)
From Chris Lilley, the man who brought us the brilliantly hysterical and endlessly entertaining SUMMER HEIGHTS HIGH comes this new sitcom.  Following the same format as his previous show, ANGRY BOYS is written by Lilley who also stars as several different characters: Ruth Sims, a 65-year-old employee at the Garingal Juvenile Justice Centre For Boys; S. Mouse, a rap artist under house arrest for releasing a single called "Poo On You" featuring him pooping on a police car; Blake Oakfield, a Surfing World Champion who had his balls shot off during a gang fight; Jen Okazaki, a Japanese mother and founder of "Gaystyle Enterprises"; and Daniel and Nathan Sims, identical twins living on a farm, one of whom has a hearing impairment.

Tues Jan. 3 - WORK IT (ABC @ 8:30)
Continuing their horrific sexist streak started by Tim Allen in LAST MAN STANDING, ABC next launches this soul-crushing "comedy" about two men who discover that women are taking over the workforce, and therefore they must pass themselves off as women to land jobs.  That's right, folks.  A cross-dressing comedy in the 21st century that manages to insult both men (too stupid to get jobs) AND women (too stupid to notice their coworkers are actually men)!

Sun Jan. 8 - THE FIRM (NBC @ 10)
Based on the John Grisham novel of the same title, this show stars Josh Lucas (POSEIDON) as attorney Mitchell McDeere.  The series picks up 10 years after the events of the novel as Mitchell and his family emerge from a life in the Witness Protection Program.  Presumably, thrillingly legal (or legally thrilling?) shenanigans ensue.  Also starring Tricia Helfer (BATTLESTAR GALACTICA).

Sun Jan. 8 - HOUSE OF LIES (SHO @ 10)
Don Cheadle and Kristen Bell star in this new comedy about management consultants who charm and con the 1% into spending oodles of dough on their services.

Wed Jan. 11 - ARE YOU THERE, CHELSEA? (NBC @ 8:30)
This new comedy was inspired by Chelsea Handler's popular memoir Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea.  It stars Laura Prepon (THAT 70s SHOW) as Chelsea, loosely based on the real Chelsea.  Ironically, Chelsea Handler has a recurring role as Sloane, Chelsea's born-again conservative Christian sister.

Thurs Jan. 12 - THE FINDER (FOX @ 9)
This procedural is a spinoff of BONES starring Geoff Stults as Walter Sherman, a professional "finder." He got his start working for Army Military Police finding insurgents and deserters.  Now, after waking from a coma due to an unfortunate incident with an IED, he helps the likes of Booth and Brennan solve mysteries.  Also stars Michael Clarke Duncan.

Thurs Jan. 12 - ROB (CBS @ 9:30)
Originally entitled the much more explanatory ¡Rob! (the title was changed because the media hates weird punctuation), this sitcom stars Rob Schneider as a life-long bachelor who marries into a tight-knight Mexican-American family.  Hilarious clash-of-culture confusion will follow, no doubt.  Cheech Marin also stars as his new father-in-law.

Sun Jan. 15 - NAPOLEON DYNAMITE (FOX @ 8:30)
Based on the film of the same name (obviously), this animated show stars the voices of the entire original cast in new supremely awkward adventures.

Mon Jan. 16 - ALCATRAZ (FOX @ 8)
One of the shows I'm personally looking forward to the most, this new sci-fi show returns producer J.J. Abrams to his mysterious island roots - this time on the island prison Alcatraz.  According to the show, almost fifty years every inmate disappeared - and now they're starting to reappear, murdering people and having apparently not aged a day since their incarceration.  The series stars Sarah Jones (SONS OF ANARCHY), Jorge Garcia (LOST) and Sam Neill (JURASSIC PARK).

Thurs Jan. 19 - UNSUPERVISED (FX @ 10:30)
From the writers of IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA and the artists of ARCHER comes this new animated comedy about two high school friends (voiced by Justin Long and David Hornsby) who live a life completely devoid of parental guidance.

Sun Jan. 29 - LUCK (HBO @ 9)
Directed by Michael Mann (PUBLIC ENEMIES), written by David Milch (DEADWOOD) and starring Dustin Hoffman, this drama centers around the world of horse racing, from the owners to the jockeys to the gamblers.

Thurs Feb. 2 - I JUST WANT MY PANTS BACK (MTV @ 11)
Based on the novel of the same name, this show follows a twenty-something who has a one-night-stand and then loses his heart...and his pants.  The hunt is on for his skinny jeans and the girl of his dreams who stole them.

Mon Feb. 6 - SMASH (NBC @ 10)
Are you ready for even more singing and dancing on primetime network television?  This new musical drama produced by Steven Spielberg has been described countless times as "the adult GLEE."  It follows the complete journey of a (fictional) Broadway musical based on the life of Marilyn Monroe, from conception and casting all the way to opening night and stars a veritable who's-who of talented actors: Debra Messing, Anjelica Huston, Brian d'Arcy James, Megan Hilty, Katharine McPhee and Jack Davenport, among others.

Tues Feb. 7 - THE RIVER (ABC @ 9)
Another sci-fi thriller (and another on my most-anticipated list), this one stars Bruce Greenwood (STAR TREK) as a wilderness explorer who goes missing in the Amazon rainforest.  Six months later, his emergency beacon goes off and his wife (Leslie Hope - 24) and son (Joe Anderson - ACROSS THE UNIVERSE) go in search of him, followed by a documentary film crew.  What they find may defy explanation.  The show combines the increasingly-popular faux-documentary found-footage style with the sci-fi chills of shows like LOST, hopefully to satisfying effect.  This is the second show premiering in as many nights that was produced by Steven Spielberg, and the pilot was directed by Oren Peli (PARANORMAL ACTIVITY).  I. Cannot. Wait.

Sun Feb. 19 - LIFE'S TOO SHORT (HBO @ 10:30)
HBO is re-airing this British comedy for American audiences.  It is a faux-documentary starring Warwick Davis (HARRY POTTER) as a loosely-fictionalized version of himself trying to worm his way back into the spotlight.  Ricky Gervais writes, produces and co-stars, and the show features cameos from various celebrities such as Liam Neeson, Johnny Depp and Sting.

Sun Mar. 4 - G.C.B. (ABC @ 10)
Shortened from Good Christian Belles which was retitled from Good Christian Bitches, G.C.B. stars Leslie Bibb as Amanda, a reformed mean girl who returns to her Texas hometown years later and must reap what she sowed in high school.  Kristin Chenoweth co-stars as a former ugly duckling who Amanda tortured in high school and is now intent on revenge.  Hopefully she'll bring the same bubbly charm she did to the tragically-short-lived PUSHING DAISIES.

Thurs Mar. 15 - MISSING (ABC @ 8)
Ashley Judd stars in this action drama about an ex-CIA agent whose son goes missing while studying abroad in Rome.  She travels to Europe and uses her agent training to follow the clues, fight the bad guys and find her son.  Also starring Sean Bean (GAME OF THRONES).

Mon Mar. 19 - TOUCH (FOX @ 9)
Jack Bauer returns to television!  Okay, Kiefer Sutherland returns to television, but that's almost as good.  In this new drama he stars as the single father of a mute autistic boy whose mental handicap may allow him to predict the future through patterns no one else can see.  Look for lots of scientific and spiritual discussions in this preternatural series.  (There will be a special airing of the pilot on Wed Jan. 25 @ 9, although the official premiere is Mar. 19 and its regular airing will be on Monday nights.)

*****

The following series have been announced as airing sometime in 2012, but have yet to secure an actual premiere date (some could be saved for as late as summer).

*****

AWAKE (NBC)
Jason Isaacs (HARRY POTTER) stars as a husband and father who finds himself living in two realities after a horrific car accident: one where his wife died but his son survived, and one where his son died but his wife survived.  He then has to try to make sense of these alternate realities while grappling with wanting to keep them both.

BENT (NBC)
Amanda Peet and Jeffrey Tambor (ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT) star in this comedy written by Tad Quill (SCRUBS) about a divorced lawyer raising an eight-year-old daughter and the womanizing contractor she hires to redo her kitchen (Tambor plays the contractor's just-as-womanizing father).

BFF (NBC)
Lennon Parham and Jessica St. Clair write and star in this show about two BFFs, coincidentally named Lennon and Jessica, who move back in together after one of them gets a divorce.  This is bad news for the other friend's live-in boyfriend, and results in undoubtedly hilarious hijinks and awkward situations.

DON'T TRUST THE B---- IN APARTMENT 23 (ABC)
Dreama Walker stars in this comedy about a naive Midwestern girl who moves to NYC and puts an ad out for a roommate...only to land with the snarky, conniving Chloe, played by co-star Krysten Ritter.  The two descend into a battle of bitchiness, with Krysten Ritter aided by her bff James Van Der Beek (appearing as himself).

THE NEWSROOM (HBO)
Aaron Sorkin, the writer behind THE WEST WING and THE SOCIAL NETWORK returns to TV with this new drama for HBO about the inner workings of a 24 hour news network.  Sorkin's pedigree has attracted a slew of top-notch actors: Jeff Daniels, Jane Fonda, Emily Mortimer, Alison Pill, Dev Patel, Sam Waterston...the list goes on.

NYC 22 (CBS)
Executive produced by Robert De Niro, this crime procedural follows six rookie cops in the NYPD as they patrol the streets of upper Manhattan.

SCANDAL (ABC)
From über-producer Shonda Rimes (GREY'S ANATOMY) comes this new drama loosely based on the life of Judy Smith, administration press aide under George H.W. Bush.  It stars Kerry Washington (RAY) as Olivia Pope, a professional crisis manager and former media relations consultant to the president, and her staff of "fixers."  Also starring Henry Ian Cusick (LOST) and Jeff Perry (GREY'S).

VEEP (HBO)
Julia Louis-Dreyfus stars in this comedy as Senator Selina Meyer, who becomes the first female Vice President.  The show comes from British writer Armando Ianucci, who previously satirized the British government in the popular IN THE THICK OF IT (which spawned the feature film IN THE LOOP).  This series should be premiering sometime in April.


That about does it!  26 more shows to look forward to between now and the warm summer months.  And, if I dare say so, fewer look as blatantly bad as some of the fall premieres were (here's looking at you, HOW TO BE A GENTLEMAN and THE PLAYBOY CLUB) - with the exception of WORK IT, which I predict will last at most two episodes.  I'm excited for quite a few of these shows (namely ALCATRAZ, SMASH, THE RIVER, AWAKE, G.C.B. and TOUCH).  I hope they turn out to be as good as they look!  On second thought, I should probably be hoping they're terrible or I'm going to have an awfully busy television schedule every week...

Which midseason premieres are you excited for? (Pick as many as you want!)

Mission Accomplished: A Review of MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - GHOST PROTOCOL

Expected grade: 8/10
Actual grade: 10/10

Now THIS is how you do an action movie, ladies and gentleman.

I've always loved the MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE series, as I'm a sucker for the intrigue of spy dramas and  the action of big-budget blockbusters.  (Well, let me be more specific.  I love the first and third M:I entries -- I had never even seen the much-derided second one until two days ago -- and it definitely deserves all the ridicule it gets.)  So I was thrilled when I heard they were reviving the franchise, especially considering the creative minds involved (more on that in a bit).  I thought the trailer looked fantastic -- I was prepared for a fun, mind-numbing, popcorn-munching time in the theatre.  I got so much more.

Five years after the last mission, Tom Cruise returns to the classic action franchise, this time directed by Brad Bird in his live-action feature debut.  Mr. Bird is best known for his work directing for Pixar, most notably (and relevantly) THE INCREDIBLES.  Forget the fact that it was animated, THE INCREDIBLES was perhaps the best action film of 2004.  JJ Abrams, who breathed new gritty life into the M:I series after the completely ludicrous second entry, returns for this one as producer.  The collaboration of Mr. Abrams' and Mr. Bird's hyper-creative minds results in the most thrilling, adrenaline-pumping action flick in recent memory and hands down the best film in the series.

Mr. Bird's background in animation is perhaps the film's strongest asset -- his adeptness at staging elaborate set pieces (including a jaw-dropping magic trick involving an empty hallway and a final showdown in a constantly-shifting parking garage) and his ability to infuse tense sequences with a sense of zingy fun is apparent and much-needed.  (As much as I enjoyed Abrams' M:I3, my only qualm was how serious everything was.)  Mr. Bird is aided immensely in the humor department by the presence of Simon Pegg (SHAUN OF THE DEAD) as the awkward techno-geek Benji, whose (regrettably brief) headquarters appearance in M:I3 has been upgraded to full-blown field agent and sidekick.  The rest of the supporting cast is just as solid if not as showy: Paula Patton (PRECIOUS) as the emotionally-troubled yet kick-ass Jane, and Jeremy Renner (THE HURT LOCKER) as Brandt, an "analyst" with a secret past.  The film is packed with brilliant cameos (a couple of which I won't spoil here) -- Josh Holloway (LOST) packs a punch in a brief sequence at the beginning; Anil Kapoor (SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE) hams it up as a billionaire playboy; Léa Seydoux (INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS) infuses her few scenes with a palpable sense of danger as a steely-cold assassin.

Tom Cruise will most likely (and ironically) receive the least applause of all the cast members, as this is now the fourth time we've seen him in the role and he still has a less-than-sterling reputation with many people.  But it is impossible to deny his abilities (not to mention balls of steel) when watching this movie.  Notorious for doing most of his own stunts, it's impossible not to gape in amazement as he scales the side of the Burj Khalifa.  Sure, he was assisted by wires that were edited out in post-production, but that doesn't change the fact that Tom Cruise himself was climbing up the outside of the FREAKING BURJ KHALIFA.  You know, the tallest building in the world at 2,723 feet.  The fact that the stunt was filmed on the actual tower itself and not on a green screen lends the sequence a dizzying sense of realism, made even more pronounced in vertigo-inducing IMAX.

In fact, next to the elaborately-choreographed action and infusion of fun, it's this sense of realism that sets GHOST PROTOCOL above its contemporary action peers.  In a time when, aided by increasingly-powerful special effects, action is becoming ever slicker and sleeker, it's surprising and refreshing to see an action film inhabited by fallible characters.  Nothing goes right for these people.  Ever.  Their improvised plans never go smoothly.  They mess up.  Their emotions get the best of them.  They're not perfect.  When Tom Cruise takes a flying leap through a window, he doesn't sail through in a somersault and leap to his feet -- he smacks hard against the windowsill, spins out of control, and nearly plummets to his doom.  The technology, too, consistently fails the agents -- mask-makers run out of paint, sticky gloves run out of batteries, scanner-contacts get scratchy.  Not only do these failings make the movie more realistic, they make it more fun, too.  When technology fails them, the agents have to improvise, ratcheting up the tension to an almost-unbearable degree.

Ratcheting up the tension is maybe what this film does best.  Mr. Bird and the screenwriters take every seemingly-impossible situation -- and carry it one step further.  Ethan has to break out of prison...during a riot.  He has to scale the outside of a skyscraper...with a defective glove.  He has to chase down the nuclear codes...through a blinding sandstorm.  I had to put down my popcorn about halfway through the film just so I could grip the armrests of my seat.  I forgot about it for the rest of the film.

Seriously, if you've ever liked an action movie, ever, do yourself a favor and go see this.  In IMAX, if you can.  In an IMAX screening that's showing the 6-minute THE DARK KNIGHT RISES prologue, if at all possible.  (That's a whole discussion unto itself, but let me just say... Holy Smokes, Batman.)

I give this film a 10 out of 10 for the sheer scope of the superbly-staged action, just the right amount of humor, realistic stunts, and eye-popping IMAX experience.  In terms of taking a sometimes-great, sometimes-ludicrous series and turning it into a viable, respectable, enjoyable franchise, I say to Mr. Bird, Mr. Abrams and Mr. Cruise: MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

What did you think, Fellow Addicts?  Were you as dizzily impressed as I was?  Or did the action fail to deliver?  Are you hoping for a fifth M:I film?  (After this, I know I am.)  Vote in the poll below and then hit the comments!

What did you think of MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - GHOST PROTOCOL?

ABC pulls plug on MAN UP!

Man down, man down! ABC has announced that they are pulling freshman comedy MAN UP! from its schedule.  Things were already looking grim for the show after it didn't appear anywhere on ABC's midseason schedule, but now the show has effectively been canceled.

The signs were there, although MAN UP! wasn't actually performing terribly, with its latest episode pulling in 8.8 million viewers with a 1.6 rating.  The straw that broke ABC's back was the fact that it was losing a full 40% of its lead-in audience, Tim Allen's LAST MAN STANDING.  Reruns of that show will now take MAN UP!s place.

How do you feel about MAN UP! getting (basically) canceled?

PilotWatch: I HATE MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER

FOX Wednesdays @ 9:30

What's it about?
A new multi-camera family comedy starring Jaime Pressly and Katie Finneran as single moms, best friends - and former nerds - who fear their privileged and overly indulged daughters are turning out just like the mean girls who picked on them in high school.

So, how was it?
This is the second CBS sitcom of the season to accidentally find itself airing on the wrong network.  I'm referring, of course, to the painfully unfunny WHITNEY, whose crass humor and laugh track would be completely at home on CBS next to TWO AND A HALF MEN and feels distinctly out of place on the network that brings us 30 ROCK and PARKS AND RECREATION.  And now FOX is airing I HATE MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER, where the ever-present laugh track, two-dimensional characters and obnoxious humor again bring to mind the sub-par-yet-inexplicably-popular sitcoms of CBS.

As far as can be judged by the first half hour, I HATE MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER has the same problem as FOX's last new premiere, ALLEN GREGORY: absolutely none of the characters are likable.  The eponymous teenagers are indistinguishably bratty, with absolutely no personality trait outside of "selfish."  These two characters would have us believe that all every teenage daughter wants is to be popular, wear slutty clothes, and be mean to their moms (which may or may not be true).  But the bigger problem is that the two moms, Annie (Pressly) and Nikki (Finneran) are too pathetic to be relatable.  They are too easily threatened, too easily defeated, and too easily manipulated by their 15-year-olds.  It's impossible to sympathize with a grown woman who lets herself be walked all over by her own tweeny child, much less one who eats an entire cherry pie with her fingers.  The show would be more appropriately titled: I AM DEATHLY AFRAID OF MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER.

Granted, I'm not a middle-aged woman with a teenage daughter, so I'm sure I'm not the target audience of this specific sitcom.  I don't doubt that this show will find an audience somewhere.  The first episode had a decent premiere with 6.8 million viewers and a 2.8 rating (though this was undoubtedly helped by the fact that ABC's comedy block was entirely reruns last night).

Rating:
** Okay. I may give it another episode or two to see if it gets better.
Truth be told, I probably won't ever watch this show again, but all in all it wasn't exactly atrocious.  Jaime Pressly and Katie Finneran are genuinely good comedic actresses, some of the jokes were funny, and Wendi McLendon-Covey (BRIDESMAIDS) has a delightful supporting role as the girls' principal and former high school rival of the mothers.  This show is just not for me -- someone who despises laugh tracks, prefers strong characters, and has never been a mother.  But I would not be surprised to see this show get a full season pickup if it doesn't lose too much of its initial audience.


Well, that's it!  Our last new show of 2011.  No more premieres until after the New Year.  Have a very happy holidays, Fellow Addicts.  Remember to keep an eye out for SCREEN ADDICTION's Mid-Season Preview, and then join PilotWatch for reviews of shows like ABC's G.C.B., NBC's SMASH and FOX's TOUCH.

What did you think of I HATE MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER?

NBC orders full season for GRIMM

Networks execs at NBC must have been breathing sighs of relief yesterday as they announced they were giving a full-season order to freshman supernatural drama GRIMM.  NBC consistently has the lowest ratings of the big four networks, and this season in particular it has been struggling to get new shows off the ground.  Of its six new shows this year (GRIMM, UP ALL NIGHT, WHITNEY, FREE AGENTS, THE PLAYBOY CLUB, and PRIME SUSPECT), the latter three -- a full half -- have already been canceled (if you count the all-but-guaranteed goner PRIME SUSPECT).  GRIMM was NBC's last chance to cement a new hour-long drama into its schedule this season, so it comes as no surprise that they're willing to give it a shot for at least a full year.

Despite the fact that I think NBC would've renewed GRIMM no matter what its ratings were just to keep a new drama, GRIMM has been performing decently.  Its latest episode drew in 5.4 million viewers for a 1.6 rating.  This may not sound like much, but remember it airs on Friday, where the bar is set significantly lower.  It came in second in its time slot after only CSI: NY, beating both of the other supernatural dramas at that hour, FOX's FRINGE and The CW's SUPERNATURAL.  GRIMM will also get a chance to draw in new viewers in a new timeslot when NBC allows it a one-episode trial-run on Thursday, Dec 8th at 10pm (PRIME SUSPECT's old slot).  If it performs well then, the move could perhaps become permanent (although I would argue that Friday is a more appropriate time for a show like GRIMM, which naturally attracts a smaller cult audience -- it would probably flounder and die a slow death on the more competitive Thursdays).

As happy as I am that NBC has at least one new drama that it hasn't canceled, I can't help but feel frustrated by GRIMM week after week.  The writing is so lazy: every week this cop gets called in on a strange case that IN A SHOCKING TWIST JUST SO HAPPENS TO INVOLVE FAIRY TALE CREATURES IN DISGUISE.  How many weeks are they going to be able to pull that off before it gets tired?  (For me: one -- it was old after the premiere.)  The show would have been infinitely more interesting if they had made the protagonist anything other than a cop: a writer, say, who week-by-week has to actively hunt down the fairy tale creatures wreaking havoc, as opposed to a cop who just passively and coincidentally gets handed the cases.  But whatever.  Beggars can't be choosers.  And this season, NBC are definitely the beggars.

How do you feel about GRIMM getting a full season?

ABC de facto cancels PAN AM and MAN UP!

Wave goodbye to those sexy stewardesses on PAN AM.  ABC's highly-promoted yet highly-disappointing (at least ratings-wise) show is conspicuously absent from the network's midseason schedule announcement.  Come the new year, PAN AM's time slot will be filled by another new show, the Kristin Chenoweth-starring comedy G.C.B. (which is short for Good Christian Belles, which was changed from the original Good Christian Bitches -- why do they keep making this title less awesome?)

Also missing from the midseason lineup is new comedy MAN UP!  No surprise (even though it's way better than the overrated Tim Allen dreck LAST MAN STANDING), as the ratings have been averaging a mediocre 1.9 with 6.7 million viewers.  It is unlikely that MAN UP! will ever see the light of day again after its original 13-episode run ends.  There is, however, a tiny glimmer of hope for PAN AM fans.  ABC did order five more scripts and is currently in the process of reviewing them in order to decide whether or not it's worth it to actually produce more episodes.  That alone doesn't mean the show is getting a back 9, and with its ratings in a veritable nosedive since its strong premiere (its latest episode garnered only a 1.8 rating with a scant 5.7 million viewers), I wouldn't bet any money on seeing the show last past Episode 13.

With the cancelation of the similarly-hyped THE PLAYBOY CLUB, could the (all-but-guaranteed) demise of PAN AM spell doom for the period drama on network channels?  Should period dramas stick to channels like AMC and HBO?  What do you think, Fellow Addicts?

Do you think this is the end for period dramas on network channels?

Showtime renews DEXTER for Seasons 7 & 8

Fear not, fans!  America's favorite serial killer will be returning for more blood-soaked fun.  Quenching fears that this sixth season may be Michael C. Hall's last as the infamous Dexter, Showtime has just announced that they are picking up the mega-popular hit for not one but TWO more seasons.

Here's to two more years of saran wrap, knives and voiceovers!

How do you feel about DEXTER getting two more seasons?