Back in November of 2004, Rolling Stone committed a characteristic act of hubris by publishing a list of the so-called “500 Greatest Songs of All Time.” Terrible distortion, of course; the list really doesn’t include a lot of, say Gregorian chants, arias from operas, Himalayan folk tunes from the third century B.C., etc. Really, it’s a list of a bunch of really good, or at least really popular, songs from the rock-and-roll era. The list was generated by a democratic process: 172 musicians, critics, and other professionals in the music industry voted. It would be easy to pick the list apart — so easy that it’s probably not too interesting. And anyway, it’s not such a bad list. Or at least the songs from the list that I recognize at first glance aren’t all that bad. There are a bunch on the list that I don’t recognize, although I almost certainly know them. You do, too. These songs infest our society like the imaginary aphids from William Friedkin’s new film. (more…)

This was a fun show. Good straight up fun.
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House is one of those shows that doesn’t get discussed here as much as the “geekier” shows like Lost or Heroes. It’s odd since Bryan Singer, the show’s producer and occasional director is one of the uber-geeky directors up there with James Cameron, Peter Jackson, or Sam Raimi. I’d argue though that House is one of the best things he’s ever done. (Rumor is that some of House’s acerbic personality is based on Singer’s famous disposition) I have to admit that the number one thing I love about the show it’s its unabashed realism. Yeah there are lots of things about hospital life it gets wrong. (Such as House’s staff seeming to do every operation or lab test themselves) However it is completely based upon a rationalistic and scientific view of the world. When the supernatural comes in it is soon shown to be due to a misunderstanding on everyone’s part. Last night’s season finale was no different.
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As the producers and writers never tire of pointing out, they have answered a lot of questions over the past three years. The problem is that some early questions haven’t come close to being answered, some appear to have been forgotten, and of course for every answered question there are three new questions raised.

So what are your top questions to see answered?
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I was fortunate to sit down with John Carney, the writer and director of the movie Once, as well as with the stars, Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova. My review of the movie can be found here. The interview took place in a suite in the Adolphus Hotel in downtown Dallas, Texas, on May 11, 2007. Two other interviewers were also present. Carney, Hansard and Irglova were all very gracious, down to earth and even self-effacing. At the end of the interview, Glen and Marketa agreed to sing us a song, with Glen playing along on his battered acoustic guitar. The song, recorded in purely lo-fi bootleg quality, can be heard on the sidebar radio.blog, along with an edited audio transcript of the interview. (If you’re sure you’re going to see the movie, you may want to wait until after you do to listen because the interview does contain mild spoilers. Also, due to some brief profanity, the audio may not be appropriate for some workplaces.)
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In the Blade Runner thread someone asked if we had a best science fiction film list. I searched and couldn’t see one. So here it is. Top 5 science fiction films. Now here’s the rules in advance. It has to be science fiction. Just throwing in some guns that shoot light on the screen or a space ship does not good science fiction make. Anyway, here’s my list:
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It seemed, I imagine, like a logical thematic progression from The 40 Year-Old Virgin, which is one of the funnier movies in the last ten years; follow the major life events of a slacker nerd, and after losing your virginity the next event will either be death or a pregnancy. And so Knocked Up is not a movie that surprises you, thematically or comedic terms, but it is a film that entertains nonetheless. (more…)

This is the essential question from the best sci-fi movie of all time, Blade Runner. Discuss. Note that Ridley Scott says that he is. I don’t buy it.

Spoilers from the two-hour season finale (code name: “rattlesnake in the mailbox”) and more after the break. And I mean it this time. If you have not seen the last episode of season three, do NOT click on the link below.
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Blogging as I watch again.

Round 1:
Blake: “You Give Love a Bad Name”
Blake chose his breakthrough beat box remix of “You Give Love a Bad Name,” which was the coolest moment in Idol history when he first performed it. This time, the singing was a little off, but the audience dug it. He sells it well and he’s got smooth moves.

Jordin: “Fighter”
It was very smart of Jordin to choose an energetic song so she didn’t seem so boring next to Blake. I was thinking this was going to be sappy ballads vs. contemporary rock/pop. Jordin isn’t much a performer when it comes to high energy songs, but she did the song alright. She was forcing it a bit.

Blake takes the lead.
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Ever since I first heard the song Blower’s Daughter in the film Closer I’ve loved the music of Damien Rice. The album on which that song lives, O, is a lovely compilation of emotional ballads. The follow-up album, 9, isn’t as strong as his debut but is still very listenable (which my spell-check says isn’t a word but it’s what makes most sense in this case).

Last night my wife and I went to Radio City Music Hall to see Damien Rice perform. (more…)

Watch with Kristin reports:

“there is at least one death and also that big “game changer”—and… big news! On Wednesday night, after the finale airs on the West Coast, right in this very spot, I will have an exclusive, sit-down, on-camera interview with the deceased Lostie (get ready to weep), plus, a Q&A with show runner Damon Lindelof to try and get to the bottom of what it all means. Make sure you check back Wednesday night or first thing Thursday morning.”

So all Lost fans – check back for interviews following the finale. For some on set interviews, go to her Lost section here (and scroll down a bit – there are several mini interviews with cast members)

The grand finale, folks! Best episode of the season, too. (more…)

Season finales often suck.  They frequently involve situations that seem forced in order create cliffhangers.  While the season finale episode of The Office did come across as something of a cliffhanger, it also ended perfectly, in a way that was in tune with the show.  I came away impressed and entertained.  In fact, I preferred it to the much more dramatic ending from the previous season.
What are other shows that have ended a season (rather than the entire series) well?

Next week sees the Lost 2 hour season finale.

According to Kristin at E!Online:

A fan favorite will sacrifice himself for the good of the rest of the Losties.

Michael Ausiello of TV guide has said that there would be at least 4 more deaths (following the episode where Sawyer killed Locke’s dad) before the end of the season. (more…)

I’ve been keeping my fingers crossed all week that Veronica Mars will be renewed, and the news is looking grim – VM is not on the fall schedule, although it could be a mid-season start, the final decision has apparently not been made yet.
Not new news, but Gilmore Girls has been canceled after negotiations for a 13 episode season for next year broke down. 7th Heaven was also canceled. (more…)

I so far can’t find full listings for next season, but news I can find is: (more…)

“I don’t know you
But I want you
All the more for that”

So begins “Falling Slowly,” the song that bookends John Carney’s Once, and also supplies this remarkable and sublime movie with its thematic framework. Starring Glen Hansard, better known as the lead singer for the Irish indie-rock band The Frames, and his real life collaborator Marketa Irglova, Once is a thoroughly enjoyable, yet remarkably restrained look at the lives of two musicians living and coping in Dublin. Hansard plays an unnamed (the production notes list him simply as “Guy”) street musician, or “busker,” who alternates between working in his father’s vacuum repair shop and playing music on the streets of Dublin. Irglova plays an unnamed woman (“Girl”) who approaches him during a nighttime performance and forms a connection based in part by her love for music. She’s a classically trained pianist who has immigrated from the Czech Republic, but is working multiple jobs trying to support herself and her family. The two become close friends and musical collaborators.
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Shouldn’t it be “Greatest Hit”? “You all everybody…” (repeat ad nauseum).

Spoilers from the penultimate season 3 episode and other LOST-related stuff after the break.

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Fall schedule for CBS looks like this: (new shows in bold) (more…)

OK, so I’m reading off Digg this list of comedies that should have been great but weren’t. Not quite a list of bad comedies. But close. Many I agree with. Some I’d heard were bad and was thankfully spared having to watch them. But, shockers of shockers, some I thought were pretty dang good.

From the list above that I liked.
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All three did their respective things very well tonight, which makes it hard to predict who will be in the finale. Nobody left the door open, nobody gave voters a reason to leave them out, they all accentuated their appealing features, and they all won the favor of the judges and the live audience. Excellently played all around. (more…)

What an entertaining show. (more…)

Today ABC reveals their new lineup: (New series in bold) (more…)

The penultimate episode of the season! (more…)