Why do I continue to watch America's Got Talent? It is pretty much the worst show on TV right now.
They really play to the lowest common denominator. Every aspect is just so dumb. First and most obvious, the judges are annoyingly stupid. It is rather odd to have a show dedicated to finding talent and then stock the judges table with the most untalented people imaginable. Everyone who shows marginal talented is described by the judges as either what America is all about or the show or both.
Just as bad is the audience. I really hope that they are instructed to be annoying by the producers and aren't naturally that rude and impatient. It is hard to know for sure.
Both the judges and the audience suffer from the America's Funniest Home Videos syndrome-- kids, old people, and animals get a free pass. Apparently, if the title of the show has the possessive form of our country's name, it is going to pander and pander hard.
You don't even have to watch the performances on the show to know if they advance (although, you have to watch to know if they are even marginally good since a lot of crap gets let through do to both the aforementioned AFHV syndrome and the fact that they let "interesting" acts through to add variety and torture us again in the later rounds). If the music they play of the intro is touching or happy, they are moving on (even if they try to add the drama of having one judge say 'no' , you know the last one is saying yes when the treacly music kicks in). If the music is weird, they are going to be horrible.
Usually, in reality shows, seeing people embarrass themselves is fun; schadenfreude in its fullest flower. Somehow the producers of this show screw that up and it is just frustrating to see them parade the shrill and the tone deaf, the deluded and the moronic. AGT also has the highest commercial to content ratio I've ever seen (and I use the term content loosely).
The only good thing about all this is I can watch an episode in about seven minutes... so it saves me some time. It allows me to both watch it and write out this complaint about it in less time than the episode was scheduled for. Now that is efficiency.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Playmates and Performances (of a comedy nature)
Last Comic Standing had their last show before the final with the self-proclaimed shocking turn of events that had all the comedians competing for a spot in the final.
All except for Marcus who won the pretty across the board awful challenge: Creating a bedtime story for some playmates. Unfortunately, the playmates were playing with slightly less than a full deck and didn't quite get some of the stories. Not that any were particularly good, but they did pick the one story that wasn't a story but a trailer of sorts.
Anyway, the better portion of the show was the second hour when all the contestants performed. Unfortunately, they were all saddled with a mere 3 minutes of stage time. Having done plenty of stand-up, I can attest that 3 minutes is a ridiculously short time to show your stuff. But the network has to have a commercial break after every comedian so less time for the actual contestant.
To the comedians:
I'm not exactly sure how many people actually get through to the finals. Louis Ramey was the best and should definitely be in the final. I'd put Jim and Iliza in the next tier so if three people move on that's be my choice. I'm guessing the voters would pick also pick Louis. As for the other two, I think they'll go with Jeff and either Ron or Iliza.
At least the field of performers have improved from last year. I'd prefer anyone in this crop to those from last year. So I won't be too annoyed no matter who wins (though Louis definitely should).
(Random aside: For some stupid reason they kept cutting to some stoic guy in the audience. It was very annoying as the people around him were laughing but he never was and yet they kept showing him)
All except for Marcus who won the pretty across the board awful challenge: Creating a bedtime story for some playmates. Unfortunately, the playmates were playing with slightly less than a full deck and didn't quite get some of the stories. Not that any were particularly good, but they did pick the one story that wasn't a story but a trailer of sorts.
Anyway, the better portion of the show was the second hour when all the contestants performed. Unfortunately, they were all saddled with a mere 3 minutes of stage time. Having done plenty of stand-up, I can attest that 3 minutes is a ridiculously short time to show your stuff. But the network has to have a commercial break after every comedian so less time for the actual contestant.
To the comedians:
- Adam Hunter- Pack your bags, dude. Not did he have to perform first, but he wasn't very memorable. The ending of his set was a bit awkward. I'd give him a 'meh' at best (but would still take him over last years winner)
- Iliza Shlesinger- She has a good pace to her set; she talks fast (which is vital to getting a lot of material into 3 minutes). I thought she had good material as well and a decent presence.
- Sean Cullen- He is a very strange man, both his humor and mannerisms are quite unique. I appreciate originality and enjoy watching him perform. I also really like that he incorporates songs into his sets (but doesn't exclusively sing). 3 minutes is quite crippling for him because the song takes up 80% of his time (and you can't just sing faster). I enjoyed it, but will the rest of the audience.
- Jim Tavare- Original, clever, deadpan, and English... which means he is probably not going to make the final. This show has never been kind to the non-US comedians even when they are better than the others and I don't think it is going to change here. Anyone who uses a cello on stage gets my vote (well, my metaphoric vote... I'll watch the show but won't demean myself by voting). I have him as second best of the night but I don't decide.
- Jeff Dye- I don't know why but I don't like him that much. He has good material but he seems very bland on stage. He isn't very memorable. Plus, he kept telling the audience to wait when they started to laugh at his jokes as if correcting them because they weren't laughing at the right time. Here's a tip: when the audience is laughing and enjoying your jokes, don't tell them to stop. It's bad form.
- Ron G- He was a ball of energy (some of which probably came from being nervous). I've never been a huge fan of his and this set didn't really change that. He was OK.
- Louis Ramey- I've been a fan of his from way before this show started and so I was not surprised that he had the strongest set. They had the veteran performer closing the show and that was a wise choice. He is extremely comfortable on stage, has great material, and is just naturally funny. Best of the night by a pretty wide margin.
I'm not exactly sure how many people actually get through to the finals. Louis Ramey was the best and should definitely be in the final. I'd put Jim and Iliza in the next tier so if three people move on that's be my choice. I'm guessing the voters would pick also pick Louis. As for the other two, I think they'll go with Jeff and either Ron or Iliza.
At least the field of performers have improved from last year. I'd prefer anyone in this crop to those from last year. So I won't be too annoyed no matter who wins (though Louis definitely should).
(Random aside: For some stupid reason they kept cutting to some stoic guy in the audience. It was very annoying as the people around him were laughing but he never was and yet they kept showing him)
Monday, July 21, 2008
WALL-E
Wall-E was the best movie I've seen in a long, long time. Not only that, but it is one of the best movies I've ever seen (I'd put it in my top five). If you haven't yet had the pleasure of seeing it, I suggest you do. Wall-E is the only movie I've ever seen that I was still thinking about weeks later. I saw the movie over too weeks ago and will periodically find myself thinking of a scene from the movie or singing the numbers from 'Hello, Dolly'. It is nothing short of magical-- the characters, the styling, the emotion. Simply amazing.
It is a movie that works in so many different ways: as a love story, a sci-film, a moralistic tale, and many more. Each operates simultaneously and also seperately. It is a movie you can watch over and over and enjoy a different aspect. It is a nod to the past and a look to the future. The movie is essentially divided into three parts that cover loneliness, love, and redemption respectively (and each of those parts operate on many levels as well).
The plot is nothing Earth shattering in its originality, but the journey is. In the end, I cared more about the robots in this movie than just about any human character in any other movie. The emotion that the filmakers could generate from simple physicality, beautiful visuals, and music is incredible. This is why Pixar is the best movie studio these days. They care about so much more than the cheap joke, or dumbing down the movie for the kids, or making the movies that will make the most money-- they want to tell a great story with great characters and they hope the money will follow.
Pixar tries to raise the bar everytime they create a new film and do something orignal and exciting, whereas the other studios (ahem Dreamworks and Fox Studios) just use the cookie cutters. Just compare Toy Story 2 to Shrek 2 and you'll get the picture-- Toy Story was an incredible groundbreaking film and it was improved upon in nearly every fashion in the sequel. Pixar didn't just make a sequel to make more money, they only did once they had a story that warranted another movie. Shrek was a very funny movie and Shrek 2 was essentially the same movie. And such it was much less enjoyable the second time around. Then the dreck that was Shrek 3 came out and it just goes to show that every one invlovled is focused on making money (lets tell the same story with the same characters). It is good to see some people focus on the quality of a movie over the quantity of money it will produce.
The only reason the top ten computer animated films aren't all Pixar films is because they haven't yet made 10 films. They'll own the chart come next year.
It is a movie that works in so many different ways: as a love story, a sci-film, a moralistic tale, and many more. Each operates simultaneously and also seperately. It is a movie you can watch over and over and enjoy a different aspect. It is a nod to the past and a look to the future. The movie is essentially divided into three parts that cover loneliness, love, and redemption respectively (and each of those parts operate on many levels as well).
The plot is nothing Earth shattering in its originality, but the journey is. In the end, I cared more about the robots in this movie than just about any human character in any other movie. The emotion that the filmakers could generate from simple physicality, beautiful visuals, and music is incredible. This is why Pixar is the best movie studio these days. They care about so much more than the cheap joke, or dumbing down the movie for the kids, or making the movies that will make the most money-- they want to tell a great story with great characters and they hope the money will follow.
Pixar tries to raise the bar everytime they create a new film and do something orignal and exciting, whereas the other studios (ahem Dreamworks and Fox Studios) just use the cookie cutters. Just compare Toy Story 2 to Shrek 2 and you'll get the picture-- Toy Story was an incredible groundbreaking film and it was improved upon in nearly every fashion in the sequel. Pixar didn't just make a sequel to make more money, they only did once they had a story that warranted another movie. Shrek was a very funny movie and Shrek 2 was essentially the same movie. And such it was much less enjoyable the second time around. Then the dreck that was Shrek 3 came out and it just goes to show that every one invlovled is focused on making money (lets tell the same story with the same characters). It is good to see some people focus on the quality of a movie over the quantity of money it will produce.
The only reason the top ten computer animated films aren't all Pixar films is because they haven't yet made 10 films. They'll own the chart come next year.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Primed to be back
I think after nearly ten months of rest, reflection, and pondering the mysteries of life I am ready to write in here again (and, of course, by rest, reflection, and pondering the mysteries of life I actually mean sloth, day-dreaming, and watching TV).
I'm another year older today, and that is as good a time as any to have another go at this. Perhaps I'll be more mature and committed to writing in here.
So... 29 years old. I don't know how I feel about that. There is the spectre of the big three-oh looming large. But I am still not there yet; I have a whole year until I wave bye-bye to my twenties. It is time to live it up... they say life ends as 30, don't they?
While I may not be "perfect" anymore, I am "prime"d to make this year a good one... because I'm not getting any younger (and the math jokes aren't getting any funnier).
[Perhaps the blogger site is trying to tell me something, the server is down. The one time I try to post in nearly a year and I can't. I will persevere! Never shall I give up! Never shall I abandon... oh, there it is. It's back. My perseverance paid off-- let that be a lesson to everyone else.]
I'm another year older today, and that is as good a time as any to have another go at this. Perhaps I'll be more mature and committed to writing in here.
So... 29 years old. I don't know how I feel about that. There is the spectre of the big three-oh looming large. But I am still not there yet; I have a whole year until I wave bye-bye to my twenties. It is time to live it up... they say life ends as 30, don't they?
While I may not be "perfect" anymore, I am "prime"d to make this year a good one... because I'm not getting any younger (and the math jokes aren't getting any funnier).
[Perhaps the blogger site is trying to tell me something, the server is down. The one time I try to post in nearly a year and I can't. I will persevere! Never shall I give up! Never shall I abandon... oh, there it is. It's back. My perseverance paid off-- let that be a lesson to everyone else.]
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