Whether official publicity shots or unofficial onset bootlegs, pictures leaking out from the new series Gotham just make me happy. Kevin Reilly and Fox Television for the win!
David Mazouz as Bruce Wayne
The Wayne Family
Camren Bicondova as Selina Kyle
Donal Logue as Detective Harvey Bullock
Ben McKenzie as Detective Jim Gordon
Detectives Bullock and Gordon
Sean Pertwee as Alfred Pennyworth
Robin Taylor as Oswald Cobblepot
When I see a movie in theaters, I will write the five things you need to know about it.
5 Things You Need to Know About…
MUPPETS MOST WANTED
1) Nostalgia for pop culture can be a tricky thing. Formidable memories and experiences from an early age (or at least an earlier age) retain a certain degree of romantic appreciation and unavoidable bias. We remember all of the good, barely any of the not so good, and see the given movie, television series, franchise, or album through an impenetrable lens of celebratory devotion. While both our tastes and preferences evolve with the inevitable progress of a given medium, our most beloved entities are captured in time, protected from objective critique and heightened discernment. This is not to say that by looking back in a haze of rose-colored love, what we remember is somehow lesser than. As objectively considered as possible, The Wizard of Oz will always be great, The Godfather and The Godfather II remain pillars of film history, and The Wire still holds the “best television series I have ever watched” crown (Breaking Bad‘s final season had more than something to say about this). Greatness is greatness in any context, era, or through any cloud of nostalgic bias. It was of tremendous and satisfying relief last April when my Jurassic Park 3D experience held up against that voracious fandom of my youth. Jurassic Park remains a phenomenal cinematic experience, whether 1993 or 2013. As “they” (people who consider these kind of things) say, it has aged well. It is through this starry-eyed vision that I consider the Muppets. The Muppets are my original, longest-standing, and most beloved franchise. I have been a consumer of their blissful humor and irreverent joy since before I could read the opening credits of their movies. There is a video recording that exists showcasing my four-year-old self’s voice acting and singing prowess on the song “Saying Goodbye” from The Muppets Take Manhattan (I was particularly good at Floyd and Gonzo and particularly challenged by lyrical accuracy). Jim Henson’s tragic death in 1990 remains one of the handful of saddest days of my life and still, all these years later, is one of my profoundest “I remember every detail of that day” experiences. I even have recordings of every Muppets Tonight! episode on VHS (not the most successful or well-received of ventures with Muppets in the title), my apartment is adorned with Muppets figures and replica models of Kermit, Animal, and Gonzo, and I sometimes watch the DVDs of Jim Henson’s funeral as a reminder for what it really means to creatively collaborate (as becomes abundantly clear through the inspirational and beautiful tributes by the other Muppet performers). The Muppets are ingrained in my consciousness, imbedded in my psyche, and central to the development of my soul. Jason Segel’s 2011 Disney restart, The Muppets, a nostalgic ode and love letter to fans brought to fruition by one of the biggest out there, put Kermit, Fozzie, Miss Piggy, and the other Jim Henson furry creations back on the map (as unrealistic as traveling on a map in the movie may be – we have to move right along with travel time exposition, naysayers). It was at times inspirational and muppetational, although often more for its existence (a new Muppet movie in 2011!) and awareness of fan desires (renewed focus on classic characters like Rowlf, Scooter, and Dr. Teeth who had been sidelined or retired after the deaths of Henson and RIchard Hunt, another core Muppet performer), than for its storytelling prowess. It was still the Muppets and as musical numbers like “Man or a Muppet” proved, the Muppets can still be amazing. When I spoke to Jason Segel a few months ago and asked him why he would not be returning for the sequel (there was disappointment from this fan), he intimated that his intention was always to facilitate a Muppet return and cultural rebirth, but then hand the property to others (fueled by the power of the Disney marketing albatross) to tell subsequent stories.
Nostalgia can be a tricky thing, and, fully (and admittedly exhaustively) acknowledging the hyped-anticipation and blinders of adoration that surround my viewing, Muppets Most Wanted was a neatly packaged, cleverly executed, mostly enjoyable ride of a movie that certainly quenched my Muppets thirst, but still left me ravenously hungry for the days of Jim Henson.
2) There is a lot of wonderful to take away from the Muppets Most Wanted movie experience. Walter is already fully immersed in the Muppet world and feels like he has been around a lot longer than three years. With Kermit separated from the gang for most of the movie, Walter fills in the sentimentality gaps quite nicely. Constantine, through an awesome performance from Matt Vogel and a series of great bad Kermit impressions, is one of the movie’s great successes. He is not a good frog, but through a campy, villainous persona, he is a joy to root against. Core Muppet characters are featured once again (Rowlf and Scooter especially) and it seems like everyone this time has at least one moment to shine (One of the best scenes of the movie lets Rizzo and Robin, relegated to sideline status in this Disney reboot after so many years of being featured players, openly vent about their apparent demotion). The pacing never drags, the songs are just the right length and levity, and there are enough mystery plot tropes (albeit predictable) to carry a coherent story. I exited the movie refreshed, amused, and with a smile on my face.
3) In Muppets Most Wanted, Muppets look like the Muppets, they sound like the Muppets (special recognition goes to Eric Jacobson for doing such credible and incredible vocal performances of all of the characters of Frank Oz), but tonally, something feels a bit off. I recognize that the times have changed, that our comedy attention has diverted to a more pithy, sardonic, single-camera sensibility, but there was always a padded layer of warmth behind the Muppet zaniness. There is some of that here, but something just doesn’t feel totally right. It’s almost as if the central conflict of Constantine’s unrecognized Kermit imposter impersonation is a metaphor for the movie at-large. I feel like I am Animal (way to go, old friend), and later Walter and Fozzie, who see through the surface level impression to know that this isn’t the real Kermit. By no means is this a deal-breaker or a lack of appreciation for what is mostly a funny and entertaining experience, but it definitely discolors the post viewing consideration. So, what is missing? And what role is Disney playing in all of this? The answer to the former is on one level quite obvious. Each passing year takes us further from the glory years of The Muppet Show and subsequent three Muppet movies (of which The Muppet Movie is the best). Jim passed twenty four long years ago. Richard Hunt (Scooter, Janice, Sweetums) passed in 1992. Frank Oz is retired and hasn’t performed with the Muppets in over a decade. Jerry Nelson (Robin, Floyd, Crazy Harry) passed last year and hadn’t performed prior to his passing several years before that. Only Dave Goelz (Gonzo, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew) and Steve Whitmire (Rizzo the Rat, Kermit and other Jim characters since his death) remain from the original troupe. The new guys (Bill Barretta, Eric Jacobson, David Rudman, Matt Vogel, Peter Linz) are all super talented and give credible essence performances on all original characters, but they are still new guys. The next level answer to the first question may lie with the role of Disney in all of this. If you are marketing a reboot of a franchise, you want Disney on your side. They put out in their marketing onslaught unlike any other big boy at the table (it has been hard to get through a half hour of TV in 2014 without coming across some type of Muppets advertisement or promotional material). Their belief and support in the Muppets has been much appreciated, but at what cost? As just another arm on a tree of Disney properties (Marvel! Princesses! Pixar!), the Muppets lose some of their inherent individuality. Don’t get me wrong – it is much much much better to have Muppets around, even if slightly off, than no Muppets around at all, but I just wish that Animal’s metaphoric drumming was more off the beat.
4) Most of the humanity in Muppet movies usually comes more from the Muppets than the humans, but Muppets Most Wanted, as The Muppets did before it, uses the human characters most effectively. All three human stars – Ricky Gervais, Tina Fey, and Ty Burrell – fit seamlessly in a Muppet world. Gervais portrays Dominic Badguy, frequently reminded of his “Number 2” villain pecking order status behind Kermit doppelganger (add the mole) and “Number 1” villain, Constantine, with a fair share of David Brent cadence whimsy. I do wish he were given more improvisational freedom (the plotted script seems very deliberate), but his onscreen time is always comedically appreciated. Tina Fey’s Nadya character, a Gulag guard turned variety show supporter, gives this modern comedy heavyweight some fun material. Her burgeoning crush on the mistakenly incarcerated Kermit is a lovely B plot. Ty Burrell’s Interpol agent, Jean Pierre Napoleon (Inspector Clouseau inspired), odd couple with Sam the Eagle, playing a CIA agent, is a wonderful conception. Their interrogation song may have been one of the movie’s best moments. The random collection of other Gulag prisoners (Ray Liotta! Danny Trejo!) and their “A Chorus Line” aspirations is a whole bunch of funny fun. The incessant line of cameos is the one major misstep of the human experience in Muppets Most Wanted. Each inclusion (especially Salma Hayek, Lady Gaga, Usher, and P. Diddy) seems a little bit desperate, a little bit pandering, and a little bit unnecessary (another downside of the Disney commercial train). I have been trying to erase the closing musical number (in which the human cameos all come back in the worst display of CGI in the history of cinema) forever from my memory. I am just going to pretend that it didn’t happen.
5) Muppets Most Wanted is a movie that taps into our collective nostalgic heartstrings, but plays an everso slightly different melody that’s enough to keep us both satisfied and wanting more. It is a privilege for new audiences to be able to experience the Muppets for the first time in a 2014 movie theater and Muppets Most Wanted will be a serviceable entry point, it is just hard for those of us who have been devoted fans not to actively reminisce about the good old times.
Whether you are into the ethnic, third-world jewelry business or not or have any clue who Lila Downs is, if you enjoy things like laughter and comedy, then your mind is about to be blown. In last night’s second episode of season three of Billy on the Street, Billy invited a favorite participant from last season to square off against Lena Dunham on a new game called “Cash Cow.”
Let’s go to the transcript…
BILLY: And here, playing opposite Lena is the one and only, the only contestant from Billy on the Street to haunt my dreams and nightmares. Please welcome back from season 2…you know her…you love her?…Elena!!! How are you, Elena?
ELENA: Good, thanks. It’s so good to see you.
BILLY: What has been happening since you were on Billy on the Street the first time? Give us a little update.
ELENA: Well, I’m not as famous as she [Lena Dunham] is.
BILLY: No..
ELENA: However…I’m so famous.
Sho ’nuff. And Elena was just getting started. You can’t write this kind of comedy, and Billy Eichner doesn’t begin to try to. He knows that when you combine irreverent, pop-cultured, and referential humor, a random person on a New York street, Lena Dunham, and a cow, you are already on the right track to laughter. Elena – you are a star and Billy didn’t say “Whertle.” This is incredible.
Trust me, watch the full clip:
Then, review the “whertle” confusion incident:
Billy on the Street. He’s making comedy dreams come true.
This is really the best news of the day. Just three weeks until the season premiere of The Challenge: Free Agents, one of the fifth major professional sport’s elite performers (and a dominant national trivia champion), sitting off this season for the first time in eight, has a major (and most appreciated) announcement. Sarah’s The Challenge participation will not end until she wins.
We will all be rooting for the day.
I am usually on top of the major sports and pop culture news and able to comment in a timely fashion, but the past several days have flooded my inbox of disposable time. Let me try to reconcile…
The final Game of Thrones season four trailer was released yesterday. The devil is inside indeed. Bran needs to make it. Arya must be careful because Brienne is after her. Why have the Gods made Jamie love a hateful woman? Have I ever been more excited for the return of television series? Answer: probably not.
Chris Martin is the new mentor this season on The Voice. Interesting move for the Coldplay frontman with their new album, Ghost Stories, out in May and the “best band in the world” championship belt up for grabs. The Voice has been a wise career move when you are not at the top of your commercial and cultural game, but when you are, it seems a little ill-advised.
Speaking of the “best band in the world championship belt,” first Billboard reports that a new U2 album and tour would be delayed until 2015. Then The Guardian said hold up, 2014 is still in play. Hey Bono, Edge, Larry, and Adam – can we get some intel on this, please? I am trying to figure out my travel plans. In the meantime, Steve Hyden has some great career advice for U2, Lady Gaga, and some other side-stepping musical acts.
Woj feels that the Phil Jackson experiment will only work in Knicks land if James Dolan gets lost. Fair.
Speaking of Phil, the new fivethirtyeight.com (Nate Silver’s new ESPN statistical journalism platform) uses data to show why Phil Jackson should hire Phil Jackson as coach. His success rate as an NBA head coach is astounding.
There is reason to rejoice! BD Wong and his under-utilized Dr. Henry Wu (a much more interesting character in the original book) will be in the forthcoming Jurassic Park IV.
I am not going to lie. I really wish I had thought of this. Rank Everything: Muppet Show Music Numbers.
Seth Meyers spoke to Jason Sudeikis last night on Late Night and announced the “Second Chance Theater,” a compilation of old SNL sketches that were too sketchy to make it to air. Brilliant.
Despite showrunner rationalization, the quality of kid acting performances wasn’t the only disturbing part of this week’s Walking Dead episode.
and finally, Twitter is a force…
There are many ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.
For my Dad, Danny Ainge, and Rob Lowe, it is a birthday celebration.
For NBA teams with a red and black color schemes, it is an excuse to wear green.
For others, St. Patrick’s Day is a reason for parades and excessive (and frankly, unnecessary) inebriation.
After last night, I am not sure I could think of two better individuals to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with than Jimmy Fallon and a green icon in his own right, Kermit the Frog.
Their interview is one thing…
…But this performance of “Bein’ Green” is something else entirely. Classic Fallon. Classic Kermit. Classic.
When I see a movie in theaters (or in this case, as an iTunes rental), I will write the five things you need to know about it.
5 Things You Need to Know About…
VERONICA MARS
1) As a loyal fan of the sardonic, snappy-witted television series (although I connected much more with UPN’s season 1 and 2 than the newly merged CW’s season 3) of the same name, there was real excitement to see more of the Veronica Mars character. Commercially, and at times creatively, at the raw end of the network gene pool, Veronica’s cult status was always due in large part to her “location on the dial” circumstances. If she had been given a CBS procedural factory time slot to grow and prosper, show runner Rob Thomas’ (the other Rob Thomas, not the crooner from Matchbox Twenty) modern telling of “all that made Nancy Drew great” mixed with pop-cultured referential writing would have reached its mainstream stride. Unfortunately, at the time, a hit on the UPN was a relative term, and the CW had yet to find its YA/tween calling when it made its fall of 2006 network debut. Failed attempts to rebrand Veronica Mars as an FBI agent (cleverly referenced in the movie) on another network never elevated from failed pilot purgatory, but Thomas and star (with a capital “S”) Kristen Bell persistently kept the dream alive. Fast forward to March of 2013 and the launch of a Veronica Mars Movie Kickstarter campaign that hoped to raise two million dollars toward a movie and enough momentum and consumer demand to justify a studio to fill in the other financial gaps. When the Kickstarter fundraising period closed a month later in April of last year, over 91,000 people had donated and over $5.7 million had been raised. The Veronica Mars movie was a thing, there was buzzy publicity for this unorthodox fundraising pioneer, and palpable anticipation for Veronica’s return to the screen (albeit in a wider form). Ironically, I watched Veronica Mars on my television yesterday as an iTunes rental (released on both iTunes and in theaters on Friday) and was pleased to have not paid the increased cinema price on this disappointing film. As a tribute to fans of the Veronica Mars television series, the movie valiantly attempts to hit every single self-referential point (most of which I had forgotten the details to), but lost in the page-turning of the Neptune High School yearbook is the well-executed central mystery that made the show so entertaining. It may be fun to see the gang back together again, but without any passion for the story, why take the case in the first place?
2) Veronica Mars should never have been a movie. With an emphasis on nostalgic re-living (even down to Veronica’s increasingly grating decision making throughout the movie) rather than story-telling, Veronica Mars feels simultaneously too long (there were way to many clock glances) and too short (after so many years, that was it?). What if Veronica had been redesigned as a Sherlock-lite, a limited series told over the course of three, ninety minute installments that give enough fan appreciation catering to satisfy the diehards and enough plot “raison d’être” to justify a new story. Instead, the movie does neither well and feels like it is both not good enough to be a movie and not good enough to have been part of the television series. Ouch.
3) Despite its failings and despite her increasingly troublesome actions and inactions (it all seemed more fun when she was in high school – as an aspiring high-powered lawyer, the casual “law breaking” and “heart breaking” is too much to take), Veronica Mars and Kristen Bell’s performance thereof remain compelling to watch. Still owning her youthful looks, she pulls off late twenties in the movie (Bell is in her mid-thirties) as successfully as she pulled off late teens (when she was in her mid twenties) on the show. Bell’s fiery spirit and sharp delivery have always given Veronica her edge and her honest, humanity has always given Veronica her heart. It is a pleasure to see both again, older and unencumbered by network FCC standards and practices (PG-13 language is in full force), even if her motivations lose credibility throughout.
4) Veronica is not the only one returning home. If all you want out of the Veronica Mars movie is a Neptune reunion, then you will love Veronica Mars. It seems like everyone is back and this potentially dangerous convention could have been a massive failure, but Rob Thomas and friends manage to recreate some of the world and character dynamics that make the show such a joy. I particularly appreciate Dick Casablancas (played by Ryan Hansen), ever true to his douchebaggery, Wallace Fennel (Percy Daggs III) teaching and coaching (perfect!) at Neptune High, and Keith Mars (the always appreciated Enrico Colantoni), still trying to figure out what he did wrong with Veronica while providing the firm, yet tender conscience of the Veronica Mars world. One notable exception to this reunion bliss comes from Jason Dohring’s performance as Logan Echolls. Either Dohring doesn’t play Echolls as well as he used to or my quality acting discernment back in the day left something to be desired. Logan, and the actor playing him, seems a little dazed and confused throughout.
5) Veronica Mars is a “made-for-movies” movie that feels more like a “made-for-TV” movie (in quality and execution) that should have been made for television in the first place. If you watched the show, rent it at home. If you didn’t watch the show, watch the television series instead. Veronica Mars is a character worth taking on, just not in this form, and certainly not as a paying patron of a cinema.
This is the first installment of a new features series called RANK EVERYTHING. In each installment, I will take a topic or category from pop culture and sports, no matter how essential (all-time favorite NBA players, a Lost character fantasy draft), random (best use of the name Walter), or essentially random (the third tracks off every U2 album a.k.a. The “With or Without You/One” Battle to the death), and make a ranking on a given scale or set of criteria. Some rankings will be of manageable length (10-20), some rankings may be of a slightly unmanageable length (if I ever get around to my Top 100 movies, albums, or TV show lists), and some rankings may feature only one or two items (For example – Best/Strangest Use of “World” when an NBA player changes his name: 2. Metta World Peace [formally Ron Artest]; 1. World B Free [formally Lloyd Free]). The goal: to rank everything.
One additional note: rankings will always count down: the lower the number, the [insert given adjective/qualifer here] the item.
“Say Something” versions will be ranked on a subjective “best of” scale. Both the musical content and the visuals will be taken into account.
The why: On my way to work this morning, I heard a compelling version of “Say Something” for first time (it ended up ranked first on this list after I concluded my research). If you have been hibernating or have conscientiously objected to listen to any form of music since the fall, than you might have missed the “Say Something” phenomenon. Otherwise however overplayed it may be (a fire I am admittedly fueling), it is hard to get this simple, yet so emotionally, melodically, and lyrically gratifying ballad out of your system. Written by pop duo A Great Big World, “Say Something” reached a tipping point of success when it was featured on the So You Think You Can Dance finale last September. Christina Aguilera heard the song, reached out to band members Ian Axel and Chad Vaccarino, and like a girl who gets what a girl wants, recorded it as a duet. A The Voice performance, a memorable X Factor cover, and a whole lot of radio play later, “Say Something” has been saturated into our collective listening souls. After this morning’s new version watch and listen, I wanted to determine the definitive (from this subjective commentator) “Best of” list of versions of “Say Something” on YouTube.
11) Trinh and Lily Li – I have included this version primarily for the unintentional comedy – the unnecessary riffing at the beginning, anytime Trinh or Lily touch hair, any time time they force harmony and intonation problems arise, any time Lily closes her eyes, the twitter handles included at the bottom, the potential that they are not actually in the same room – and Trinh and Lily to not disappoint.
10) Boy Epic – Four things I have learned from Boy Epic’s version of “Say Something”: 1) Boy Epic’s voice is more boy than epic; 2) I think that Boy Epic really believes that the visual story he tells in the video is totally epic; 3) I hope the woman in this video was paid; 4) Boy Epic may want to “give up” on the kind of riffing he does from the 3:11 to 3:16 mark.
9) Victoria Justice and Max – This video gets special recognition for going for an Alfonso Cuarón one-take approach (which is well-executed). Unfortunately, the xylophone guy is a bit of a distraction and does not provide enough underscoring dynamics to justify inclusion.
8) Jackson’s Emotional Reaction – Poor Jackson. “Say Something” really is a sad song and it was on Daddy’s computer too. Hang in there, little guy.
7) Kait Weston and Brandon Skeie – Sound advice: buy stock in Kait Weston. Her YouTube channel is the real deal and continues to impress. Brandon Skeie is a captain of his own reverberation domain and boy band phrasing aspirations. The visuals are little less than and don’t make a whole lot of sense on this video, but the vocals grow on me with each new listen.
6) Jasmine Thompson – Oh my. Her accent is everything. Her “indie rocker chick” phrasing is delicate bliss. I love when she “conducts” her own dynamics and versing. This sounds like it could have been the original version of this song that all subsequent versions were based upon.
5) Alex and Sierra from The X Factor – The US X Factor experience had its share of low points (Khloe! Britney! Steve Jones!), but this performance may have been its shining moment.
4) A Great Big World featuring Christina Aguilera – This is the definitive version of this song (thank you Christina for suggesting your participation) and still holds up after all these months. The physical chemistry between Ian Axel and Christina does not really work (nor does the director when he asks Christina to “act it out”), but their voices are a most beautiful blend. Credit to Christina for knowing that less is more for this song.
3) PS22 Chorus – I didn’t know such a melancholic, sad song could produce so much joy. The PS22 Chorus of Public School 22 in Staten Island takes some talented fifth graders and makes musical magic. These kids are simply amazing.
2) A Great Big World from the Billboard Sessions – I have to give Ian Axel credit. In a sea of so many great performances of this airtight, lyrical melodic-melding of a song, it is the songwriter who understands it best. His piano to voice to lyric connections are the strongest of any iteration I have seen. I appreciate the Christina duet version, but hearing Ian here gives the clearest voice of how the song was intended to be performed. Incredible.
1) Pentatonix – …for the win. I am speechless.
What do you all think? Are there any versions I missed? How would your rankings differ?
Culture Challenged 