Disc Reviews

“Everything you've heard... about monsters, about nightmares, legends whispered around campfires. All the stories are true.”

Has anyone notice the fire sale that has been going on among film studios and young adult novels? Since Twilight neared its end (and before), the market is has become flooded in recent years with adaptation after adaptation, and it doesn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon, especially with announcements of plans to adapt novels like Divergent, Ender’s Game, and Vampire Academy; everyone is looking for the next big phenomenon to fill the void left by Twilight. If there was a series that could accomplish that goal, The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones was the one that had my vote. However, after seeing it, I have some doubts. I’m not saying it can’t ultimately accomplish it, but the series will definitely need to make a few adjustments and will have its work cut out for it.

What an accurate title for this stand-up, “Whelmed But Not Overly.” The title of the stand-up resonates with me the most because it perfectly reflects my opinion of Nealon’s stand-up. I think that is reasonable to say that by now everyone has an idea of who Kevin Nealon is; you may not know him by name, but my guess is if he were to show up on your TV screen you’d go, “Hey I know him from somewhere.” For most, it would be that you recognize him from his tenure on Saturday Night Live, or as the corky resident funny man on the Showtime series Weeds, or perhaps in the background of a couple of your favorite Adam Sandler films. However, is it much harder to be the funny man in stand-up vs. on a TV show or movie; it requires impeccable comedic timing and charisma that moves the crowd. Although I am sure this not Nealon’s first rodeo, he did not deliver what was need to keep my interest.

Part of the problem for me was that during his set, Nealon came out and only briefly touched base on a wide array of subjects. No real time was spent on the importance of subject. Why is this topic worth discussing and how is it relevant to me? These are questions that the audience asks themselves during stand-up; the audience looks to comedians to be the voice for all the things that are unable to say in everyday life, but with subjects like Remember When, a subject essentially about how people’s voices raise an octave when reminiscing, he is not acting as their voice. Nor does talking about the different celebrity’s that he has crop-dusted (I did not know what crop-dusting was before this special, which either makes me innocent or entirely clueless, not sure which one yet); however, it did turns out to be one of the more enjoyable sections of the set, not really sure what that says about me, but it’s true. Ultimately the topics that Nealon discusses are not things that I really spend time thinking about, which at least in my case makes them kind of pointless.

Ever since I’ve had a little girl in my life, the amount of kids’ programming I’ve gotten to review has mushroomed.  This is by no means a complaint; if anything it has helped me bond with her.  Granted, at times all the kids’ shows can quickly grow to be as grating as nails to a chalkboard, but when shows like Dragons and The Amazing World of Gumball come along I’m not sure who gets more excited, her or myself. When I reviewed The Mystery DVD I wasn’t sure what I was getting into, but quickly I found myself pleasantly obsessed with Gumball Watterson and the trouble he would get himself into.  As for the new DVD The Party, well, I can happily say I wasn’t disappointed.

The Watterson family I think would best be summed up as a more family-fun version of The Simpsons.  You have the loving mother, the doofus father, the son always getting into mischief, and the bright daughter that seems to have been adopted.  With the target audience being younger kids, the subject matter may not be as crude, but nevertheless it still is entertaining for any age.

The moment I see the words “inspired by true events”, I simply accept the fact that most likely everything that follows should be taken with a grain of salt.  I understand films are not meant to be reference materials to be seen as fact, but simply as a tool to entertain and hopefully motivate you to learn more about the subject matter.  When it comes to Emperor, I know going in this isn’t going to be a history lesson, so I could allow myself to simply enjoy the show.

In the days following Japan’s World War 2 surrender, General Douglas Macarthur (Tommy Lee Jones) is given ten days to decide the fate of Japan’s emperor through an investigation that will uncover his innocence or guilt of committing war crimes.  Heading the investigation is General Fellers (Matthew Fox) who happens to be an expert on the Japanese culture.