The Newsroom "The Greater Fool"

          Filled to the brim with heartwarming scenes and emotional tension, episode 10 The Greater Fool, became one of the best episodes yet. I know I say this after every episode, but I promise I mean it this time. Beware, if you have not seen this episode, I will be spoiling everything. 

          Well to start off, Will mixed too many anti-depressants with bourbon which created an ulcer in his stomach. Last time Jeff Daniels and an ulcer appeared in the same room, he was in Dumb and Dumber. Amazing how time flies. Anyway, Will was admitted into the hospital and considered not coming back to ACN. Obviously, this didn’t turn out to be true because the editing of this episode was not chronological and showed Will a week later back at the news desk. So this turned out to be a devious ploy Aaron Sorkin (creator and writer) devised to raise my blood pressure.

          And the stress just kept piling on. Nina Howard (the tabloid reporter) somehow found out that Will high while reporting the death of Osama Bin Laden. Later, Will, Mackenzie, and Charlie Skinner all go to Leona Lancing’s office to discuss this matter. Will ends ups admitting to being high on the air and almost gets fired, Reece is found out for hacking Mackenzie’s phone, the two sides come to an agreement, and much of the tension is dissolved.

          I also think that the emotional tension in this episode trumped every previous episode for various reasons. First, Solomon Hancock provided a heartbreaking scene where he talked about how he has no friends and his family won’t talk to him. To make things worse, he ends up committing suicide and also provides “critical information” about the Reece Lancing ordering hacks on people’s phones. Later, Lisa and Maggie get into a fight over Jim which causes Maggie to run into the street and accidentally confess the crush she has on Jim. To make the cute moment even better, Jim chases Maggie around the city which ends with a passionate kiss between the two of them. The moment is precious, but is quickly destroyed when Maggie decides to move in with Don. To make this love triangle even more complicated, Jim lies to Lisa and says that she was the reason he came by that night, not Maggie. Also, we learn that Sloan is only single because Don never asked her out. I’m pretty sure everyone knows that Sloan and Don should be together, Jim and Maggie should start dating, and Lisa can find someone else.

          As always, Will and Mackenzie have their cute fights which only compile onto the emotional tension between them. I cannot wait for the day when they just forget about the past and get back together. Mackenzie finally tells Will that she actually did hold up the signs in the pilot episode. What could have been an emotional kiss, turned into a small little fight which added some needed comic relief. 

          Finally, Will recognized a girl in the newsroom who is applying for an internship. She turns out to be the sorority girl from the pilot episode who was the catalyst for all of Will’s problems. Will decides to hire her and one more intriguing cast member is now added to this already fantastic show. The Newsroom is easily one of my favorite shows and will be renewed for a second season which is scheduled to premiere in June 2013.

Movie Trailers: To Watch Or Not To Watch

          As an aspiring filmmaker, I tend to notice certain aspects of movies and TV shows relating to the production of the show or movie that the general public may disregard. I happen to pay particular attention to movie trailers. As we all know, trailers parade beautiful women, cars, and action scenes in front of the audience to make the film that it advertises more desirable. While this effort is a noble one, some trailers tend to ruin some of the intensity and adventure of a movie. Much of the time, the most thrilling action scenes occur toward the climax of the film, and these scenes are often placed in trailers to attract attention. I see this as a bad thing because, in my opinion, it takes a lot of the "wow factor" out of the film.

          Let me give you an example. A few months ago, I was eagerly awaiting the film Prometheus to come out. I watched all of the trailers, making me even more excited. By watching all of the trailers (multiple times I must admit), however, I ruined some of the movie for myself. WARNING PROMETHEUS SPOILERS AHEAD. I knew that the film was going to have some correlation with the Alien franchise (no spoiler there). Also, the trailer shows that an alien ship would take off and end up crashing back into the planet nearly killing two characters. We witness an Engineer standing above Shaw's death,  and even see Fifield's death. As I watched Prometheus, I kept mentally checking off scenes that I had seen in the trailer, and waiting for others to come. Knowing certain scenes, like the Engineer standing above Shaw, ruined some of the climactic experience for me because, as the film progressed, I knew that this scene would be at the end.
           I recently saw a trailer for Paranormal Activity 4, which was quite scary. However, having seen the clip beforehand, I realized that when I watched the actual movie I wasn't as shocked or scared because I had already seen it. The same theory applies to other trailers. Mind-blowing action scenes are fun to watch in trailers, but would be more captivating to see for the first time on the big screen. It is for these reasons that I try to refrain from over watching movie trailers for films that I am very excited about.  Hopefully this method will help maintain some level of innocence and make the film even more exciting to watch in the theaters.

The Newsroom "I'll Try to Fix You"

          Once again, Aaron Sorkin (the writer and creator of The Newsroom) delivered a fabulous episode. The fourth episode, "I'll Try to Fix You", was perfectly titled because it dealt with fixing people up for dates, fixing relationships, and fixing the news industry.
          While at a New Years Eve office party, Will McAvoy decided to take a risk and talk to a beautiful woman.  Little did he know, that she was a gossip columnist intent on writing a 'takedown piece' on a celebrity. Will tries to convince her that she it being cruel but fails because he insults her. She throws her drink in his face which lands him in a tabloid the following day. Several similar situations happen all with the same outcome. By the end of the episode, Will is on the front page of a gossip magazine. Its ironic yet beautiful that Will tried to save a celebrity from the wrath of a gossip columnist, but ended up the victim himself.
          While I love every episode of The Newsroom, this episode stands out above the rest because Aaron Sorkin criticized the cruel world of tabloid news. After watching this episode, I started thinking about how insensitive the news can be. Many people fail to realize that their entertainment (tabloids) is at the expense of other people's lives. Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes announced that they were getting divorce a few days ago, which has given Extra and TMZ a lot to talk about.  As soon as I heard about the divorce, I pitied them nobody wants to have a broken heart, especially when its broadcasted across the world within minutes. According to the Holmes and Rahe stress scale, divorce is the second highest cause of illness after the death of a spouse. That being said, its pathetic and cruel use these stranger's relationship as a form of amusement. Luckily, I believe Aaron Sorkin and I share the same views on entertainment news which contributed to my praise of this episode.

The Newsroom "Pilot"

          Aaron Sorkin, writer and creator of The West Wing, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, and writer for The Social Network, has created another masterpiece called The Newsroom.  Sorkin has written an unbelievable script with immensely complex characters that makes The Newsroom a highly compelling television show.

          I can easily say that the pilot episode of The Newsroom was practically flawless. The purpose of the pilot episode is to make viewers want to watch more of the show.  This means, that the pilot episode must be stunning and highly captivating.  I have seen many shows succeed and fail when it comes to a compelling pilot episode and I have realized the two keys to success. The most important part to a pilot episode is the first few minutes because that is when it is easiest to change the channel. The Newsroom, created not only an impecable first scene, but one of my favorite scenes in all of television. If that scene were moved a few minutes later in the show, I don't believe I would have finished the episode. The second most important part of a pilot episode is the ending. It seems obvious that these would be the two most important parts, but Sorkin did a phenomenal job at connecting the ending with the beginning, while creating enough questions and drama that make the viewer want to continue into episode two. 

          While I only seen one episode of The West Wing, I can easily say that The Newsroom has a lot in common with the political drama. Both shows are focused on dialogue, which is extremely hard to due because the dialogue has to be interesting enough to keep the viewers attention. One way that Sorkin effectively creates tension with dialogue is with the 'walk and talk'.  Made famous by Thomas Schlamme in Sports Night and The West Wing, the 'walk and talk' is where a few characters will have a conversation and are joined by other characters to show how busy the characters are. 

          Not only is The Newsroom incredibly well written, but it also doesn't have too many political affiliations.  If it was about a liberal news team, the conservatives would be less inclined to watch, and vice versa. The show focuses on 'doing what is right' which should satisfy most people.

          With a phenomenal pilot episode, and immaculate writing thanks to creator and writer Aaron Sorkin, I can see The Newsroom becoming incredibly popular.

          

Game of Thrones Pilot Episode

          Set in the mythical land of Westeros, seven families fight for control of the Iron Throne as threats arise from the snow covered region of the North and the barbarians from the East. 

          The story, based on the A Song of Fire and Ice novels written by George R. R. Martin, is extremely interesting and original. Based on what I have read in the past, fantasy novels are usually very similar because there is some noble quest, a king or princess in danger, and strange mythical beasts. Within the first 5 minutes of the pilot episode, we are introduced to some of these mythical beasts. These White Walkers have been known to be extinct for thousands of years which is why their arrival is so intense. This scene is incredibly unique because it added a mixed the genre of horror into the fantasy based television show.

          The second thing about Game of Thrones that immediately grabbed my attention was the opening title sequence. The mythical land of Westeros is shown like a traditional map. The camera moves to and from various several cities and towns from above. As the camera moves in closer, we see that these towns are rising from nothing, into their current state much like a robot or Transformer. This provides the viewer with an quick overview of the land and setting. Much of the landscape is small and not very detailed, much like a map would be. Finally, the camera moves up and focuses on the sun which has several metal rings rotating around it, one of which says Game of Thrones. While these rings aren’t really rotating around the sun, they add an intriguing effect. The visual effects are mind blowing and have already won an Emmy for Outstanding Main Title Design.  

          Based on the first episode alone, the characters do not have any unique traits that make them stand out. Lord Eddard Stark, played by Sean Bean, is probably the most interesting character. Father of 5 and one bastard child, he is the Lord of the Northern Kingdom. He and his family live in the peaceful town of Winterfell. The most attractive quality about Lord Eddard Stark is his loyalty to his family. He never takes the easy way out with his family and always will fix a matter himself because it is his duty (as the father and Lord) to do so.

          I should have expected that this HBO show would have questionable content but I thought it wouldn’t because it falls in the fantasy genre. I knew there would be blood and violence but did not anticipate the nudity and language. There were probably about 5 scenes with nudity in them. Some of these were more graphic than others but almost all of them were unnecessary to the basic plot of the story.  Probably the worst instance of this were when a teenage prince takes the clothes off of his sister to convince her to flaunt her body more. While this treads on the line of incest, it could have easily been removed from the story without notice. Various sex scenes within brothels and barbarian camps showed female nudity and would have been a bit harder to avoid, but still could have been done

          Along with excessive nudity, the language was surprising. There were a 2 or 3 instances where characters used “fuck” in a sexually explicit way. Minor curse words were also used which wasn’t surprising.

          Based on the explicit content of the show, I probably shouldn’t advise anyone to watch Game of Thrones. Dead animals, full beheadings, guts, and gore are all shown within the first episode. I only expect the violent content to get worse over the course of the season. This being said, if you are over 18 years old, I think you would be able to handle the violence and the language.

          The nudity is a bit over the tip and could easily be cut down. Personally, I hate nudity in TV shows and movies because I think it is a distraction from the plot. Also, it is only used to reel men into watching the show. The nudity is the only reason why I wouldn’t recommend the show to someone, but I feel that the positive elements of the show (the characters, setting, plot, and themes) outweigh the nudity.

          While Game of Thrones has its share of explicit material, it is constantly winning awards and is becoming quite popular. After the first 5 minutes, I can easily say that I became addicted and didn’t expect my addiction to stop any time soon.

I Love You Phillip Morris

          One of the main reasons why I love the movie I Love You Phillip Morris is because of the storyline. I have always been drawn to films that deal with con men and thieves because of their performance and dedication to their “job”. Some of my favorites (along with I Love You Phillip Morris) are 21, Catch Me If You Can, Ocean’s Eleven, and The Town.

          Along with Catch Me If You Can, I Love You Phillip Morris is actually a true story. Steven Jay Russell (Jim Carrey) was an honest man until a car accident forced him to reevaluate his life. It was at this point that he came out as a homosexual and becomes a con man to support his expensive gay lifestyle. Russell ends up in prison where he falls madly in love with a fellow inmate Phillip Morris. Their romance blossoms and the two are released from prison. However Steven falls back into his stealing routine and ends up back in prison. In order to be with Phillip, Steven breaks out of prison multiple times and always ends up back where he started. 

          In addition to the amazing story, the dialogue is absolutely hilarious. Every time I watch I Love You Phillip Morris, I catch new lines that I hadn’t noticed before that are hysterical. Luckily, a lot of the humor fits Jim Carrey’s style. Sadly, most of my favorite lines are not appropriate so I probably shouldn’t repeat them.

          While the real Steven Jay Russell is a chubby, bald man, Jim Carrey played the character perfectly. Carrey and McGregor were consulted by Russell (who was still in prison) about personality traits and how to act. When watching the film later, Russell said, “They’ve got it down. The way they speak, the mannerisms, the clothes - everything. Its surreal.” 

          According to the MPAA, (Motion Picture Association of America) I Love You Phillip Morris is rated R for sexual content including strong dialogue, and language. Within the film, there are a few heterosexual and homosexual sex scenes, but there is no nudity shown. The only nudity is labeled as “non-sexual,” which occurs during a prison shower scene revealing the backsides of a few men. 

          I expected the language of I Love You Phillip Morris to be like many other prison/heist movies. Depending on how you define “swear words,” there were between 75 and 100 explicit words used in the film. About 50 of these were the f-word which is almost never appropriate.

          Surprisingly, there was very little violence in the film, despite a large portion taking place in prison. There is only one remotely violent prison scene where a prisoner is beaten up by an inmate. This scene could easily be in a PG-13 movie because it is not graphic. Additionally, there is a car accident and a man accidentally falls off of a building. Both of these scenes imply some brutality but show none.

          While the film is a bit inappropriate, it definitely has its positive elements. Due to the amazing writing, dialogue, and actors, we begin to love the characters and appreciate the love that they have for each other, despite the fact that they are homosexuals. Seeing a homosexual relationship in a positive light is a wonderful change from the hating, judgmental, people by whom I am usually surrounded.

          Other than the homosexual nature of the film, the only content worthy of discretion is the language. Most of the explicit language is used comedically, but is not really justified in its use. That being said, the film would not be the same if the language was cut out. Imagine what The Hangover would be like if all the swearing was removed. The comedic atmosphere of the film would be nonexistent, thus making the film more of a drama. 

          I can think of many people who would not watch I Love You Phillip Morris because it is about homosexuals, but the film is more than that. It is about two people who meet in prison, fall in love, and do anything to stay together.  Not only is this dramatic comedy incredibly entertaining, but it is also a true story. Anyone who has ever loved, lost, or connected with another person in any way should find this movie both entertaining and relatable. 

The Grey

          To be rather blunt, I found The Grey to be an entertaining waste of my time. I had gone into the film with a friend without knowing much about it which proved to be a grave mistake. What I learned later, is that the premise is that of many other movies such as Buried, The Blair Witch Project, and Apocalypto.  For most films, there is a healthy balance of the pieces of the dramatic structure. Usually, there is an introduction, rising action, a climax, falling action, and a resolution, but The Grey consisted of all rising action. This can make for an entertaining film, but I have realized that these types of movies are only fun to watch once or maybe twice.

          Along with the structure, I found the plot to be unoriginal. The Grey shared a similar plot to many wilderness, plane crash, thriller films. SPOILER ALERT!!! One by one, the characters get picked off by the vicious wolves and Liam Nesson is left alone. Some of the deaths are rather brutal, but none of them are very sad. 

          The main reason I disliked The Grey is because it has an unnecessarily depressing ending. As I said, one by one, the characters get eaten or ripped to shreds by wolves, freeze in the horrific conditions, or drown. Ottway (Liam Nesson) is left screaming at God to show him a sign that He exists, but no sign comes. A few minutes later, it is implied that Nesson gets mauled to death by the alpha wolf and the movie ends. I am not saying that he should have lived, but rather that the ending should be more satisfying. This could have easily been accomplished by having God give Ottway a sign of His existence right before his death. Disappointing to say the least.

          I highly doubt that I will ever watch this movie again because of the ending. However, the rest of the movie was incredibly entertaining!  I regret seeing The Grey in theaters because it seems only worthy of a $1 rental.