BLUE MAG

Here’s a round up of the things finding themselves in rotation on my ipod that have come out recently. Be warned I’m not much of a music critic but I know what I like and maybe all you readers (all three of you) can come up with some more recommendations. Continue reading New Pop Music That’s Good

As an offshoot of the recently revised AFI’s 100 great film list, I’ve come to the conclusion that there are several films that everyone considers great that I just can’t stand. I doubt I’ll make any friends with this list, as most of these films are beloved favorites that have transcended generations but for some reason have skipped me. (Thanks to Tony for the topic suggestion) Continue reading Top Ten Great Films Fred Can’t Stand

The American Film Institute has released its revised list of the 100 best American films. There have been some changes since they last posted, ten years ago. Most notably (to me anyway) Martin Scorsese’s “Raging Bull” now rests within the top 10. “Citizen Kane” still retains the top spot. Agree or disagree? The complete list after the jump. Continue reading AFI TOP 100 U.S. FILMS

Reader Uncle Meatball tipped me off to this slick video preview of all the Fall TV shows. Here are some random observations from my viewing:

One to look out for might be “The Big Bang Theory.” I think the dude from “Roseanne” might actually work as a geek straight man. If it is even just OK, it’ll be between “How I Met Your Mother” and “New Adventures of Old Christine” which are the 2 best stock sitcoms on TV and 2 of the funniest shows period. The clip is just OK though….

If Ray Wise as the Devil is half as creepy as Ray Wise as Bob that could help “Reaper.” I don’t really understand what is going on from the clip, it’s way too choppy….

The “Chuck” clip has some real laughs. That could be a lot of fun. “Life” looks boring but I like the guy from “Band of Brothers.”

The Amy Sherman-Palladino show with Parker Posey is a sitcom? I don’t know if that will work. How is the laugh track supposed to do its thing when the characters don’t stop talking?

Thoughts from anybody else? That are not about Chris Brown?

This is probably one they should have left as a spoiler. David Anders, Sark from TV’s “Alias,” will be joining the cast of “Heroes” for season 2 as the legendary samurai Takezo Kensei, according to Zap2It. That would have been a great reveal. This will settle for me something I’ve been wondering since he first appeared as Sark: Can David Anders actually act, or was he just the beneficiary of a cool and fun part that would have made anybody look good? Because if you’re an actor, “Heroes” doesn’t exactly give you much to work with. The dialogue can be simply atrocious. A white dude as a 17th century Samurai warrior is probably a cool and fun part that would make anybody look good, so this ought to be fun.

Other new “Heroes” cast members include Barry Shabaka Henley as a NYC detective. That could be good too.

Via AICN comes a casting rumor on from CHUD.com on Zak Snyder’s “The Watchmen,” which starts filming this fall. Looks like it’s very likely that BLUE MAG favorite Jackie Earle Haley will be cast as Rorshach, which if it is true is likely the casting choice of the decade, IMHO. I can’t believe they were talking to Keanue for Dr. Manhattan, and that nobody has mentioned Billy Zane for that role except me, as far as I can tell. I did it on the old incarnation of BLUE MAG so it’s pretty much lost. Still, I think it was a great call on my part. Moriarty from AICN wants Jason Patric in that role, and while I totally agree with his point about Patric’s disconnected aura being a great touch for that part, I still don’t see it. I think Dr. Manhattan has to be larger than life, doesn’t he?

This is pretty fun if you’re missing “Lost” this morning (and since it’s like 8 months until Season 4 premiere, you’re pretty much screwed if you’re that desperate already)… It’s a video made up of snippets from the three seasons of “Lost” of the plane crash, spliced together into somewhat real time. I especially like the end. Video after the jump…

Continue reading The “Lost” plane crash

I don’t post enough music on BLUE MAG, so here is Elvis Perkins backed by Dearland from earlier this week on Late Show. I think this is the most beautiful song I’ve heard in a long while.

The next season of “Battlestar Galactica,” which will air in early 2008, will officially be its last, according to exec producers David Eick and Ronald D. Moore.