Psych is Back!

After a much too long wait and a cliffhanger that makes even the most experienced TV nerds sweat, Psych is back on TV tonight!

Get excited Psych-o's

Smash: Why more people should watch

Last season Smash fell victim to the recent trend of hate-watching. This is probably thanks to the barrage of unlikeable characters and some questionable story lines (poisoned smoothie, anyone?). This season, with the immense overhall by the new showrunner, something has changed. Those who hate watched left, and left hardly anyone tuning in week after week.

But the show is better now. So why aren't people watching? I can't tell you that, but here are some reasons why more people should tune in.

• No more Ellis or Leo or Julia's annoying husband
• Jennifer Hudson belting out like the powerhouse that she is
• Better songs. The ones they have for Jimmy and his little musical are actually really catchy and a fresh injection of modern music into the show
• No crazy dream sequences. OK there was one, but it was good and not crazy like the Bollywood hot mess like last season
• The new character, while occasionally annoying, are still far more likable than the ones they replaced
• There's more of a focus on the making-of aspects of Broadway
• If you love Katherine McPhee, you will love the direction of this season

So really people, please watch. The show has so much potential and deserves a shot.

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The Walking Dead Quick Reactions: Don't Trust Her

Sometimes I like to just watch a show and write down whatever my thoughts are while watching. Then I post them here for the world to see inside my brain.

• Shut up Merle, no one wants you here anyway.
• Listen to your son, Rick. Just give up the reins and let someone else get crazy.
• Andrea, please stop falling for this man's charm. He is pure evil. Not the cool cat he like to portray.
• OK, I really need Daryl to get over his brotherly affection right now.
• Carol, please just start making out with Daryl right now.
• I feel so bad for Milton sometimes. I don't think he loves the Governor, just don't think he would be able to survive otherwise.
• Wow Milton is really bad against the walkers.
• That jaw breaking scene is really hard to watch. Ow.
• Tyrese! Stop! Don't go to Woodbury!
• Get your head out of your ass, Andrea.
• I wonder if the suicide pact from the comics with Tyrese's daughter is going to be put into play in the show. Could be interesting.
• I'm going to name my female child Lil Asskicker.
• Wow, Carol laying out a plan of vagina warfare. I like tough Carol. 
• I know you may be a little.... ahem frustrated... during this zombie apocalypse, but please open your eyes and see the world around here.
• Oh hello naked Andrea... now grow some balls and kill the Governor already. Please and thank you.

And the winners are....

Academy Awards 2013 results (including random ramblings and/or rants):

Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz. Really anyone here could have won, and I'd have been happy with anyone. Maybe I wanted Deniro to win a little more. But I adore Christoph. And it's nice to know he can win with a nice character too.

Best Animated Short Film: Paperman.

Best Animated Feature Film: Brave. I'm sorry, I liked this movie, but Wreck-It Ralph should have won. It's because Pixar made it.

Best Cinematography: Life of Pi. No surprise there. Very beautiful movie.

Best Visual Effects: Life of Pi. Again, no surprises here. Much deserved award.

Best Costume Design: Anna Karenina - Jacqueline Durran.

Best Makeup and Hairstyling: Les Miserables. I kind of wanted the Hobbit feet to win, but I guess this works too.

Best Live Action Short Film: Curfew - Shawn Christensen.

Best Documentary Short Subject: Inocente. 

Best Documentary Feature: Searching for Sugar Man. I feel like I should really start watching the movies nominated in this category.

Best Foreign Language Film: Amour. No surprise there, as it was the only one in the category to be nominated for Best Picture. And this is well deserved. Such a beautiful, touching movie.

Best Sound Mixing: Les Miserables. Can't tell you what this award means, but having the musical win makes sense to me.

Best Sound Editing: TIE: Zero Dark Thirty and Skyfall. I have never seen a tie during the Oscars before.

Best Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway. No question.

Best Film Editing: Argo. Definitely an awesomely edited movie. Also glad Argo is starting to win some awards up in here.

Best Production Design: Lincoln.

Best Original Score: Life of Pi. Makes sense. No complaints here at all. Very, very beautiful.

Best Original Song: Skyfall. There was no way that Adele was not going to win this. Perfect song from the movie. And it's Adele. Freaking Adele. She is perfection. No contest.


Best Adapted Screenplay: Argo. The Argo screenplay truly is something wonderful. Congratulation, very well deserved. I would've rooted for Silver Linings Playbook, but the screenplay is so different from the book.

Best Original Screenplay: Django Unchained. This actually surprised me. Don't know why, just did. But Tarantino really did make something original and unique. Though Zero Dark Thirty probably deserved to win just a little bit more. Just saying.

Best Director: Ang Lee for Life of Pi. I guess he did a good job. It could not have been an easy book to make into a movie. I'm just biased towards David O. Russell.

Best Actress: Jennifer Lawrence! YES YES YES. So deserved! She was amazing in this movie. So much emotional depth. And I just adore her so much.


Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis. There is not another actor who deserves it more or who could play Lincoln better. Bravo sir. And so humble. Just a wonderful actor.

Best Picture: Argo! Ben Affleck created such a wonderful film. You know a film is good when you get nervous watching a movie you know will end relatively happily. I love this movie, and I am so glad that it is the recognition it deserves.

The Surprising Awesomeness of Pitch Perfect

By all indications, Pitch Perfect should be a horrible movie. I guess some people may hate it. But based on reviews and me just polling everyone I know, it is a beloved movie. So how did this happen?

The most obvious thing is the casting. Is there anyone better than Rebel Wilson? She is just hilarious and delightful. I give her the most credit for making the movie so great. But the other casting is great too. Adam Devine is so hateful, but so intriguing. Anna Kendrick plays her "alternative" role to its highest potential. And Jesse... oh Jesse. You cannot watch this movie and not fall in love with him. I often find myself yelling at my television at Kendrick's Beca for not realizing what a sweetheart he can be. But while he is adorable, as with the rest of the cast, this is not the only thing that makes the film awesome.

The music. Holy cow I don't know who the filmmakers got to do all the arrangements and mashups and whatnot, but that person is good. It is almost physically impossibly to watch this movie and not hum along to its many catchy beats (notably the final Bella's mashup, any Treble Makers song, and the riff off scene). Of course, believing these characters could so quickly learn any arrangements in the time span of the movie is not easy, it is just a movie. And thank God there is not any Glee-like dream song sequence. That would have killed it for me.

Finally, the story of the movie should be contrived and dull. But the filmmakers manage to make a done story fresh and new, even if a little predicable. In lesser hands, this movie would have been a flop. Instead, it's funny and smart, and that's just what the audience deserves after seeing so many musical movies that are terrible.

Scandal Reactions: Somebody's Watching You

In case you are new here, I do this thing where I write down my immediate reactions while watching some of my favorite shows. Here are my reactions to tonight's Scandal. And, obviously, there will be spoilers involved.

• Come on Kerry Washington. It's Scott Foley. Scott freaking Foley. Just have a nice date with him.
• As part of a Navy family, I appreciate this quote: "I'm a Navy man. Navy men never give up."
• It's nice to know that President Grant is turning to the booze. I feel like I'm watching an episode of Mad Men.
• JAKE AND PRESIDENT GRANT ARE FRIENDS?! I love this twist. Also, they will not be close for that long.
• So Fitz is having Jake follow Olivia.... interesting. Very interesting. How long til Fitz realizes Jake is into her?
•  This Caldwell family is beautiful. Can they stay on forever?
• Take a shower, Huck. You are making everyone miserable at the office.
• PERD HAPLEY IS ON SCANDAL. I REPEAT, PERD HAPLEY. SCANDAL. YES.
• OK, so Ballard is officially not creepy in my book anymore.
• Drone attacks. Because that is going so well in the America set in reality. So a drone strike will go over really well in the fake one I guess.
• It is now my lifelong dream to have Perd Hapley appear in all my shows. I have Dexter, Parks and Rec and now Scandal.
• Mellie is a pain in my ass. I just want Fitz to divorce her now.
• I agree with Cyrus' rant about Mellie.
• This Senator running for Governor is totally sleeping with his brother's wife, right? I don't think I'm misreading this.
• I really cannot wait for Mellie to shoot herself in the foot.
• Olivia looks wonderful tonight. I wonder if the President will be able to keep it in his pants.
• Already jealous. Knew that hatred wouldn't last long Fitzy.
• I know he is a major creep, but I love Jake Ballard right now. Hopefully he isn't a bigger creep.
• Totally called it. It's always the brother's wife. That's my motto.
• And the President is back with Cyrus! Success. Well played. Well played.
• I knew it was Woody (and for those of you who don't know, Woody is his character on Psych)
• Fitzy, you're the one who wanted it over. Now get over it. She's hurting over you. You blew it. Just let her be.

In honor of Psych returning in one week

Movie Review: The Impossible

Only in a movie field this strong would a film like The Impossible be overlooked at the Oscars. Granted, Naomi Watts did get the best actress nomination, but as of right now the way that award season is shaping out, it does not seem likely she will win. If it were last year, when the field was not very great, this film probably would have been recognized for many more awards. But alas, movies were too good this year. Not like I am complaining.

The Impossible starts out like any vacation movie: the Bennett family is on the plane, making wise cracks at one another. The kids are fighting. Half the family is scared of a little turbulence  Once the plane lands, it's all about enjoying the ocean and the beach resort.

And then the unthinkable happens. Brown, murky water comes cascading over the beach house, destroying everything in its path. These scenes with the tsunami are difficult to watch. As someone who has thankfully not experienced something like this, you don't realize what happens under the water. Broken branches, glass, cars, everything is under the water. And any of these can cause life threatening injuries at any point.

It truly is a wonder how Naomi Watts' Maria got out and found one of her three sons, Lucas. What the audience then learns, however, is that the rest of the family is nowhere to be found and Maria has some serious injuries that need prompt medical attention. Somehow they make it to the hospital, but what comes next for Maria ia truly the critical part. You truly have no idea, as an audience member, what her fate is in this scenario. Unless you know have read the true story.

Watts' portrayal of the injured Maria in this film is truly remarkable. I'm not an actor, but I think it would be extremely difficult to play a woman is such severe distress and make it 100% believable at the same time. But Watts pulls it off flawlessly. You can see the pain and determination in her eyes as she searches for somebody in her family in order to have at least a little sliver of hope.

Bottom line: This is not an easy movie to watch. It's hard to watch these character get so injured and feel the loss of hope. But this is a movie everyone should watch. It is one of the best movies of the year and reminds people of what a tragedy the tsunami was.

Grade: A+

This video really is everywhere today. And she really has improved her skills mightily.

The Walking Dead: Ambush Attack

Here are some of my reactions while watching tonight's The Walking Dead:

• Lori, I didn't even like you when you were alive. Please go away now that you're dead.
• When is someone going to ask the Governor about all the severed heads he has been hiding away in his home?
• The Governor seems completely legitimate in his apology... Not.
• Damn, Glenn is really becoming a badass.
• Merle, please do not be a jackass. Just let Daryl go help those poor people and kill all of the bridge walkers.
• Daryl, you must go back to the prison. Other men have eyes on Carol.
• These bridge people are too bad at killing walkers to still be alive in this world.
• Merle.... still so racist.
• Daryl is not going to be able to take this crap from Merle for much longer.
• Look at Daryl, being all tolerant.
• "He's Korean." - Daryl has got the jokes this week.
• Glenn 2013.
• Yeah OK Rick. Sure you have stuff to do in the woods. Not like you are seeing your dead wife or anything.
• Damn Governor. You don't waste any time do you. Just when I was starting to trust that random prisoner guy.
• Using a human shield. Very resourceful, Carol.
• WHO IS IN THE VAN?!?!?!?!
• Daryl is back!!!!! Thank the lord Daryl is back!

Quick Review: Life of Pi

I know this movie is supposed to be amazing. I know that, I promise. Maybe when I watched it I was just not in the mood for this type of movie. Maybe my award season pretentious phase has worn off. I don't know. But there were many parts of this film that just seemed kind of long. It was the last movie that I had to watch before the Oscar telecast, so maybe I felt forced to watch it. True, it is an exceptionally beautiful film and extremely well made. It will probably win for cinematography. But if you are not into artsy films that try to teach ou about belief, you're not going to like it.

Bottom line: Exceptionally beautiful, but can drag along at certain moments.

Grade: B-

The Walking Dead Premiere

There really is only one thing I have to say to this premiere of The Walking Dead:

NO DARYL DON'T LEAVE WITH MERLE! YOU NEED TO GO BACK TO THE GROUP AND BE WITH CAROL!

But in all seriousness, besides that plot development, the premiere was darn near perfect. Rick losing his mind. Glenn becoming a badass. Lil Asskicker's bed. Lori as a weird ghostly figure of Rick's imagination. The Governor going even more crazy than before. Tyrese just being awesome. I really cannot wait to see what this show has in store for the rest of the season.

And if Daryl dies I am actually going to the headquarters of AMC and start a protest.

The Walking Dead returns!

I know it has seemed like forever, but The Walking Dead is back tonight! In honor of this momentous occasion, I am going to take a few moments and list off why this is one of the greatest shows on television.

• Of course, the zombies.
• Other than the zombies, this is a show about people. You become drawn to these characters and care for them.
• Daryl Dixon. Need I say more?
• It keeps you on the edge of your seat. Some shows think its fine to use a plot line over an entire season. Not this show. It's fast-paced, sit on the edge of your seat action.
• Have a favorite character? Well, unless it's Rick, chances are that character is going to bite it sometime in the future, maybe even the episode you are watching. Which may seem like a negative, but it allows the audience to become drawn into the action and fear for the characters lives as if they are fighting the zombies themselves. And a little suspense just makes everything better.
• The Governor is one of the most complex and entertaining villains on television right now, and you never know what he is going to do next.
• Tyrese is now in the picture! A fan-favorite from the comic books is in, and it is going to be very interesting to see how he is utilized on the show.
• Even if you have read every comic, you really don't know what is going to happen next.

There are so many other reasons as to why this show is so darn awesome, but I'll keep it nice and short(ish) today.

Movie Review: The Hobbit

When the trailers for this movie first came out, I could not be more excited. The weeks leading up to the release, I watched al of The Lord of the Rings movies, read The Hobbit, and was just psyched for the release. Then the movie came out. And I had no desire to actually go and see it. Maybe it was the so-so reviews it was getting. Maybe the novelty wore off. I cannot be sure.

Well I finally saw it. And I have to agree with the so-so reviews. While it is great to have more Lord of the Rings esque films coming out, this film did not live up to the majesty of the trilogy that came before. Maybe it was the drawn out nature of the film. Or it could have been the story all together. But for some reason, I found myself getting bored while watching it and did some homework to pass the time between the exciting parts.

The acting was certainly up to par. Nobody can beat Andy Serkis when it comes to his portrayal of Gollum. And Ian McKellen is awesome in everything he does. You can just tell that he is enjoying himself playing Gandalf the Grey once more. And any time I get to see Martin Freeman in anything, I am excited. Especially in the same movie that Benedict Cumberbatch is in. It allows me to pretend I'm watching Sherlock, and that should make everyone happy.

Bottom line: It's a fine movie, just not really up to scratch with the other trilogy members. The acting was wonderful, the main problem is probably just the drawn-out nature of the film. Which leaves me very worried for the boring factor of the next two installments.

Grade: B-

To watch the Grammys or to watch The Walking Dead live this Sunday..... That is the most difficult of questions

Thank you television gods

Community is back on television! I had my doubts about whether it could live up to the Dan Harmon awesomeness that all of us have become so accustomed to. But this premiere proved that the incredible writing staff and perfect cast can make the show as wonderful and weird as always. And the ratings must make everyone happy, being against Big Bang and American Idol. So like I said in the title, thank you television gods.

Quick Review: The Sessions

This is a movie about a man trying to have sex. In reality, most movies have the same plot line, but they are not as explicit as here. This film, however, explores this topic so sweetly that one cannot watch and not cheer for Mark O'Brien, played by John Hawkes. He is a 39 year old virgin who spends most of his life in an iron lung. Helen Hunt plays Cheryl, his sex surrogate, who teaches him that he is worthy of physical love as well as spiritual love. Hawkes and Hunt play their respective roles so beautifully and without inhibition that the many scenes with a sexual nature do not seem awkward or creepy; they just seem real and honest.

Grade: A-

Movie Review: The Master

There is a reason as to why this film is nominated in three major acting categories and not for Best Picture. There are parts that are confusing and hard to follow, but the acting is magnificent throughout.

Amy Adams, nominated this year for Best Supporting Actress, plays the scheming and intelligent wife, Peggy, of Philip Seymour Hoffman's Lancaster Dodd. Dodd is the L. Ron Hubbard-like character of the film. He essentially is the creator of a cult-like religion similar to Scientology. Of course, the filmakers deny any connection with the Church of Scientology. The main focus of the film is Freddie Quell, a vet from World War II who is sucked into the world that Dodd creates for him.

Hoffman plays Dodd in such a way that it creates an unease with the audience as to whether or not this is a legitimate exercise he has made, or if it is indeed a cult. He genuinely believes in what he is doing and that he can create a perfect human existence.

Amy Adams' portrayal of Peggy Dodd is fierce and assertive. This is a woman who thinks she is really in charge and keeps her husband in check at all times. The audience can easily feel her fire and emotion and that she believes in everything that her husband is preaching.

Joaquin Phoenix plays Quell. He plays the role of a veteran soldier going through a phase of crazed actions and probably a hint of PTSD.

This is not a film for everyone. Many people may in fact feel confused during much of the action. I like to think of myself as a movie buff who can comprehend intricate plots, but even I had trouble grasping some parts of the narrative. It cannot be denied, however, that the performances by Phoenix, Hoffman, and Adams are beyond good. They capture the essence of the character in such a way that it brings in a sense of reality. They also make it so that those watching cannot help but imagine this being the start of what is today the Church of Scientology.

Grade: B