The 5th Annual TNU Video Music Awards

Ahh, the dog days or summer are finally here, and that can mean only one thing: MTV once again tries to pretends it’s still a music channel when it airs The 34th annual MTV Video Music Awards!

This year, the award ceremony will take place at The Forum in Inglewood, California, and will be hosted by the one and only Kat Perry.She takes over the hosting duties from nowbody, because last year MTV was too cheap to hire a host.

Anyways, as per tradition, I don’t plan in watching the VMAs on Sunday night. But I couldn’t let the event go without notice either. Therefore, I am pleased to bring you the fifth annual TNU Video Music Awards!

Now, before we get started handing out awards, I need to let you know that my buddy (and fellow TNU member) Laneit, ran off with all of our petty cash so he could buy more Pop figures. This means the 5th annual TNU VMAs are running on a smaller budget, and won’t be giving out as many awards as we did last year. Also, thanks to the smaller budget, there is no trip to Steak ‘n Shake after the show.

One last thing to keep in mind: I don’t listen to current music, so most of the music videos listed below are old. And with that, here are the 2017 TNU Video Music Awards…

Sure to Give you Nightmares winner
Stone Temple Pilots – “Sour Girl”

All these years later, “Sour Girl” is the only Stone Temple Pilots song I like. I’m not sure what it all means, but it’s still a good song. But the fact remains, the video for “Sour Girl” is scary as hell.

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Thanks for Wrecking my Childhood winner
OPUS – “Live Is Life ”

Believe it or not, I actually remember when this song came out. “Live is Life” was my cousin’s favorite song for a long time, so I listened to it over and over in 1985. However, I hadn’t seen the video until recently, and now I wish I hadn’t seen it all.

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15-20 Years winner
Marty Balin – “Hearts”

Three guesses as to what is going on in this music video:

1. He killed her, and that’s why he’s in prison

2. Poor guy’s been in solitary for so long, he’s now starting to hallucinate.

3. She framed him for murder for wearing that ridiculous speedo.

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Lonely Hearts Club winner
Elton John – “I Want Love”

Robert Downey Jr. looks so sad in this video, no wonder he wants someone to love. But maybe, just maybe, he’d be happy with some furniture.

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Best Special Effects winner
The Darkness – “I Believe In A Thing Called Love”

Any music video that has giant alien monsters and guitars dropping from the ceiling, is okay by me.

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Does it Really Matter What She’s Saying? winner
Bibi Gaytán – “Mucha Mújer Para Ti”

What can I say? Bibi Gaytan was one of my first crushes.

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Best Video of Some Random Year

Blu Cantrell – “Hit ‘Em Up Style (Oops!)”

I know “Hit ‘Em Up Style (Oops!)” seems like an odd choice for me, but allow me to explain: This song was everywhere in the summer of 2001, and because that was an important time for me, I always put the two together.

Then again, I may just have fond memories of this song because of my co-workers did a strip tease to “Hit ‘Em Up Style (Oops!)” on my last day at Blockbuster Video.

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The Saint Review

 

Last night, as I counted down the hours until “The Defenders” premiered, I noticed something peculiar on Netflix. In the just released section, there was a 2017 movie called “The Saint.”

How could this be? There’s a new movie based on Simon Templar, that has a Roger Moore cameo, and co-stars my fellow Bostonian Eliza Dushku, and I knew nothing about it?  Sigh, I must be loosing my movie knowledge in my old age. Anyways, I had to watch this new Saint adaptation, to see what I missed.

The film sees International master thief, Simon Templar (Adam Rayner), also known as The Saint, helping a desperate banker to find his kidnapped daughter. In return, the banker will give Templar the stolen $2 billion that was meant for aid relief in Africa.

The case sounds simple enough, however, The Saint also has to deal with the authorities who have been after him for years. And if that wasn’t enough, Simon will be forced to face am adversary from his past.

As usual, Templar is assisted by Patricia Holm (Eliza Dushku), who provides live intelligence from her laptop or whatever other gadget that’s handy. If you’re a fan of the books, you’ll recognise Holm as Simon’s on and off again love interest, but in this film the relationship is more professional which was kind of cool to see.

Overall, this new Saint is pretty good, but hardly perfect. The stunts in the film are rather good considering this was done on a television budget. But the filmmakers definitely got their money’s worth. Each set piece and location were dressed to look their best, and the effort shows throughout the film.

The maun story is too simple, and nothing we haven’t seen before. However, this movie gave us glimpses into Simon Templar’s past. We see him in school, at home with his dad, and how he became a trained fighter. This movie even reveals something about the family name. Maybe all this information has appeared before in the tv show or movies, but it was new to me.

My favorite parts of “The Saint” were easily its two leads. Adam Rayner and Eliza Dushku have great chemistry, and the banter between then felt natural. Whatever he dishes, she sends right back at him. We also get to see how Simon and Patricia met, and it wasn’t as glamorous as you might expect.

Adam Rayner plays Simon with charm and humor, and he looks good in the action scenes. He was particularly good when he had to dress up as someone else. For someone in theri late 30’s, Rayner fit nicely into the role. And I liked the gag about him having a beard early on, which I think was a holdover from his days on “Tyrant.”

Meanwhile, my girl Eliza Dushku stole every scene she was in. She was terrific as Patricia, and I thought she gave a new life to the character. Dushku is funny, beautiful, and can handle her fair share of action. But I’m biased. Ever since I met Eliza Dushku at Wizard World Boston 2005, I’m always going to have a soft sport for her.

From what I understand, this movie was initially intended as a television pilot to reboot the classic series. Last I heard, Roger Moore has at least some control over the rights to the Saint. But now that he’s gone, I don’t know where that stands.

But I’ll tell you this: I would happily watch a regular Saint series starring Adam Rayner and Eliza Dushku any day of the week.

“The Saint” score: B

I really like podcasts (again): The West Wing Weekly

I’ve listened to a lot of podcasts over the last few months, but last week I realized all of the shows I listen to fall into the same categories: comic books, movies/TV, and wrestling. Considering how many podcasts are out there, my listening habits were pretty narrow.

However, I am happy to announce that I’ve discovered a podcast called “The West Wing Weekly” that is all about my all time favorite tv show, “The West Wing.” Yes, you read that correctly. “The West Wing” is my all-time favorite television show. Despite my love for “Doctor Who,” “Boston Legal” and countless other, “The west Wing” holds a special place in my heart.

“The West Wing Weekly” is a podcast co-hosted by composer and fellow New Englander,  Hrishikesh Hirway and actor Joshua Malina. If the second name sounds familiar it’s probably because Malina starred as Will Bailey for four seasons on “The West Wing.”

The first time I saw Malina was on “The American President” in 1995, (a movie written by Aaron Sorkin). But a few years later I came to really like Malina’s work on another Aaron Sorkin Show called “Sports Night.” The guy even showed up in an episode of HBO’s “From the Earth to the Moon.” Chances are that if you don’t know his name, you’ll probable recognize his face.

Anyways, on “The West Wing Weekly,” Hrishikesh Hirway and Joshua Malina discuss every episode of the tv show from start to finish. But what’s also cool about the podcast it that Malina often shares behind the scenes stories, like the time he locked the props guy in a closet. But to make things even better, the two hosts bring on lots of great guests to discuss some episodes.

I’ve listened to nine episodes since finding the show on Monday, and so far Dulé Hill, Janel Moloney, and others have guest starred on “The West Wing Weekly.” Other guests have included the costume designer, and a former political speech writer turned tv writer. So not only am I learning stuff about the tv show, but I’m also learning about other subjects as well.

I’m listening to the podcast in order, so I haven’t looked ahead to see who else makes an appearance, but I can’t wait to find out.

It doesn’t matter if you’re an old fan of “The West Wing,” or you’re just starting out. “The West Wing Weekly” is a show that has something for all, and it is hosted by two talented and funny guys. So check this show out!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A few thoughts about San Diego Comic-Con

Last year I said Warner Bros. won San Diego Comic-Con thanks to all the trailers they showed. Heck, had Warners only showed the first “Wonder Woman” last year, I think they still would have won.

This year however, I’m giving Marvel the win. This is not because I didn’t like what WB did, but because Marvel gave us a new “Thor: Ragnarok” trailer, some much-needed “Captain Marvel” movie news, and even some “Ant-Man and the Wasp” casting announcements. So kudos to you Marvel, you win San Diego Comic-Con 2017.

There were of course a ton of news to come out of this year’s San Diego Comic-Con. So many news items come out at the same time, that it’s rather easy to miss some of them. I’m not going to comment on everything, that would take far too long and my wifey keeps telling me to pack for our vacation. But here are a few thoughts I had on this year’s SDCC:

• “Thor: Ragnarok” looks like a lot of fun!
• Michelle Pfeiffer playing Janet Van Dyne? Hell yeah.
• Thanks to his enthusiasm, Jason Momoa has won me over.
• Vincent Price’s voice gave me nightmares as a kid, and even as an adult. Thanks a lot “Stranger Things.”
• Because of the “Westworld” teaser, I have been humming Sammy Davis Jr. all morning.

• The Kingsman panel was cool and all, but I think 20th Century Fox blew a big chance by not featuring anything else on Thursday.
• “Wynonna Earp” got renewed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• I appreciate that SYFY does a nightly show live from the convention, but it would be nice if they featured something about comic books, and not just tv and film.
• The second trailer for “Justice League” was awesome. I think there was more humor in the trailer, than in any of the other Zack Snyder DCEU movies combined. Now I’m really excited to see the movie.
• The first thing I thought of when I saw the Justice League poster was…

Bismillah! No we will not let you go – let him go
Bismillah! We will not let you go – let him go
Bismillah! We will not let you go let me go
Will not let you go let me go (never)
Never let you go let me go
Never let me go ooo
No, no, no, no, no, no, no
Oh mama mia, mama mia, mama mia let me go
Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me

 

I really like podcasts (again): The Shazam/Isis Podcast

I didn’t start collecting comics until the late 1980’s, but I liked superheroes from an early age. In fact, some of my earliest memories of superheroes are of my cousin and I watching the live action “Shazam!” tv show on Saturday mornings.

I was a little kid then, so I had no idea the show I was watching was actually made in the mid 1970’s. Even if I’d known that I don’t think it would have mattered to me. The show was new to me, and that was all that I cared about. Plus, you know: superheroes!

Another thing I remember from back then was that the tv station would play “Shazam!” for a few weeks, and then switch over to the “The Secrets of Isis” tv show for a couple of weeks. I knew the shows were related because Shazam made a couple of appearances on Isis, but I didn’t get to see the shows back to back like kids in the 70’s did.

Why do I bring this up?

Because I wasn’t aware there was something called “The Shazam!/Isis Hour” until I listened to The Shazam/Isis Podcast hosted by John S. Drew and Richard F. Lee.

This podcast features two life long fans of the television shows discussing each episode in detail. John and Richard go through the episode’s plot, the guest stars, the moral of the story, and they even play audio clips from the show. There’s even some episodes featuring interviews with the stars of the shows, those are definitely worth listening too!

Over the last few week’s I’ve been making my way through all the great episodes John and Richard have put together. Some of my favorites Isis episodes so far include “Bigfoot,” “The Lights of Mystery Mountain,” and the Joanna Pang Atkins interview. For Shazam, some of my favorites are “Fool’s Gold,” “Double Trouble,” and “The Treasure.”

The Shazam/Isis Podcast has not only brought back a ton of Saturday morning memories, but it has also taught me a lot about two tv shows I loved as a kid. If you were ever a fan of either Shazam! or Isis, you should be listening to The Shazam/Isis Podcast.

Sense8 season 2 review

Possible spoilers ahead!

“Sense8” season 2 picks up not long after the Christmas special, as the eight main sensates — characters psychically connected to each other — are still hiding from Whispers (Terrence Mann) and the mysterious organization known only BPO. That cat-and-mouse game that started in season one, escalates in season 2 in all sorts of unexpected ways.

Season 2 also expands on the elements introduced in season 1, including the importance of the sensates relationships with one another. These relationships are not only fleshed out, but become essential to every episode of the new season. The core 8 are now more like a team than a group of strangers, they see to each other when things are good and when they are bad. They also help each other out throughout the season, sometimes with hilarious results.

Now that the group is aware of the danger presented by BPO, season 2 opens the series up to more action, especially when it comes to Hand-to-hand combat. Of course much of it comes courtesy Sun’s (Doona Bae) storyline, which finds her still confined to prison at the start of the season. But many others get in on the fun as well.

One of the things that makes the combat scenes in “Sense8” so epic, is the show’s editing. This is where the idea that the eight sensates can not only communicate but in some ways inhabit one another leads to some brilliantly edited sequences, and no just when it comes to combat. You truly believe these characters are one and the same.

This season’s plots explore Will (Brian J. Smith) and Riley’s (Tuppence Middleton) relationship, which was cool because we got to see a more independent side of Riley. Another relationship explored was the one between Wolfgang (Max Riemelt) and Kala (Tina Desai), who finally admit they love each other.

Season 2 pairs up other characters in fun ways too, Lito (Miguel Angel Silvestre) and Sun have opposite personalities, but they actually have some similarities and it was fun to see them interact with each other more, especially when Lito is depressed.

Meanwhile, Nomi (Jamie Clayton) has really grown since season 1. To me she’s the heart of the group and now the Oracle of the Sense8, this lead to some exciting collaborate during some of the season’s most tense moments. And Nomi’s relationship with Freema Agyeman as Amanita “Neets” Caplan, continues to be one of the series’ highlights, and I’m glad they gave her a much more prominent role in the show.

At the end of the day, I thought “Sense8” season 2 was better than the first season because it moved the story forward by leaps and bounds. It also gave each character a full arc, for example: Capheus becomes a celebrity in Nairobi; Kala’s uncertainty over her arranged marriage took some surprising turns, and Lito deals with what coming out publicly means for his career as an action star.

What I love best about “Sense8.” are the cast and what they each bring to their characters. I truly believe these people care for each other, and they never judge one an other. These relationships are the glue that holds this show together, and the positivity of human connection and acceptance shines through. I jut hope Netflix realizes what it has here, and renews “Sense8” for another season.

“Sense8” season 2 score: A

Doctor Who: The Pilot review

Possible spoilers ahead!

Finally, after nearly a year and a half without a proper season, “Doctor Who” returned last weekend with the season 10 premier, “The Pilot.”

The new season has its work cut out for it: this is the final season for Peter Capaldi and
producer Steven Moffat. This means the end season 10 will introduce us to a new incarnation of the Doctor. If that wasn’t enough, “The Pilot” also introduced the Doctor’s new companion, Bill Potts (Pearl Mackie).

The addition of a new companion is never easy, but I thought this episode did a great job introducing viewers to Bill Potts. In just one episode we got to know her background, what she does for a living now, and that behind her humourous demeanor lies a smart and tough lady.

About a year ago, the BBC released a sort of mini trailer featuring Pearl Mackie asking the Doctor what a Dalek was. From that clip alone, I thought her character was going to be almost slapstick next to the Doctor. But I’m happy to say I was completely wrong. Pearl Mackie carries much of the episode, and she was terrific.

I also liked that Bill is quirky enough that she stands out from previous companions. She’s very likable, and I think her and Peter Capaldi are going to have some great adventures together.

Their first adventure takes place mostly at a University where the Doctor has been lecturing undercover for years. The Doctor seems quite happy there, and in his office he even has two photos on his desk, one of River Song and one of his granddaughter Susan.

As the season starts we don’t know why he’s there, but he later reveals, “I am here for a reason. I am in disguise. I have promises to keep. No one can know about me.” What exactly he is talking about, we don’t know. However, some of it appears to involve a vault that he and his assistant Nardole (Matt Lucas) are trying to either access, or safeguard.

After two Christmas specials to his name, Nardole is upgraded to full-time companion, a valet of sorts to the Doctor. The character didn’t excite me too much in the Christmas Specials, but in “The Pilot,” Nardole really stood out. He has some great one liners, and he seemed genuinely concerned for Bill.

The creature we meet in this episode wasn’t exactly evil, so much as misunderstood. And unless I missed it, we don’t even know what to call the liquefied, sentient shape-shifting, time-traveling goo that appears first as a puddle which incorrectly reflected a person’s image. But I did like how they incorporated the character of Heather (Stephanie Hyam), a restless soul who found the ultimate escape.

Whatever this season’s big mystery is wasn’t revealed in this episode. But I’m okay with that because it was refreshing to have a stand alone episode. For once, I felt “Doctor Who” gave us a complete story in one night, and that’s a very good thing. And it was nice to see the Doctor having some fun again, even if he sometimes looks like a penguin with his ass on fire. All in all, “The Pilot” was a fun start to what I hope will be a classic “Doctor Who” season.

“The Pilot” finals score: A

“Doctor Who” airs Saturdays at 9 p.m. on BBC America.