Everyone knows that Roger Ebert has gone soft in his old age and ill health. How else do you explain THREE STARS for Gulliver’s Travels and only a mere half star more for True Grit? Facing the end of your life will do that to a sensitive soul and I love him, so I chalk it up to serious meds. Anyway, Ebert thinks this film of the holiday blizzard deserves an Oscar nod in the short film category. This is lovely, but all it really makes me think is “please spay and neuter your pets” (cut to 2:40 mark for my The Price Is Right reference).
Pop Culture
1853 posts
When my wife told me she wanted a turntable for Christmas I knew this was going to be one of those gifts that I would enjoy just as much as she does. When it came time to pick a turntable though I was confronted with a broad range of prices and products for what is a metal platter that spins a piece vinyl around in a circle. I immediately decided that I had no use for a $2000 turntable. Fortunately there were many in the $80 to $300 range from reputable companies that have made turntables for decades.
Another feature that I didn’t need was the built in ability to transfer to a computer, though an astute reader will notice by the name of the review I ended up with that anyway. I did want a built in phono pre-amp
It was Chris who suggested that I look at the Music Hall USB-1. The price was in the range I was looking at, it had a nice look to it and it included all of the features I wanted. It also had positive reviews online so I decided to go for it.
It’s available on Amazon Prime
We unboxed it immediately on Christmas day since I wasn’t about to have that thing sit unopened. Unfortunately we were at the mother-in-law’s so I had to improvise a hookup to her Sony soundbar setup. The turntable comes in a couple easy to assemble pieces and includes an Audio Technica AT3600L moving-magnet cartridge which locks easily into the tone arm.
The box includes a short RCA style stereo cable pair, USB cable and software for transferring music to a computer (which I haven’t used). The power cord is a standard 110V, two prong, polarized cord which is permanently affixed to the unit.
When we were able to get the unit home and I had time to hook it up I replaced the included RCA cables with longer gold tipped ones since I needed more reach and had an extra set in a drawer. The turntable is hooked up to a Pioneer VSX-9040THX receiver. The back of the turntable has a selector switch for sending the signal without modification or sending the signal through the built in pre-amp.
Aside from the receiver not having a pre-amp another bit of the past that is gone from the home entertainment center is the clearance necessary in a cabinet to lift the dust cover. For this reason I had to install the turntable on a stand next to the main entertainment center. Fortunately the table was already there and being used for a phone and photo albums. The photographs were replaced with the phonograph.
The first test album was Pet Sounds in mono. My brain uses Sloop John B as a reference song for everything so this was handy.
The album is mono and goes to a stereo input so it plays only through the two main front speakers. Setting a playback mode on the receiver will force it through the center channel as well, though this should be done with caution since it can add sound effects that are undesirable. The turntable spins up quickly after the power switch is set to on and the start/stop button is pressed.
The sound quality is was great and the unit has a nice fluid operation to all of the functions. The second test album was Iron Maiden’s Number of the Beast. This album was used but in nice condition. Additionally it was recorded in stereo and has a nice range. You really can’t go wrong with Bruce Dickinson either. The sound reproduction was outstanding. The output level is a little lower than some of my other components so the listening level is a bit higher than for the TiVo. The other thing that becomes immediately apparent is that these albums were released before the Loudness War.
The third test album was Abbey Road which sounded the best of all three. The sound was quit rich and carried nicely throughout the house.
We have purchased a few more modern albums since and await their arrival.
Gather round kids and peep a few of my favorite tracks from 2010. In no particular order. Continue reading
Inspired by the other NPR post, my local and hearted public conglomerate has a music station that has a free song every day, downloadable in podcast form on the iTunes store.
It’s wonderful.
And you’re welcome to freely utilize our public radio awesomeness unless you say mean things about Minnesotans being snobby about our awesomeness. You can still utilize it, but you have to debase yourselves by saying we’re at least a little bit awesome.
NPR has compiled its annual list of the year’s best new music. Some may be to your taste, some may not, but you can’t knock free. Download 12 tracks from iTunes with a free redemption code on NPR’s site here.
“Ugly people craft and attractive people have sex.”
Strike that. I don’t just watch Cougar Town. I love Cougar Town.
I stumbled upon this show late last season when, during three days of being sick, I exhausted all my backlog on Hulu. And, fuck, what was I going to do? Watch Psych or any of those other “quirky” shows from USA? Go over to CBS’s wasteland?
I figured, eh, I’ll watch Cougar Town and be offended and it will entertain me for a while.
Sadly for my love of righteous outrage, it was actually funny. And not about “cougars.” (Even though I think the early part of Season 1 tried to make that happen. It failed. Because that concept sucks.)
You should take the show for a test run. It’s fluffy and entertaining and contains my favorite character on TV right now (sorry, it’s not Aubrey Plaza). It’s Busy Phillips as “Laurie.”
I have a soft spot for crass women with big, loud personalities. And an especially soft spot for people who don’t take themselves seriously and are kind of vulnerable to boot.
Laurie fits that bill perfectly. I loved her when she tormented her ex-boyfriend’s father – “I just can’t remember if I left my hairdryer here. Must be my pregnancy brain.” Or when she talked with Cox’s character “Jules:”
Laurie: But drama is such a turnon! It makes my lady parts beep.
Jules: Would you rather be with someone emotionally stable or someone who, at game night, carves “die bitch” on the kitchen table because you think he sucks at Jenga?
Laurie: There are positives and negatives to both.
Jules: There really aren’t.
Laurie: I know. And, honey, I am sorry about your table.
Jules: That’s OK. I added a T so now it says “diet bitch.” So actually it’s really helpful!
She is a badass and I like her.
(I have the video embedded, but it isn’t working, so here is a link to what I tried to post.)
There is really nothing to say about this except to ask whether David Silver really celebrated Christmas.
200 Christmases In 2 Minutes from Cinefamily on Vimeo.
200 Christmases In 2 Minutes from Cinefamily on Vimeo.
So last night I talked about my five favorite TV dramas of the year. Looking back on it, I kind of wished I didn’t include The Walking Dead because it was good for 2 episodes then sucked. So, with that in mind I’m going to throw it out and go with six comedies.
Ultimate Caveat Part 2: I did not watch Parks & Recreation, sorry Swifter.
6. Archer: 
For anyone who’s familiar with Adult Swim, Archer isn’t anything groundbreaking, nor is satire of James Bond something new to the comedy scene. But the banter between the voice actors and retro 60s feel gives Archer a unique twist. Creator Adam Reed has given the show a similar style of humor and animation comparable to his other works Frisky Dingo and Sealab 2021. The voice talent is impressive, headed by H. Jon Benjamin and other heavy hitters like Jessica Walter, who essentially reprises her role as Lucille Bluth. The show has a very hyper-aggressive wit to it, with the titular character attempting to get the last line on everything despite being a clueless idiot. Throwaway lines like “That girl was like the Pele of anal” and “This place smells like Indira Gandhi’s thong” are what set this show apart from other animated fare and the fact that it’s on FX allows it to be as raunchy and offensive as needed.
5. 30 Rock: 
No, it can’t hold the claim as the smartest or
No, it can’t hold the claim as the smartest orfunniest show on television, but there aren’t many shows that try to cram as many jokes into 22 minutes of action like 30 Rock. Alec Baldwin has spent the last 4 years reminding anyone who may have missed his 40 appearances on Saturday Night Live that he has better comedic timing than you. Tina Fey at times seems to revel in making Liz Lemon the butt of jokes as a frumpy, socially awkward being when in reality most people would sacrifice a goat to sleep with her. But the show still works thanks to the great relationship between Liz Lemon and Jack Donaghy. The supporting actors can be hit or miss but the show has succeeded in confusing everyone as to whether Tracy Morgan is actually crazy or just acting.
4. The League:
When I first heard the premise of this show I made considerable wanking motions at the screen.
A show about 6 dudes in a fantasy football league that spend the majority of time insulting each other and talking about sex? Color me unimpressed. But after actually watching the short first season last year I was hooked. The show returned with a much better feel for its characters (hint: They are all assholes) and the actors appeared to be much more comfortable riffing off one another. The style of the show is similar to Curb Your Enthusiasm with a story outline instead of a script and relies heavily on improvisation. If you like the Curb version of Larry David or have a fondness for “that guy” comic actors like Nick Kroll and Paul Scheer you will probably enjoy The League.
3. Modern Family:
On the surface, there isn’t much reason for TV critics and audiences to lavish this show with so much praise. It’s a typical sitcom about the antics of a zany family, complete with sexy trophy wife, annoyingly wise child, bumbling husband and gay couple. But for one reason or another Modern Family just feels right, whereas Two and a Half Men feels like an ectopic pregnancy. Thankfully the writers dumped the schmaltzy ending “This is the moral of the story” segments and have let the the show ease into a nice rhythm, allowing us to feel like the Dunphy-Pritchett family could actually exist. The comedy is broad and nonsensical, what makes it work is the feeling that these characters love each other and actually enjoy being in the presence of one another.
2. Community:
Too many TV/movie parodies. Too much meta-commentary. Too many gimmick episodes. Too much fucking awesome is what I say. A story about a disbarred lawyer who goes back to community college and becomes part of a quirky study group has somehow turned into one of the most inventive television shows in recent memory. In two seasons, Community has taken a group of broad stereotypes and fleshed out some great characters. Off the top of my head, we’ve seen parodies of zombie films, Goodfellas, Charlie Kauffman, John Woo, Lethal Weapon, space movies, Mean Girls and The Breakfast Club. Yet none of it feels truly forced and the actors do such a good job there is a heartwarming feel as each episode brings the band of misfits closer together. Bonus points for the hotness that is Allison Brie and Gillian Jacobs.
1. Party Down: The final two shows on this list have a similar theme of how to react when the life you had comes
crashing to a halt. Whereas Community takes a decidedly sunnier view of things (You may not be a rich and successful lawyer but at least you understand the meaning of friendship!), Party Down spent two seasons showing us just what happens to a man who decides to give up on the American Dream, and it’s decidedly unpleasant. An incredible cast and some ridiculous guest spots (Kristen Bell, Steve Guttenberg, JK Simmons) had you either laughing or cringing, usually both at the same time. More bad things happened to Ron Donald (played by Ken Marino) over the course of a season then what happens to child molesters in prison. The season “not series” finale but ultimately last episode deliberately left things open-ended but it still felt like a satisfying conclusion. The last shot of Henry (Adam Scott) nervously waiting for an audition, tired of leading a shit life but terrified of failing again, summed the series up quite nicely.
Like our fearless leader I have a fondness for lists. They are awesome for the sense of finality and authority they provide, even if they are created by drunk kittens. They’re great conversation starters (Hey Johnson did you see that list of 10 greatest rim jobs?) and if you’re a professional troll like Armond White lists can generate huge traffic to your otherwise pathetic blog. So, I’ve decided to break down the 10 best TV shows of 2010. I’ll tackle drama today and comedy in the near future.
Ultimate Caveat: I do not watch Mad Men. And minor spoilers apply for all shows.
5. The Walking Dead: 
Aside from Boardwalk Empire, no other show premeired this year to such rave reviews and incredible ratings. The 90 minute pilot was grandiose and Frank Darabont created a distinct visual style that transferred the zombie movie to basic cable without sacrificing any of the gore or horror we come to expect from the genre. However, the show definitely lost steam after a strong start. Poor writing, shallow stereotypes masquerading as supporting characters and an uneventful finale left me kind of disappointed. Still, the show has potential and hopefully a new writing staff can inject some life into the remaining characters.
4. Lost: 
I was initially annoyed at the finale but the more I look back the writers had basically put themselves in a corner and that was the easiest way out. In the end, it was still an entertaining show regardless of plot direction and the finale was fantastic until the final 10 minutes. They still should have killed Kate with the polar bear, I hated Kate.
3. Boardwalk Empire: Out of all the new shows this year no other had as much hype and expectations as Boardwalk
Empire. You look at the impressive pedigree behind the scenes (Scorsese, Terrence Winter) and in front (Steve Buscemi, Omar Little, Michael Shannon), the subject matter and it’s kind of easy to see why people bust a nut over this show. Crosstalk favorite Brian Moylan trashed the show but he’s off his rocker. No, it’s not Goodfellas circa 1920 but there’s so much more going on. Personally, I loved all the political subplots. Where else are you going to find a major story arc involving Warren G. Harding’s long-forgotten mistress? A serious lack of Omar left me sad but I really liked the finale and all the set-ups for the next season. Bonus points for the Leonardo DiCaprio lookalike doing a bang-up job as Jimmy Darmody and Paz De La Huerta for showing her breasts.
2. Friday Night Lights:
Simply put, the best television drama no one talks about. Somehow a show about Texas high school football created by the guy who directed Hancock has turned into one of the most earnest, thoughtful portrayals of American life and the familial unit. There is no other show on TV that has given me goosebumps or made me tear up like FNL. The marriage of Eric and Tami Taylor just might be the most honest portrayal of a husband and wife I have ever seen on TV. In it’s final season and exiting on just a high of a note as when it started.
1. Breaking Bad: Heisenberg and Jesse Pinkman. I could write pages on the brilliance of these characters, the
absolute dominance by Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul over my mind grapes. This show made me say “Holy fucking shit” more times than I can recall. An episode where all the main characters did was chase a fly around a meth lab was filled with more drama and catharsis than the entire season of Dexter. The ending of “One Minute” had me screaming at the screen like a stereotype in a Wayans Brother movie. What started as a means to pay for chemotherapy and surgery has turned into a defining characteristic for Walter White. No matter how many times he tries to step away, the meth and money always come calling. Like The Sopranos, the show has no qualms about making their main character a terrible human being, one who with each season slips further into despair.