This episode of Friday Night Lights was the first episode – in either season – that I did not think was “great.” Instead this episode seemed like the writers were trying to hard to remind us of the more nuanced storylines that have received little attention. The result is that the episode feels – and was – stretched way too thin. The worst effect of this is that the writing is not as sharp and scenes that should be funny, or at least fun, just are not because they are rushed. Then you chalk up the introduction of an entirely new (but likely not recurring) character and a new dimension on the football field and in the head office. For the most part, most of the new plot points are just not that interesting, and do not lend themselves to intriguing development in future episodes.

On the Taylor front, Coach has to become the athletic director when his paycheck is too little for the family to live on. There could have been better scenes with Buddy here, where both an intense and comical opportunity is lost. The humor of a shouting match between Coach Taylor and the girls soccer coach is left nearly untouched because they rush into a new scene. Meanwhile, Tammy’s free-bird sister comes to Dillon and stirs things up and makes Tammy fear that she has lost another sixteen years of her life to raise another little girl. This could have been real drama but the meat of the storyline – Tammy’s regrets come into the clearing way too late and are mostly out of the blue, new. Will Coach get more money? Is it a serious problem? Will he grow to enjoy his responsibilities as athletic director? Does Tammy actually regret having Gracie? I thought she liked being a mother…

In the teen soap realm, Julie apologizes to Matt at work which is a good scene that in the past would have been reflected on with a Saracen/Landry conversation that is noticeably absent. Instead of really dwelling on Julie, or his feelings for her, Matt rushes into something new. Meanwhile, without Tyra to talk to, Julie talks to no one, and how she feels about Matt is never brought out. Does she feel guilty? Does she want Matt back? Or does she really just want to be friends? Matt is jumped by the new girl in Dillon who is all over him and Matt is happy to oblige. Does Matt feel guilty about this at all? Does he want to get back with Julie? Even though I have begged for this plotline since the season began, the way it is handled leaves much to be desired.

Smash jumps back into the show to get his fullback back into the fold. It took the writers long enough to remember Smash and his lines are pretty good. At the same time, with all the other stuff that is going on, there really is not that much Smash. Riggins returns from Mexico to find out the Coach is tired of giving him more chances and quickly embraces a constant state of drunkenness. Will Riggins play again? Will his tutoring of the new guy get him back in Coach’s good graces? It would be shocking if Riggins did not suit up again.

Street is coaxed back into coaching - no surprise there and quickly returns to form, only to have a real cheesy scene with Lyla – “how have you been able to change your life.” Yawn. Lyla however slips into the background of this episode and fails to clear up the Pandora’s Box she opened last week with Street and Riggins. Which one will she choose? Will she choose one? Do we all see this as merely an inevitably prolonged storyline until the finale?2.

The most dynamic storyline of the series so far, Tyra-Landry does not offer a hell of a lot to go on besides that Landry is still devastated by his break-up with Tyra and has to trust his dad when it comes down to the wire. On the other hand, Tyra seems like she’s already over Landry, which makes little sense considering her breakdown in the last episode. Was their relationship only skin deep for Tyra? Does she still have feelings for Landry? If the murder business clears up, will they get back together?

Could “Avatar” Win Best Picture?

By Brett Hogan

 

Last week, the trailer for James Cameron’s sci-fi experiment “Avatar” debuted. While initially unimpressed with the teaser, I began to wonder: Could this film win best picture? 

 

Buzz has been generating for this movie for years. Years. The technology to make this movie didn’t exist when Cameron conceived it, so he invented it. When is the last time you heard of a director spearheading the invention of anything? The casting started in 2005. Most movies these days, even epics, are done in half that time. I could go on. 

 

The most important thing to take away from all of this is that people are saying this will be the future of movies. Now, I don’t agree with the idea that CGI will become more prevalent than it already is. But I do believe that this will set the bar miles higher for sci-fi. I mean, that is what Titanic did. And that won some awards if memory serves.

 

I’ll bet you’re asking yourself, how can you even suggest that a film like this will win Best Picture when the initial trailer was nothing better than visual stimulation? Well, there are a couple of reasons. First, the Academy has expanded Best Picture to ten films. This doesn’t guarantee anything other than improved chances for most films on the cusp.

 

Second, after last year’s Oscars debacle, which saw the best film of the year, “The Dark Knight,” not only get shafted in awards but nominations as well, the Academy is pulling out all the stops to appease those with the loudest voices in the film industry, the fanboys. Now, the Academy probably didn’t lose anything because of that other than some viewers of the award show. Perhaps if people are again outraged with the winners or nominees, the heads of the Academy would lose their jobs. So this is all about the Academy protecting itself, which is not so outrageous.  

 

 

Third, there is an economic motive here. I’ve heard this film will cost $190 million, not counting the R&D costs associated with Cameron’s inventions or the cost of getting 3-D cameras into every theater in the country. The Academy will do everything in its power to get people into the seats and make this the next “Titanic” or “The Dark Knight.” But the Academy doesn’t have much power, besides nominating and awarding, so they will slap the “Nominated for Best Picture” moniker onto every commercial and print ad to get the people who didn’t believe the critics to relent and see this movie.

 

Of course, all of this is pure conjecture, and no revolutionary film (Terminator 2, Jurassic Park, etc.) has ever won the Best Picture category because it changed the game. Except maybe Titanic. But still, could this movie actually win? My answer is no but a nomination is certain and who knows what could happen from there. We’ll know more come February 2010.